One of the teaching philosophies that currently prevail is the idea of differentiation. It recognises that children do not enter the classroom a blank slate, but bring with them a wide range of knowledge, skills, interests and experiences.
The idea that any group of individuals can be intelligent in different ways — and thus have varying learning modes — is a positive move away from the 'one size-fits all' approach that has alienated generations of students.
Teachers are thus expected to modify work in order to meet the needs of each student. This may mean advanced work for highly capable students and simplified tasks for those who struggle.
Unfortunately, such differentiation has not applied to teachers themselves. The truth is, there is also a wide range of knowledge, skills, interests and experiences within the profession. Any good principal could quickly tell apart the bright sparks from the lacklustre layabouts. But at present, said principal cannot reward those who perform well while providing explicit support structures for others.
This has led to artificial differentiation, calculated in years of teaching experience. We assume that the longer a teacher stays in the classroom, the better they become at their craft, and so the more they get paid.
For the most part, it is true that seasoned teachers are more effective. Longevity can only mean that they kept trying new tricks and got better at old ones.
However, just as we no longer assume that all students always learn in a similar fashion, we cannot assume all teachers are equal. This is precisely how mediocrity sets in, when there is neither reward for being excellent, nor consequence for not trying.
In this light, the Federal Government's plan to include performance pay for teachers in the coming Budget deserves some kudos. From 2014 to 2018, one in ten primary and secondary teachers will be entitled to extra pay as acknowledgement of their performance. Such bonuses would signal that mediocrity has no place in the teaching culture. Our young people absolutely deserve better.
Regrettably, a merit scheme also signals a number of other things that may be counter-productive to meaningful education. The proposed teacher evaluation takes into consideration student performance data, classroom observations, parent feedback and professional qualifications.
Such criteria will be predisposed towards academically-inclined and motivated students, engaged and orderly classes, parents who are ambitious about their children's education and committed to it, and schools with the time and money to allow teachers