What a week I've had today

I don't know about anyone else, but it really bothers me when someone wants to critique my work based on fleeting glimpses. This person has not once set foot in my classroom in the three years I've been at this school, and wouldn't have my job for all the money in the world. This person lies to us regularly about district initiatives (such as, telling us some new task is mandatory for all the middle schools, then we find out from other schools that they aren't expected to do it), and uses intimidation and threats to inspire us to work more/harder/whatever. I'm so tired of jumping through manufactured hoops and resolving manufactured problems. It would be nice to be able to actually teach for a change.
Oh, and I was informed today of a student who threatened to hit me, and how it's my fault because of how I talked to him. I was not told who or when, but I could make a good guess. It's time for a good night's sleep and a vacation. Every day I'm more sure that this is the wrong place for me, but it doesn't look like anything else will come up soon. We're looking at more cuts, so transfer options will be limited at best.

Merit pay and "Value-added"

If you're familiar with the LA Times and their front page piece about how value-added measures can be so great for kids, and teachers, take a look at The Answer Sheet for 2/7/11. Then, take a look at this TED Talk on motivation by Dan Pink. It's very interesting material to think about. Basically seems to thoroughly validate the Vanderbilt study of merit pay from last year. Plain English: it doesn't work.
What do you think?
BTW, if anyone knows of an electronic edition of "Paying for Better Teaching: Merit Pay and Its Alternatives" by Lipsky, et al, 1984, I'd love to have the link. So far I know that it's available from Amason and paperback book swap.