Pros
It’s nice to work on-site at a school, but not actually being an employee of that school. There is no micromanagement. You are pretty much trusted to teach your subject areas as long as the school site is happy. Assessments are given during lessons and not through grades/homework, which we aren’t allowed to give. When I leave work, I don’t take it home with me. The hours are also nice 8-2:30pm with and extra hour of planning that do offsite. All holidays are paid for (winter/spring break, national holidays, cancelled classes due to school activities or holidays, testing etc...). There are 4 personal/sick days.
Cons
There is absolutely no upward mobility. Pay stays stagnant and they don’t give raises. We aren’t paid through the summer and, when we return each fall, we are paid hourly/given part time hours for the first 3 weeks and then it takes a couple of weeks after your permanent school schedule has started in the classroom. The benefits are there but the share of costs for the employee is high; roughly $340 per month for a family and they pay 80/20. This is hard when the average hourly pay is $20 phr. Many teachers are working on statement of eligibility and there is no difference in pay for certified teachers or for those who have sold more services to schools. Admin/immediate supervisors don’t even receive wage increases.