Grading the Teacher, Judging the Test Re "Cuomo Brokers Deal on Rating State Teachers" (front page, Feb. 17): If the goal is great teachers, the new evaluations are a giant step in the wrong direction. Think of a great teacher you had. Ah, Miss Linder! She was so amazing at test prep. In the school where I teach, to my certain knowledge, four of the truly standout teachers, who two years ago had no intention of leaving, are now plotting their escape. No mystery there. How long would we expect Emeril Lagasse to stay at a job if he were suddenly informed that from now on his performance would be evaluated 40 percent on how well he could fry an egg? THOMAS AMPER Bellerose, Queens, Feb. 17, 2012 Among the many questions we teachers have about Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's new agreement ("A Sound Deal on Teacher Evaluations," editorial, Feb. 17), the most critical one is, How do we begin looking at our students as data? Teachers have always considered the whole child in our classrooms: if she's had enough sleep, whether or not he's eaten breakfast that morning, or if anyone has read with him the night before. With New York's new appraisal system, it seems to this second-grade teacher that I now need to spend at least 40 percent of my classroom instruction honing my students" test-taking skills to keep my job. Can't my ability to produce students who feel valuable and believe themselves to be capable of achieving success be considered in the formula? Re "The New Haven Experiment," by Nicholas D. Kristof (column, Feb. 16): My wife has been a special education teacher since 1971 and still works out of love for the profession. During these 40 years, she has had to deal with some poor teachers who were protected by unions. When we had young children, her salary barely paid for child care. Over the years, I have met hundreds of great teachers who have put far more into their work than they have been compensated for. It is regrettable that some teachers remain despite their incompetence, but that is hardly an excuse to denigrate the teachers" unions or teachers in general. The concept of holding teachers accountable to a higher standard is great, but until teachers are accorded a salary commensurate with their education and contribution, nothing will change. Teachers today are blamed by overworked and bad parents for their child's lack of discipline or progress. Ask yourself: How much would it take for you to work 12-hour days, working part-time or temp jobs in the summer and being routinely denigrated by telephone or e-mail by parents? BILL CARMAN Pleasanton, Calif., Feb. 16, 2012