Teacher Stipends

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by mathking

There seems to be a lot of negative feeling associated with stipends for teachers who mentor FIRST teams. Full disclosure: I will get $800 this year.

Um, actually, I don't think there's much of a negative with teachers getting a stipend; after all, it's at least as much work as, say, a track coach - and does anybody complain about coaches getting a stipend?

There are a few threads here on CD, search on the keyword "stipend" to see what I mean, and only the one you cite in your message has much of a negative feel about it - and from what I read, it's because the team can manage to get to 5 (!) events in 2008, but one of their team is moaning that they need to use their budget to actually buy robot parts, and even pay for part of their travel. Horrors! My goodness, they even pay their mentors!

$800 is not enough of a stipend, it should be double to triple that, but I do need to be mindful of the relative cost of living throughout the country. Here in Northern NJ, $800 won't get you 1 room studio for a month in the poor part of the county.

For the record: I do not begrudge you your stipend. I would even speak publicly that it is too little. I'm a mentor, I drop several hundred dollars a year on the team, and I'd be highly insulted if they offered to pay me (unless it was 6 figures ). I mentor FRC because of the personal satisfaction I get in return.

Don

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