It's not (just) about the bonus

 By Mark

Let me begin by clarifying the title of this post: I am beyond appreciative that Washington is one of the states in the union which recognizes the achievement of National Board Certification by awarding an annual bonus to NBCTs. I am eternally grateful for that bonus...and I feel, no I know, that I earned it. I know I am an infinitely better teacher than I was because the process helped me reflect, analyze the effectiveness of my instructional decisions, and examine with a more critical eye whether my students are learning what they need to learn.

But let me trace the ripples caused by the Washington legislature's decision to reward my efforts (and the efforts of hundreds of other NBCTs). While some may see that as just a change in my paycheck, it is much, much more than that.

The first ripple? Earning the bonus meant I could quit my job. My night job, that is. Oh, and my weekend job, too.

It's almost cliche. As a young teacher, for the first five or so years of my career, I was always earning more than one paycheck. Only one was a public school paycheck. The others ranged from sweeping floors and cleaning bathrooms in the basement of a building across the river to tutoring elementary school kids for a private chain of learning centers, with some event security and drywall hanging mixed in as well. Fourteen, maybe sixteen hours here and there each week. At school I coached track. And I advised clubs. I did neither primarily for love of kids; though I do love teaching and I do love working with kids, I coached and advised clubs because I needed to pay off a mountain of student loans and support my family toward a brighter future.

It is easy to further trace the ripples of how that bonus means more than a cushion in my bank account:

• Earning the bonus means I have evenings and weekends back.
• Because I have more time on evenings and weekends, it means I can get student work back to them faster, with more detailed and meaningful individualized feedback. It means I can plan more effective lessons because I have the time to fully diagnose immediate student needs and craft lessons which respond more effectively.
• Because I can return that work more quickly, the intentionally tailored lessons are more relevant and address the student learning needs of the moment rather than of weeks ago. 
• Because kids respond more quickly to that feedback, they are able to solidify their learning more quickly, learning from recent mistakes and clarifying through revision (rather than cultivating through stasis) misunderstandings or confusion.
• Because they are able to solidify their learning more quickly, this means that they are able to build on that learning even sooner and take it even further.
• Because they build higher from that stronger foundation, this has meant a higher pass rate on the state tests. More importantly to me, though, this means my students experience greater growth during the time they have me as their teacher. And data backs that up.

I cannot say that the bonus meant something fun like a nice vacation with the wife and kids or a down payment on a car--luckily we're boring penny-pinching homebodies. In reality, that bonus was an investment in me as a professional--and I hope that Washington feels that their investment in me has paid worthwhile returns.

So I thank you, lawmakers in the state of Washington for supporting the yearly bonus for teachers who earn National Board Certification. That bonus, that thank you extended to me, has translated to a gift that is exponentially more powerful in impacting my students: time.

Comments

[Brian]

I wish it wasn't called a bonus. That's what Jake Locker is going to get just for signing a professional contract. Bonuses are what the fat cats on Wall Street get.
What we get is a stipend. Here's one definition: A fixed and regular payment, such as a salary for services rendered or an allowance.
There are three ways to increase your salary as a teacher:
1. Keep teaching. You'll get more money every year for 17 years, then you're out of luck.
2. Get a Master's Degree, and more college credits. Up to 90 credits; they don't want you to get carried away.
3. Obtain National Board Certification. It's arduous, but rewarding. And of the three, the one that made me a better teacher.

[Mark]

96 essays in 16 hours?! I am impressed! It takes me double that to give feedback on 60 sophomore essays. Looks like I still have tons to learn in terms of efficiency. But I'm more efficient than I used to be!!

[Kristin]

I guess I should clarify my "brush up against" comment. I don't feel the need to wait tables to stay in touch with the population who waits tables, builds houses, or cleans bathrooms - I AM that population, as are my neighbors, most of my friends, and almost all of my colleagues and students.

[Kristin]

Today I finished grading the last of the essays my students wrote after reading Orwell's 1984. I kept track - I spent 16 hours grading those essays, and they were from only four of my five classes.

I am not fudging the numbers, or exaggerating. There were 96 essays, and some students chose to read my comments and resubmit the essays. I encourage this because I believe writing to be a process that requires revision and reflection, but it meant 16 hours, none of it paid.

I'm aware teachers get tri-pay, a prep period every day, and that we're paid for 30 minutes before and after school, but all of that time is more than filled with conferences, calling home, preparing curriculum for class, and trying to collaborate with my colleagues. I almost always grade outside of the contract day.

I don't really mind investing 16 hours of my own time in order to be an effective teacher, but like Mark I'm able to have that time because the bonus I earned for National Boards allows me to focus on teaching.

Bob, for the first few years of my teaching I also worked jobs outside of the classroom. I waited tables and I lifeguarded. I have to say that I can brush up against that segment of the population when I go out to eat and when I take my daughters to the pool. I don't need to wait tables to remember what it was like to live on minimum wage. Now, I have time in the evenings to go watch my students play basketball, football, or soccer. I have time on the weekends to take my daughters to the plays put on my high school. I have time to carefully read essays and plan meaningful lessons. Being able to do this contributes more to my students than hours I might spend waiting tables.

[tim-10-ber]

Sorry -- I should have said many of the best teachers are in private schools because they not to go through the certification process - based on personal experience and years of my mother working with teachers in public and private schools. My concern is when a highly ineffective teacher (again based upon personal experience) gets the national certification it makes a mockery out of the process and the supposed meaning of the certification. If it has helped others that were already highly effective teachers, that is awesome...I have not met any of these teachers nor have my kids been taught by any of them. Based on what has just happened in my district...I have another opinion...time will tell what will happen...I apologize for diverting the conversation...I was just posting based upon my very recent and real time experience...best of luck to all and thank you all you do for the kids...

[Mark]

Bob, that point makes sense. I grew up farming, so that helps me understand the "dirt-collar" jobs, too, and since I've had a variety of experiences, when I teach literature I can model the kinds of personal connections that I want my students to make.

It is amazing to me, though, how much better of an educator I am when I have time outside my contracted hours to plan, reflect, give feedback, and research ways to further and more effectively cultivate student growth... instead of having to worry about finances.

[Bob Heiny]

Ooops, I messed up the spelling on that last post. :(

[Bob Heiny]

Mark, I think tim's onto something important, but more on that another time, as you asked.

Up to a couple of generations ago of teachers, say to about 10 years ago, an opposite point was used against bonus pay for teachers. I don't hear it often now from teachers, but taxpayers still use it: "A taecher's non-school work, such as your hanging dry wall,etc., keeps teachers in direct contact with people likely leading livs school children may lead, and therefore helps tachers shape lessons in more practical ways than without that ongoing contact. It also gives teachers a chance to show others that teachers have real world skills besides managing children.

I worked outside of schools on holidays, breaks, ... mostly physical labor and sales, and found it a great equalizer to school awarded bonuses. It also demonstrated to my children that I could hold my own to their benefit outside of education. At the same time, I know that not all teachers have marketable experience or skills outside of schools.

Congrats again on your certification bonus.

[Mark]

I agree with the point about ineffective teachers making the certification look bad... but I'm a little confused by the other logic, tim. What evidence do you have that teachers in private schools are more effective than others? I think it's dangerous to assume that just because a teacher is in the public school system they are ineffective and just because they are in the private school system they are effective. There's no magic force field one walks through from public to private which causes a magical transformation.

I have several friends who teach in private schools, and the main reason they candidly offer:
Private schools have a selective clientele, so there are fewer discipline or attendance issues since parents are financially invested in their kid's education.

It seems to me that this selectivity of most private schools--and even the element of choice--has as important an impact on the perceived performance of the teacher.

With all due respect, tim, I'd rather not turn this thread into a discussion of "who is better," private school teachers or public school teachers. If you look back at my post, that wasn't my topic. I was talking about how the benefits of NB certification made me a more effective teacher than I was prior to the process. I wasn't talking about being better than a private school teacher or even better than the teacher down the hall. Do you see how your criticism and cynicism fuels the sense of futility in public education? If whenever a public school teacher tries to be positive and focus on better serving his students, you find some means to tear us down, how does that advance public schools toward better achievement. To fully privatize (and have us all walk through that magic force field that makes us better teachers by becoming private school teachers) is not likely to happen in my career, so why begrudge me for trying to improve myself and thus better serve my students?

Let's get back on track: this certification and the benefit provided me from the state legislature both enabled me to better serve my students. To, me that is a good thing, period.

[tim-10-ber]

You might be an excellent teacher, I don't know. The national certification might help you be even better, I don't know. I do know when teachers who are totally incompetent get the national certificate it makes a mockery out of the process. This has just happened in my district. To heck with any certification -- the best teachers are not certified and they are in the private schools.