The negative power of rewards

[Myron Tribus <mtribus@home.com>]

The following news item speaks for itself.  I know some of the 
participants since I have been teaching Feuerstein's methods in this 
particular school district.
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PUBLISHED MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2000
Escambia teacher bonuses spread thin
Panel will decide who will get $1,200 for aiding high-risk schools
By Lisa Osburn
News Journal staff writer
A state incentive program meant to keep good teachers at high-risk 
schools is creating turmoil at 15 Escambia schools.
The problem? The program only has enough money to reward some of the 
teachers working at Escambia's ``D'' and alternative schools.
A committee of district administrators, principals, teachers and 
union representatives agreed to make the bonuses $1,200, which is at 
the low end of a range set by state law.
Principals at the schools must decide by Nov. 13 which 159 teachers 
out of 378 will get the incentive.
``Basically, I feel guilt. I have 50 people on my staff who deserve 
this and only 23 will get it,'' said Principal Sandra Rush of 
Brownsville Middle School. ``It beats up morale.''
State Department of Education officials said the bonus - more than 
$12 million statewide - was never intended to reward every teacher. 
The principals must identify outstanding teachers and follow state 
law, said Karen Chandler, department spokeswoman.
That's little comfort for principals who have to decide which 
classroom teachers will have a little extra this holiday season.
The School Board approved criteria last week intended to help 
principals select teachers who qualify.
The teachers must have taught at the school last year and remain this year.
Principals must consider teachers with an overall satisfactory evaluation.
Bonuses must be based on the highest percentage of students testing 
at or above grade level in the teacher's classroom last year. At 
least 50 percent of the students must be at or above level in a 
single area for the teachers to qualify.
Principals were immediately concerned with teachers disqualified from 
the start. A writing or reading specialist who literally helped every 
student in the school would not be considered.
A teacher who taught pre-K last year but switched to fifth grade this 
year is out because it is designed for kindergarten through 12th 
grade. A teacher who transferred from one ``D'' school to another, 
although sticking with a troubled school, would not qualify.
Kathryn Lovely-Payne, a second year teacher at Bibbs Elementary, was 
one of the first employees Principal Linda Scott thought about when 
she heard the guidelines.
Lovely-Payne would not qualify because she taught writing to most of 
the school's students instead of being assigned her own classroom. 
Although more than 85 percent of the students she worked with 
improved, a $1,200 check won't be hers.
``I'm not hurt. I didn't come to work with that bonus in mind. I came 
to teach children,'' Lovely- Payne said. ``We need raises, we need 
high salaries, we do not need competition to get these bonuses.''
Lovely-Payne is concerned that the bonuses will basically be decided 
through test scores, not accounting for teachers who helped 
exceptionally troubled students improve.
When the names are announced Nov. 13, she predicts some teachers will 
feel hurt and cause tension at the schools.
``My son is going to be going to Escambia County schools next year. I 
don't want his teachers competing for money. How far will they go to 
get those test scores? When we start teaching for a test, bad things 
happen,'' Lovely-Payne said.
Superintendent Jim May sympathizes with principals and teachers as 
they get through the process.
``I am against bonuses and incentives until we raise teacher pay for 
all teachers,'' May said. ``At this point, it is almost like the 
state believes the teachers are holding back some secret to 
children's success. And, through these dollars, they will start 
sharing it. No teacher would ever do that. They are already giving 
everything they have.''
Principals voiced similar complaints at a briefing Thursday with the 
district. Many remained after the meeting to hear a plan Dixon 
Elementary teachers designed to give everyone a share of the 12 
bonuses allotted to their school.
``The teachers at Dixon have decided to share the money. Whoever gets 
the checks will cash them and bring back to school,'' Principal 
Judith Ladner said. ``This was not a decision made by administrators, 
but the teachers.''
Fonda Robertson is a teacher at Dixon who could be chosen for the 
bonus. She is proud of the teachers' decision and believes that when 
the checks are in hand, her co-workers will stick to their word.
``It is not enough money to fight over,'' she said. ``Some of the 
teachers even wanted to send it back.''
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Myron Tribus,  350 Britto Terrace,  Fremont, CA 94539
Ph:510 651 3641  Fax: 510 656 9875   e-mail: mtribus@home.com
If you put good people into a bad system, the system will win every 
time (Gary Fields).