Pros
- The organization is constantly working to improve. If something isn't working, there is collection action to make changes. AF is a very different and better organization since I first joined six years ago. - GREAT people. Dedicated. Super smart. Everyone wants you to be better, and this makes you want to be better. - "Plugged in" to College Board, revised AP courses, etc. Great professional development from a curriculum standpoint. - I'm a MUCH better teacher than I was when I arrived six years ago.
Cons
- Really hard to balance work and life. The expectation (whether stated or unsaid) is that every teacher gives everything that he or she has to help kids improve. And there are some great things about this - really dedicated people who you can count on. But, you're constantly exhausted and it seems really difficult to balance raising a family, in particular. Even without kids, I have a hard time maintaining hobbies, interests, and even friendships outside of school because of the expectations for the quality of work and teaching we are expected to give. After six years, I just needed a change. - At the high school level, we haven't figured out how to tap into rich and consistent parent engagement. I think a lot of parents feel like outsiders in the building. It doesn't really feel like a community center or "family" in the way that we'd like to think. - We're a much more diverse school and organization than we used to be, but the network as a whole still feels pretty white, Euro-centric, etc. - Not a lot of true "veteran" teachers around. Pretty much everyone is in their 20s or 30s, including principals and deans.