3 ms·

Maybe "more" isn't the operative problem, but when underpaid teachers pay out of their own pockets to supply & decorate their classrooms, there would appear to

Maybe "more" isn't the operative problem, but when underpaid teachers pay out of their own pockets to supply & decorate their classrooms, there would appear to be a money problem. There's also the general observation that if we want to empower teachers & attract good candidates, it needs to be a reputable job and $32k salaries are a major obstacle to that.

cpursley 11y ago
I think you're missing my point. If the student does not have the basic understanding of why an education is good for them and a parent who stays on top of them, it does not matter how much money you throw at teacher salaries or school facilities. There's case study after case study confirming that it's not about funding. No doubt my wife would like a higher salary, but that is not going to motivate an unmotivated student. It's the whole lead a horse to water thing...
- sliverstorm 11y ago
  Not to comment about your wife, but the notion is that if teaching is reputable & pays well enough, they will be able to attract to the profession more of the incredible individuals who as teachers can motivate & draw in those unmotivated students. I'm not sure if case-studies can cover this particular notion. It's a big picture problem, like not enough women in engineering. You could try to make the perverse counter-argument, that pathetic salaries actually selects for people who care so much about the kids they will self-sacrifice and perhaps those people are more likely to be the phenomenal-teacher variety, but I've never seen evidence to support that. Anyway my ultimate point is that whether or not increasing teacher pay to the level they deserve fixes education and saves under performing students, shouldn't preclude paying teachers what they deserve! But perhaps it is simply an unrelated issue that is not relevant.

3 ms·

Maybe "more" isn't the operative problem, but when underpaid teachers pay out of their own pockets to supply & decorate their classrooms, there would appear to

by sliverstorm 11y ago

cpursley 11y ago
I think you're missing my point. If the student does not have the basic understanding of why an education is good for them and a parent who stays on top of them, it does not matter how much money you throw at teacher salaries or school facilities. There's case study after case study confirming that it's not about funding. No doubt my wife would like a higher salary, but that is not going to motivate an unmotivated student. It's the whole lead a horse to water thing...
- sliverstorm 11y ago
  Not to comment about your wife, but the notion is that if teaching is reputable & pays well enough, they will be able to attract to the profession more of the incredible individuals who as teachers can motivate & draw in those unmotivated students. I'm not sure if case-studies can cover this particular notion. It's a big picture problem, like not enough women in engineering. You could try to make the perverse counter-argument, that pathetic salaries actually selects for people who care so much about the kids they will self-sacrifice and perhaps those people are more likely to be the phenomenal-teacher variety, but I've never seen evidence to support that. Anyway my ultimate point is that whether or not increasing teacher pay to the level they deserve fixes education and saves under performing students, shouldn't preclude paying teachers what they deserve! But perhaps it is simply an unrelated issue that is not relevant.