Reply #54: Thank you for this post

[ProudDad]

When I read that remark of Obama's earlier today my first reaction was that there are some things in this world for which "competition" is completely unsuited.

Your remarks concerning teachers working as a team toward the common goal of education is spot on. If it "takes a village" to raise a child why should ONE teacher be required to do the job of education.

Your post is a voice of experience with many practical reasons why "merit pay" for teachers is like the current "health care" system that rewards doctors who deny care while letting people die.

For some things "competition" between individuals is totally inappropriate...teaching is one of those things.

I'm sure you also know of many situations where a teacher of "lesser regard" or training or education or rewards has been able to get through to a student that no one else can. To me, teaching is an art form. It has intangible aspects to it that cannot and SHOULD NOT be quantified

Why should one person be penalized and another raised up due to a set of inappropriate criteria?