1. One issue that I am extremely interested in is the topic of overpopulation. This Earth can't handle an infinite amount of people, and at some point, the number of people on the planet needs to be capped. What needs to be done to stop this, and can we even stop it?

2. With the advancement of technology, there comes new hindrances. Another issue that is extremely downplayed but also an important controversial topic is the idea of cyber bullying. The internet is a scary place at times, and people are participating in activities that target a certain individual or group, sometimes anonymously. This has resulted in many cases of depression and suicides. What needs to be done to stop this? What laws are currently enforced?

edittt!

The merit-based pay system would be a rewards system, and there are many different ways of constructing such a system. In California, there is a “Mentor Teacher Program” that gives out an extra four thousand dollars per year to any teacher whospends forty percent of their time to further developing teaching strategies and helping other teachers. In Florida, a voluntary merit-based plan involves teachers holing master’s degrees, must also have at least four years of previous teaching experience. They must then pass an exam based on the subject they teach, and then must pass an evaluation given by another teacher, principal, and subject specialist.

Although there hasn't been any system that has been legitimately enacted, many states are experimenting with the idea of giving teachers some sort of bonus in order to create a rewards system. There are many different ways that school districts have been going about the construction of such a procedure. In California, there is a “Mentor Teacher Program” that delves out an extra four thousand dollars per year teachers. In order to be eligible for this bonus, teachers must commit at least forty percent of their time to assisting fellow teachers. This includes further developing curriculums and lesson plans. In Florida, a voluntary merit-based plan involves teachers who, aside from already holding master’s degrees, must also have at least four years of previous teaching experience in order to be considered for the program. They must then pass an exam based on the subject they teach and pass an evaluation given by three other observers: the principal, a fellow teacher, and a specialist in the subject. These school districts have been receiving extremely positive feedback from students, parents, and other community members.

The Cost of Teaching

1. A part of this article, the main part which I ocused on, covers the topic of experiments being conducted for teachers for merit-based pay. They say that "it is too early to tell if the merit pay plans enacted in the past will avoid the problems of the forerunners," but they're still trying to figure it out. Utah has passed a law which gives money to school districts, allowing them to set up their own merit pay system. A program in California gives mentor teachers $4,000 extra each year. In Florida, a "career ladder" plan was enacted. There would be a test on subject matter that teachers needed to pass, the teacher would need to receieve a superior performance evaluation by an observation team, hold a master's degree, and have four years of teahing experience.
2. The author's argument is constructed by using a lot of information from state legislatures. Many states have given school districts money in order to see what the outcome would be from merit-based pay. It is too early to determine the effects.
3. The author doesn't have a definitive argument in this section of the article. However, they include opinions from teacher's unions and school officials who have a positive outlook on merit-based pay, so it would seem that this article is in support of the movement. They just use the information provided from state legislatures to inform the audience so that they can make a decision on whether or not this will be a positive change.
4. I can use a lot of this information given, especially the information about all of the state legislatures and the laws being passed. Perhaps I can find another article that will discuss the outcome of these experiements. I will cite many of the statistcs on the money given to school districts and the teachers. One quote is from a member of the teacher's union: "School Superintendent Jay Robinson, who designed the program, called it “a significant risk,” but for a worthy purpose. He said it is intended to remove the possibility that a student will be assigned to a mediocre or poor teacher. “This plan, if properly implemented in the long run, will ensure that all teachers are outstanding,” said Robinson."