Pros
You can make a real difference for kids and families in this chaotic time.
Fun to play with kids, watch them have fun or help them with homework and watch them improve.
I liked seeing kids over multiple years. My favorite kindergartener became such a great 3rd grader and my favorite second grader is ready to be an amazing middle schooler.
Cons
Your experience will be largely determined by your local site. Of course every site will have some cons (and some pros) but locally we have one site with a wonderful director, great kids and great support from the school staff where staff but another site with a very difficult director and assistant, very difficult kids and such low enrollment that 2 to 6 pm shifts are typically cut to 2 to 4 15. You won't have any way to know what situation you will walk into.
Hours are constantly cut, but you have to plan to be there.
If they get understaffed it gets very hard to do the job and can even get dangerous.
On the flip side they can get overtaffed and hours get severely cut as kids go home.
You have to take pictures of students doing the curriculum on personal devices if you are a site director.
Constantly changing rules causes chaos. One year we had former staff pop in to visit kids and staff; the next year that's banned. One month you need to email your manager and payroll if you miss a punch; the next month you don't; the next month the procedure will change again.
The company gaslights parents with claims that every day they offer homework help, STEAM projects, free play, fitness activities, and student choice clubs. But it's literally impossible to do all of this daily.
They worry excessively about trivial issues...don't let kids on their own playground equipment, every kid must do curriculum projects every day, don't let middle school kids go to the restroom alone...but if you report that a group of kids is unsafe due to extreme behavior, horrendous examples of racism, homophobia, etc. or needing basic supplies in the classroom no one will respond.
You can be shifted from school to school (or even morning to afternoon shifts in the summer). This can be frequent and no one's needs are valued. It's your birthday and kids planned a party at your site? Too bad. You have plans tomorrow morning and can't change your schedule? There are certain expectations of you in this job.
Their payroll system has constant serious issues and you need wi fi to get clocked in and out. Payroll can't resolve the issues internally.
We have to take students with significant special needs and we don't have the resources to meet their needs. If we object to having violent or not fully potty trained kids we are told that's anti inclusive.
