A December 2011 article [1] in the New York Times highlighted teachers in Washington, D.C. who were rewarded with large cash bonuses and significant pay raises, says Todd Pheifer for Yahoo! News. One teacher received an increase from $63,000 per year to $87,000. That represents an almost 35 percent increase. Over time, it has become clear to me that some educational standards have declined in the United States and one theory is linked to the motivation of teachers. Since America believes in capitalism, it has not been uncommon to use financial rewards as a way to motivate workers. Teachers and other workers certainly aren’t going to complain if they get more money, but one has to wonder if this is a long-term solution…