Outline for MWP2

Introduction: America today is facing one of the deepest economic downturns since the great depression of the nineteen thirties. Many individuals have proposed a plethora of solutions, but many sociologists agree that the best long term solution to this problem is that we as a nation improve education in this country. One way of improving education is to provide students with very high quality teachers. Again, there are many propositions as to how to improve teacher quality, and one of the best ways to do that is to increase the salary of a teacher and hence the prestige of the job. Though high quality teachers are the solution, not individuals who would be good teachers and spend the time and money training for this career are not willing to become teachers because of the low beginning salaries and low salaries in general. Teaches do not have high enough salaries for the work they do which leads to other problems like poor quality teachers, and hence poor education in America’s school system, so the people of America should promote laws and encourage congress to pass bills that would increase teacher salary.

Definitions:

Problem, Solution, Teacher Satisfaction, High Quality Teachers, Teacher Salary, Policies, Prestige, Education in America,

Review of Literature:

1.      “Policies Should Reflect The Importance of Teaching,” author Michelle A. Rhee asserts that policies and practices in America should reflect how important teachers are.

2.      “Teacher Quality: What’s Wrong with U.S. Strategy?” author Marc Tucker claims that America does not have a good strategy for producing high quality teachers.

3.      “Teacher Attrition: A Critical American and International Education Issue,” author Marianne K. Dove claims that poor compensation for teachers is the single biggest cause for poor quality of teachers.

4.      “The Social Position of School Teachers: Expectations and Realities,” author F.G. Ziiatdinova discusses the low prestige of teaching in Russia.

5.      “Why Do They Stay? Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of Job Satisfaction and Retention,” authors Beverly A. Perrachione, Vicki J. Rosser, and George J. Petersen discuss the intrinsic and extrinsic variables that influence a teachers job satisfaction.

Personal Argument:

Clearly state the problem

            Teaches in America do not get paid a high enough salary

Describe why there is this problem

People do not consider the job prestigious, and people are not willing to pay higher taxes in order raise the salaries of teachers ($4 more than Wal-Mart) good hardworking individuals go where the money is (ex: the business school here)  

Describe what can be done to solve this problem

            People could encourage the government to pass bills that would increase teacher salary  

Conclusion: The future of our nation is at stake. We as the people of this great nation are severely lagging behind in the way of education. By increasing the quality of teachers in schools students will be able to obtain a better education, and one of the best and most reasonable ways to get higher performing teachers into the school system is to increase the teachers beginning and overall salary. Teacher a crucial and important members of our society, and only by the America public speaking up and voicing the need to enact policies that will increase the salaries will the problem be solved.