Pros
Very clear expectations of both staff and students. Hard working students with minimal behavior issues. Lots of support from administration. Well-resourced. The best PD I've ever had in my career. Clarity of mission. Get to feel good about getting marginalized kids to college. Noble Schools is a mission-driven charter school network. The mission is simple "get underserved kids in Chicago to college." This is the great strength of working here. You know exactly what you're expected to do as a teacher and they provide you with the tools you need to succeed: solid resources and lots of support from administration to achieve in your classroom. Behavior issues are low and consequences for students are clear and consistent. Everyone pulls on the rope. Furthermore, the PD is directed entirely at improving student outcomes. I came in with almost a decade of experience teaching at elite private and public schools and I've become a better teacher for working here. If you're just starting our in your career, Noble will absolutely give you a foundation for success. If you've been a teacher for a while and you're looking for a place where you actually feel like your kids are learning, Noble will give you that feeling.
Cons
Very focused on test / assessment performance. Lots of student data analysis. High expectations. Very frequent observations from school and network. Rigid behavior rules for students. The great strength of the network is also its great weakness. With such a clear mission there is inevitable 'teaching to the test' that creeps in and an enormous amount of data analysis that is needed by teachers to continually refine and focus their instruction on the network's goals. If you are an experienced teacher who likes to run your class your way and resent close oversight you will not enjoy your time at Noble.