Pros
Incredibly high per hour pay for education, no classroom management, NO lesson plans, endless authentic opportunities to connect with and support learners, no at-risk students slipping through the cracks and failing, low-stress, nice locations/comfortable facilities, transformative opportunities for students failed by traditional schools
I worked at Tilden for close to nine years, and it was a place of healing for me, as it is for so many students and experienced educators. If you have worked in traditional classrooms, you will know that the rewards are high, but the costs are also very high. The things that challenge educators the most don't exist at Tilden such as daily lesson plans, classroom management, and having students who fall through the cracks and fail. The learning experience can be specifically tailored to each individual pupil by an accomplished educator, and the power to deliver such effective teaching at such a low emotional cost to oneself is a great gift. Claims that Tilden's pay is low are simply ludicrous. Having one student at a time is such a boon that it would make sense if this job paid less, especially since Tilden does not require a credential, but if you do the hourly math, Tilden pays much more than most schools. Given how many undesirable teacher tasks are eliminated at Tilden, it's quite frankly insulting to claim the pay is too low and suggests to me a real lack of understanding of what it is to work in education.
Cons
The strong benefits of this workplace come with some natural costs compared to traditional schools. There is dynamic scheduling that is not the right fit for all, so if you want to do the same thing 8-5 each day, this is not the place for you. One-on-one teaching is a really great fit for the students who come to Tilden because that is what they need, but as an educator, it can be hard to let go of peer-to-peer discourse and other high-leverage classroom techniques. Tilden is a niche school that serves a very specific learner (and teacher), so as long as the benefits of a one-on-one classroom resonate with you, it will be a great fit.
