I'm not a baseball fan but what happened to Joe Torre is a good example of why merit pay will never work.
Here is a man who did a great job for the Yankees for lots of years (not being a baseball fan, I don't know the number of years.) Things did not go well this year. Poof! He's offered an insulting contract and he is gone.
Not knowing anything about baseball, I don't know if there was anything he could have done to change the fate of this year's team. But, I do know that there are many factors that influenced the outcomes, some in his control, some not. Would the promise of a big bonus after he won the World Series have help his team do better? Would the promise of keeping his job have helped the Yankees win? If he was given more money could he have done a better job? I'm guessing the answers to all these questions is no. Joe Torre does not need baseball for the money. He needs baseball for his love of the game. Teachers do not become teachers to become rich (although we would like to live a comfortable life style.) We want to help our students accomplish as much as possible. We are already doing everything we can to help our students succeed. Bonuses are not going to change what we do. Money is not going to make us any more successful than we already are.
6 comments:
That is the same sentiment I voiced after listening to Joe Torre's Press Conference yesterday at work.
Great post. I commented on Edwize about how Joe felt incentive pay was insulting, but the comment disappeared.
Joe, unlike Leo, is a class act.
I loved your post on think before berating, including the picture. It is very true. What I find difficult is to show understanding to the student and his or her personal problems, and at the same time not lower expectations.
This weekend I was thinking the same thing you were--i.e. what happened to Joe Torre is a perfect analogy to what is happening with the teaching profession. If your team (students) wins (pass exams), then you're great; if they lose (fail), you obviously must suck, and therefore are undeserving of your job and salary. No one in the media speaks up against this unjust assessment of everything! This is a society that likes to berate others--just look at the reality shows on t.v.--they speak volumes about the world we live in today, and the way we regard other people.
Great analogy.
Amen.
Joe Torre also had a MAJOR LOSING STREAK when he managed the Mets. He was called "Clueless Joe" and most were not sure of his capabilities when he took over the Yankees. Another example, of subjectivity and people not being in the right fit or place
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