Main problems at Soar you know before starting below. You won’t find this out during training because they have a (very good) centralized training. The training is misleading and not anything like working in a center.
There is little supervision. From day one, you’re on your own to figure out what’s going on from boilerplate documentation and it’s confusing. Everyone around you is harried, frazzled. There isn’t a specific person to ask for help. I’ve been an RBT for years and most times I’m at a complete loss as to what I’m expected to do in a given scenario because I’ve had no supervision on most of my cases. And if I make it up, I’m usually told I’m doing it wrong by someone. Feedback is rare, and positive feedback is negligible. I never go home feeling like I’ve done a good job or even that I’m improving. It’s a demoralizing work environment if you take your job seriously.
No consistent caseload: every day you will have a new case and may not see that child again for weeks / months / ever. You’re also expected to do “cross center coverage” meaning go to another center and work with children you have zero experience or rapport with, in a center you aren’t familiar with, any time they ask. You can’t get into a routine because every day is completely different.
Inconsistent hours and inconsistent schedule: your schedule may change up to minutes before. For example you’re scheduled to come in at 10 am on Monday, you may get a call or text at 7 am Monday instructing you to come in at 8 am.
Inefficient system of group chats facilitating communication within the center that have to be monitored constantly, so you’re glued to a screen. You will be in at minimum 10 group chats not including DMs.
Little behavior analysis is actually used, no follow through on expectations for the kids, no guidance on ESDM. Run mostly like a daycare or preschool. Every type of behavior is tolerated from the kids. Instead of using ABA interventions they try to solve every issue through “making it fun” no matter how ineffective it is. The kids know they don’t have to follow directions which makes everything 10x more exhausting. No instructional control.
Peer to peer aggression is normalized with no consequences. You will see (often nonverbal) children getting punched, slapped, kicked, hair pulled, by peers with no consequences for the aggressor. This is the most heartbreaking part.
No note writing time during sessions, you’re expected to find time at some point either on or off the clock to write notes. You can have in excess of 5 notes per day. Because you can have sessions as short as 15 minutes.
No breaks between sessions, so you will always be late to your next session due to handoffs.
No one in center is on the same page. For example if a child is eloping, running full speed down a hallway, other staff will literally move out of the way to allow the child to continue running instead of block the child from eloping. Running through hallways is considered normal at Soar and even encouraged.
Basically nothing that happens at Soar is normal and I don’t mean in a good way. It’s a chaotic environment that uses almost no behavior analysis. The reality of working there as an experienced RBT is surreal.
