Sample Lesson Plan for Socratic Seminar

 

Set:  Present students with a typical incentive-clause contract that baseball players often sign. Ask why baseball players do not object to pay for performance.

 

Long Range Objective – (Insert state or national standard here)

 

Objectives:

1. Define merit pay.

2. Present two arguments for and two against merit pay for teachers.

3. Analyze the differences in measuring personnel performance in the business world and the teaching environment.

 

Instructional Procedures:

1.      Ask for definition of merit play. Guide students to a consensus definition.

 

(The following is based on Merit Pay articles provided to all students.)

 

2.  Opening Seminar Question

     A. Examine the 4th paragraph in text. Notice the comments of the former dean of Bank Street College in

          N.Y.: “Just imagine if there are teachers who get better pay… the parents are going to see them as

          better teachers. Then they are gonna try to get their kids into those classrooms. I mean, the kind of

          competition and backbiting that can potentially happen in school is really destructive.”

     B. Question: Two parts – (1) What is wrong with identifying the best teachers, AND, (2) What is wrong

          with parents asking that their child be placed with those teachers?

 

3. Text related questions:

  1. 2nd paragraph (1st article). Teachers who opposed the use of bonuses expressed a concern of “fairness.”

Q: What is unfair about the practice of bonuses?

Q: Why would anyone object to an opportunity to earn extra money?

  1. 1st major paragraph (2nd article). Kansas City School District promises all teachers an extra $400 if the district raises a particular score on a statewide test.

Q: How do you feel about group rewards?

Q: Would you prefer group rewards over personal rewards? Why?

Q: Advantages/Disadvantages?

  1. 1st major paragraph (2nd article). Same paragraph as “B.” “And Kansas City teachers who don’t miss a day of work also will be eligible for extra pay…”

Q: How do you feel about that plan?

Q: Should people get an extra reward for doing something basic such as showing up for work?

  1. 2nd page, 1st full paragraph (2nd article). The question is asked,  “Who will want to teach the poor students?”

Q: Why would that be an issue?

Q:  How might teaching “poor” students be to one’s advantage in this merit pay plan?

  1. 3rd paragraph from the bottom (2nd article). A teacher states that the increased pressure from performance-based pay will lead to increased pressure that could lead to increased cheating on exams and a tendency to teach only what is covered on the test. “We should be checked on performance, but this would have administrators looking at test scores and holding the teacher responsible. That’s what it’s heading toward.”

     Q: How does the public tend to react to statements like that?

 

4.   Other potential questions (to ensure coverage of objectives)

Q: Why do teachers often reject merit pay proposals?

Q:  How is measuring personnel performance different in the teaching and business worlds?

 

Closure:

1.      Q & A review of objectives

2.      Application Assignment: Develop a merit pay plan that would appeal to teachers and be accepted by the general public. Provide the following: (A) step-by-step details of the plan, (B) a rationale for each step/component.

 

Materials

Student copies of the texts: “Merit pay remains a bone of contention among teachers,” & “Teachers consider linking pay and performance.”