[CamB]

So to summarise, (nearly) everyone thinks teachers aren't accountable and their performance isn't really measured, and that this means they don't do a good job.

I don't agree 100%. Way back up the thread, someone alluded to mediocrity in many areas --> it's true, and I'm not sure anyone would argue. Most corporates are full of people who more or less just punch their cards. In many organisations the link between actual hard work and receiving benefits from an incentive scheme or promotion are often tenuous. I think a lot of it is that people (parents, rightly so) place such a huge importance on the outcomes of education - and they feel they don't get it. I guess teachers are under the spotlight in this sense.

Which raises an interesting point. The standard ways of incentivising are threat of termination, potential to earn bonus, or the chance to be promoted.

Teaching (and nursing - in fact, much of the health sector outside doctors - and I would imagine a whole lot of other professions) don't really have the possibility of bonuses (because of the impossibility of measuring performance and allocating profit (if any) against it) and aften pretty flat pay increases with promotion. Really, its only prestige and responsibility.

So, if the way to incentivise a firefighter, or a policeman, (etc) is in many ways through having their service recognised, why are we - society, everywhere - so down on educators?