Pros
This program is the best I've heard of when it comes to deciding whether teaching is a career path you want for yourself. You don't need to have any background in education whatsoever to participate; all you need is a Bachelor's degree. Further, as a 1-year commitment, this seems to me to be the fastest way of getting a feel for the state of education in America (or at least the direction it seems to be heading in). It varies depending on who your coordinator is, but some give ample feedback, which will help you grow as an educator significantly if you have little or no experience. Program is partnered with AmeriCorps, which allows participants to earn the Segal Award upon completion pf requirements (negligible additional responsibility). This position feeds very well into other more rigorous endeavors and opportunities in the field of professional education and provides valuable experience as a stepping stone to more prominent teaching roles. Young program with plenty of room for growth. Changes from year-to-year seem to be significant and rapidly evolving to meet the needs of students. Strong cultural values and emphasis on Personal Success Factors and college readiness. Small group instruction allows Fellows to potentially establish strong relationships with their students. Ample professional development and feedback. Program places strong emphasis on the collection and analysis of data to inform decision-making.
Cons
Pay is very low and the "annual salary" is split over 13 months to ease the budgeting strain for DPS. The program understandably justifies this by noting that you are (likely) not a certified educator. Pay is further stretched by mandatory PERA withholdings that you can recover 70% of if you choose to when your year is over. If you ARE certified, you stand to make nearly twice as much in a regular teaching position. Major discrepancies exist (in terms of time spent actually teaching, "difficulty" of students/behaviors, socioeconomic standings of student bodies, school culture and administrative support, et cetera) between placements depending on your school and grade level, yet pay is the same across the board. Other qualms to be had would depend on broader factors such as: disagreeing with Common Core; lack of cohesion and agreement between given lesson plans, exit tickets, and assessments; you may be expected to teach students receiving Special Education despite not being qualified to do so; classroom culture is largely determined by DMF, not the teacher; discipline systems are largely determined by the particular school you serve at; lesson plans are to be followed, not devised; general lack of agency. The last few points should come as no surprise, considering Fellows are not expected to have any background in education that would vouch for their ability (and therefore trust) to do these things themselves.
