Achievement First reviews

Work-life balance is impossible. I commuted two hours each way to get to work and was still made to feel like I was somehow letting the team down by not working until 6 or 7 at night. I want to be clear that my team members never made me feel this way and like I said about, the teachers there are amazing people. Lessons are scripted for you and there is a plow forward attitude. They do not have the resources to meet the needs for special ed students. Expectations are the same for students K-8. Students are targeted for doing the smallest things like hands on their face, not making eye contact with the speaker within 2 seconds, etc. Completely unrealistic and ridiculous expectations for adults, never mind students. Students at the local high school walked out last year because they felt so disrespected. I wish I could have cheered them on.

1. The one size fits all approach to classroom management and instructional delivery is unsustainable and creatively stifling. 2. The large staff turnover means that each school year brings a lot of upheaval for kids (and adults) and makes it difficult to build deep relationships that develop strong community. 3. Further to the previous point: the merit/demerit system that is the cornerstone of AF's management strategy can only be successful when there are genuine relationships in place that make it possible to achieve that balance work warm/strict. 4. Maintaining a work/life balance is extremely hard and makes you feel like you have to be constantly policing your personal time.