Controversial Issue: Should Teachers Be Paid Based On Student Performance? What Makes An Effective Teacher?

Should teachers be paid based on student performance?

No.
I think that would be very unfair way for teachers to be paid. There are teachers in many schools that do not have as many moments where it is very hard to get students to perform up to expectation. The learning comes a lot easier in many areas as opposed to others.

Some schools are not like this. Some schools reside in low income, and/or high risk neighborhoods where students have a lot more to deal with in their lives than just learning at school. Sometimes in these schools where students are already carrying so much, at times it is just a winning day when certain students make it to school.

The numbers here are not exactly right but do not need to be to be exactly right. I read a study in a class last fall where in average families children hear an average of 1,000 to 1,500 words per hour which is comparable to school. In many at risk families the study reported that children hear on average 300 to 600 words per hour, then come to school and are expected to retain the 1,500 words per hour that are thrown at them. This is very hard, even almost impossible for a student to do in this situation. For a brain used to retaining so little information at home on a regular basis so much more information per hour is like sensory overload so a lot of what the child hears will be lost. This is not a strike against the student, or against the teacher. What this means is this learning situation is much more challenging than in an average, or above average neighborhood school. What this means is at an at risk school while student performance, on average, may be lower, the teacher may be working much harder to accommodate different student's learning abilities. 

So, in short, where in some schools higher student performance is attained easier as opposed to an at risk school where at times harder work is to be done to help students should in no way reflect what a teacher is paid. Teachers are already being asked to perform to many different expectations. I believe that student performance reflecting pay would be completely out of line.

What makes a good teacher?

Someone who wants nothing more than a child's success, and happiness. Someone who wants to help all of their students meet and exceed their expectations and potential. A good teacher is someone who defends and takes care of their children. A good teacher has effective classroom management and trust. A good teacher is someone who is spontaneous and flexible. A good teacher wants nothing more than happy and comfortable children and to give them every opportunity for success.