Pros
Improvement was the name of the game! In my last 2 years of teaching at Achievement First I really found my voice and provided feedback WITH ideas of how to problem solve. I found that my feedback was considered and often times there was a way to implement the feedback I gave to improve a system in the school.
Cons
The schools leadership team has changed, therefore, the cons would be irrelevant now. When I was working there the leadership team at that time did not have a great relationship with the teachers and there was a clear divide however, now it seems like the principal and leadership team are doing a great job partnering with the teachers and affirming that the teachers are also the leaders of the school as well. I guess i don't really have a con here. I am not sure how the classroom/school management systems are now, but when I was at AF, it didn't feel good for me or for the kids. I believe that the management in the hallway, during breakfast (silent breakfast) was too strict. I started to manage my classroom by developing relationships with my students and asking them how they would like to run our class by giving them the power to choose what kind of classroom environment they wanted. Eventually, if teachers are taught to do this kind of work - the work of loving each of our kids and developing relationships and learning management techniques that support the love of learning then GREAT!