Pros
I've been teaching for 6 years, my first three at a different public school in NYC. I love working at Achievement First Bushwick Middle School (AFBMS) because of our outstanding leadership team, the talented and dedicated staff, and the fact that we are all aligned in our mission to close the achievement gap. At AFBMS, you will have a coach who will push you on just about everything - your instruction, classroom culture, mindsets, and time management. I've learned so much as a teacher, a leader, and a person from my 3 years at AFBMS, and I know I am going to continue to grow in years to come at our school. We are really pushing on how to maintain our high academic expectations while also developing an authentic, joyful school where our students love coming every day. Our academic gains have been massive, and we rival the top schools in higher socioeconomic settings like Rye and Scarsdale, NY. I can honestly say that no other charter middle school is doing it better than we are here at AFBMS.
Cons
If you are invested in working hard and giving everything you've got, AF is the place for you. You will learn a ton, and be apart of an incredible team. That said, we do work long hours and we demand a lot from our teachers. No more than other charter schools, but just know that coming in. Also, because we have such a talented staff, it can be tough coming in as a new teacher. Expect to struggle at first. You will get better fast, but be prepared for a potentially tough transition.