If I can give KIPP a negative rating I would! Each classroom is packed to capacity with students. Most of the students have severe behavioral problems and undiagnosed learning disabilities. Days are very long 7:30-5:30 with no REAL break. Students stay in the classroom for lunch so this is not a break for the teacher, and during specials is considered to be your planning time however you are often scheduled for meetings with the school leader and/or assisting students who return back to the classroom with whatever they need. I was a capital teaching resident so my workload was doubled as I had to fulfill my obligations to the CTR team and my KIPP team. Once every week we were also expected to attend 3 hour professional development sessions after a full day's work and often times at another school across town. You received full benefits but was also frowned upon when you needed to go to the doctors during school hours or needed a day off for personal reasons, or called out sick. There is no such thing as substitutes in these schools so when you are not there to cover your class, your responsibilities fall on your coworkers. Staff is overworked, under appreciated, and under paid!! Not to mention everyday we deal with physical, emotional, and mental abuse at the expense of our students! Also for staff outings you are strongly encouraged to attend which cuts into a significant portion of the time you dedicate to yourself!!
