If teachers just worked an 8 hour day, your student would get:

[SusanCalvin]

29. Oh my gosh

I'd been just reading, but I had to create an account just to reply.

The "free period" is 50 minutes, in which you send and receive emails, make calls, attend meetings, make copies, grade papers, prepare lessons, etc., etc., etc. You don't finish everything you have to do in your "free period."

Oh, and the "free period" and "conference period" are one and the same.

Yes, some people get stipends for activities, but they work out to well under minimum wage for the hours spent. Example: A UIL (academic contests) sponsor gets around $400 for the year. A whole $400 for the entire year. I'd say most sponsors put in at least 80 extra hours for that over the course of the year, some a lot more.

The coaches' stipend looks pretty large, until you look at the hours they put in, the responsibility for transporting and supervising their teams, and the paperwork involved in same.

Most teachers sponsor at least one club, for which they do *not* get paid.

And teachers are always getting emails begging for help with this or that activity, always unpaid.

I don't know what your niece gets paid, but I'd bet it's not enough. If it is, I'd sure like to know what school district.