studentsfirst.org

http://www.studentsfirst.org/

The above link is a link to a website that rallies for support for good teachers.  Its talks about how effective teachers may be the first ones cut, just because they were the last ones hired.  Here are three points from the website about teacher layoffs :
1. Research indicates that when districts with LIFO(last in first out) conduct layoffs, they end up firing some of their most highly effective educators.
2. LIFO policies increase the number of teachers that districts have to lay off. Because junior teachers make less money, districts have to lay off more of them in order to fill their budget gaps.
3. LIFO disproportionately and negatively impacts the highest need schools. These schools have larger numbers of new teachers, who are the first to lose their jobs in a layoff.

I will not speak for anyone else, but in my opinion it is stupid to fire your most productive teacher, if it were a business of production, there is no way you would fire the person who is putting out the most produce over someone who is putting out half of the produce in the same amount of time.  Have businesses not been bringing in machines to do jobs people used to because they are more efficient? So why is it different in teaching? Why do we fire our most 'productive' teacher and leave the ones who do not teach our children near as much?  I encourage all to check out this website and become familiar with what it stands for and is asking of people. 

This website also addresses the idea of tenure and also how much teachers get paid.  Again in a business. are they not willing to pay that more productive employee more than they are willing to pay that employee who produces half of what the first does in the same amount of time? Yes! So why is teaching any different? If one teacher is helping their students learn and understand the cirriculum well while another teacher is sitting back and not helping their students understand the same cirriculum, why not pay the first more? I think it would hold teachers more accountable for their effectiveness of teaching and will also act as motivation to find new ways to help their students better. 

Everyone may not agree with the idea of the website or the things I have posted, but at least look into it and have an open mind.  Think about who education should be about, the teachers and their jobs or the student and their learning.  Who is the one who will be our future? The students, so think about whose hands we should place them in, teachers who have their interests and learning at heart or teachers who know they can't be fired so why put any more effort than needed.  It is an easy choice in my book, but think about it.