Read the latest Speaking Out article from Principal magazine. In it, Samuel Hardy III admits, “I am about to deviate from the status quo by suggesting that providing incentives for teachers can improve their productivity—and that of their schools.”
Hardy believes that teacher incentive plans work if handled properly, and that we can create an effective system of free or inexpensive rewards for achieving goals set by the principal. “Your investment in a teacher incentive plan will pay off if you can align their goals with yours,” he writes.
Do you believe incentives improve teaching performance? Do you feel incentives would hurt the morale of teachers who choose not to participate? What’s been your experience in using incentives for your teachers?
re: Teacher Incentive Plans: Good or Bad?
I always felt that 10 years of classroom experience should be required to become a school principal. I came to this conclusion after having a successful professional executive career prior to entering the field of teaching. I cannot believe that NJ only requires 3 years of teaching. A high schooler graduating today, can literrally become a school principal upon completing college (4 years) and teaching for three years while earning an administration degree part time. That means that by age 25 they can become school principals. Isn't that insane?