instructor

teacher's aide

tutor

teaching assistant

para educator

Strategic Kids

There's so much work that needs to be done when it comes to this company when I first started here I had high hopes but first of all my manager had terrible communication skills, would put everything on us when we don't even receive proper training, we're just thrown in there and a Coworker who is also new gives you information on how things work. We weren't given a schedule, we were told to create one ourselves based on the limited supplies and activities on the webiste.. Management would tell us things very last minute , I would find out I'm working a different school/had a schedule just a few hours before when I wasn't even hired as a substitute, we didn't have our own budget which we needed for more supplies and I wish we could give the kids snacks as well considering they are at school all day. 

First they need to start with hiring more people per School and giving the kids more variety/activities bc the kids had to rotate the same activities sports, chess, origami, art every week, no variety , not enough arts and craft given to us. I care about the kids and wanted to help them have a good time but there's not much to make it fun unless you pay out of pocket for prizes and more crafts, it's difficult to try to make sure they don't still get bored and I'll try hard to make it interesting for them but the company really needs to do better.

It's hard to take a day off and just plain stressful no matter how much you like children when only one or two people are hired for one single school...ONE school. I had a class with 3rd to 5th graders in ONE big class of students, almost 50 of them. I was an enrichment coach, I shouldn't have that many students to myself, The first week I was hired I was expected to manage a huge class with disruptive kids by myself, then was blamed for ridiculous things when I literally just started, I shouldn't have had to deal with that and my Coworker shouldn't have either. They don't hire enough people at each school to help handle the students, it's extremely understaffed and if you need to miss a day there's a lot of pressure on you because there's not enough help. I worked at an after school program before previously and I think that experience taught me a lot about what it should be and SK has potential but so much to work on. I didn't feel supported at all at this job and would not work there again. 


A day in the life of a paraprofessional at Strategic Kids typically begins with an assignment to a school within the district. Upon arrival, the protocol involves signing in, receiving a badge, and then being directed to the designated classroom. The primary role involves supporting the teacher with a variety of tasks, ranging from ensuring students remain focused on their work to maintaining a safe environment where students do not harm themselves or others. 

The specific duties can vary significantly depending on the grade level. In elementary settings at Strategic Kids, the role often entails assisting one teacher with multiple tasks, which might include supervising students on the playground, overseeing lunchtime, and conducting small group activities. There are instances where the assignment involves supporting just one student, who might exhibit challenging behaviors, without a structured lesson plan in place. Unfortunately, there seems to be a lack of concern from the schools regarding the safety and well-being of both students and paraprofessionals in these situations.

In middle and high school settings, the role often felt minimized, with duties sometimes reduced to merely occupying space in the classroom for legal compliance rather than engaging in meaningful educational support. This experience provided an opportunity to observe the inner workings of a school and apply early childhood education (ECE) credits, which was a positive aspect of the job.

However, challenges arose in terms of communication and support from management, particularly regarding clear expectations and resources for the various assignments. Feedback on these issues was met with a rather dismissive attitude, suggesting that success in the role depended largely on the individual's adaptability.

Ultimately, the decision to leave the position was driven not by a lack of capability but by the absence of professional growth opportunities and insufficient compensation for the skills offered. Despite these challenges, the most rewarding aspect of the job was the interaction with the students, offering a sense of fulfillment amidst the difficulties encountered across different school environments.

I worked here for just over two weeks, and the experience was not positive. Site management set unrealistic goals, failed to hold promised daily meetings, and communication tools were inadequate (not enough walkie-talkies to coordinate). When delays occurred, staff were held responsible rather than supported. Upper management also did not provide clear or consistent guidance.

Training and safety procedures were minimal. I received only one day of training, which did not involve interaction with children. In the two weeks I worked there, emergency protocols, AED locations, and procedures for lockdowns or fires were never explained. For a role involving the care of young children, this lack of preparation raised serious concerns.

Expectations for the job were not clearly outlined. Most of the day is spent outside, and staff are expected to keep pre-K and kindergarten students on a strict schedule. The attendance policy is also very strict: during the 90-day trial period, taking a sick day without paid time off counts as an unexcused absence. Three such absences can lead to termination.

When I submitted my resignation, I did not receive any acknowledgment or follow-up. This lack of response reinforced concerns about communication and follow-through.

Coworkers also shared similar concerns about unrealistic expectations and poor communication between different management levels.

I would not recommend working here due to inadequate training, unclear policies, and lack of support. Based on my experience, I would also be concerned about staff preparation in this program.

The job and position are super fun and meaningful in itself, but the company is so disorganized and understaffed that it makes working here difficult and frustrating at times. Many sites have difficulty building and keeping a consistent schedule of staff members which makes the job feel like there’s no support for you or the kids. Work place culture can be toxic and disrespectful creating tense and difficult relationships between employees and management. Management will also remove you from your scheduled shift day of (sometimes an hour before the start of the shift) but take forever to respond to emails (almost like they ignore you). And then they request two weeks notice for anything you need. The job also doesn’t offer reliable hours since you get sent home before the end of you shift almost everyday. I’ve also experienced the company sending out last minute notices (like day of notice) on mandatory trainings that take place BEFORE your schedule work time which makes it hard and inconvenient to show up to them. The most enjoyable part of my job was probably working with the kids and the relationship I built with other coworkers so if I could recommend this position I would would I recommend it to people who want to work with kids or in the school system but I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT BE THROUGH THIS COMPANY, pick a different company any other company I promise you it’ll be better. This company will cause you more issues than what the job is worth and make it not enjoyable to do your job.

During my time at this school, I was primarily responsible for driving there, unloading boxes, carrying them into the classroom, and waiting for students to arrive.  Sometimes, the management was ineffective concerning communication, and their focus seemed to be solely on maximizing profits.  As a result, I was occasionally required to cover costs out of pocket, but I didn't mind because the job wasn't a priority for me due to personal enjoyment and financial independence.  Furthermore, I often had to improvise due to the lack of clear instructions and the frequent student switching, which often led to students forgetting previously learned material.I enjoyed working with the kids and other people. The hardest part is dealing with the naughty kids that require special care but their parents didn't care most enjoyable was seeing kids work with each other and being happy after the end of class and saying that I was their favorite teacher since I give them the most freedoms 

This is the perfect part-time job if you are college student, retiree, or someone who just wants something fulfilling and rewarding to do on the side.
You teach young students during afterschool hours at various elementary schools in your area; chess, Lego architecture/story telling, origami, or cartooning; depending on what you know how to do or are willing to be trained on. Classes are usually an hour long, but you’re compensated for an hour and a half of time, plus driving reimbursement for however far you must go.  Classes are usually once a week at each school and can go anywhere from four to eight weeks before moving on to a new subject to teach. Your personal flexibility and how many participating schools are in your area determine how many hours you’re able to get throughout the week. Supervisors and managers are genuinely caring and willing to work with/accommodate your schedule and supplies. 

You’re expected to keep the issued learning equipment (Chess pieces, Lego bins etc.) with you to take it back and forth to each school you teach at. If you have a keen sense of how to understand and empower young students in respecting you and others, you’ll be great at this!


What is the best part of working at the company?
This company is incredibly disorganized and provides little support for its employees. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
I was given one day of training before being assigned to lead an after-school program. I did not shadow a class before I was told to instruct on my own, and I received no support on-site. They are incredibly understaffed, which causes unpredictable scheduling and guilting from management to take on roles you are not trained for. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
They are continuously expanding to new schools without the staff to make it work, so new-hires are thrown into the deep end without proper training. I felt pressured to fill in for others' absences on my first day. When I discussed my concerns about my class's behavior with management, they did not offer practical advice and dismissed my experience.

Been with them for 3 years. Worked at boys and girls club before, it’s night and day. This is by far the best company I’ve worked for. Now with that said, keep in mind the company is built on contracts with schools. Some sites are great, full of support and community, others you just have to show up do the job and get through it. I’ve had sites that I miss to this day and have nothing but amazing memories, 4/5 sites are like that. The bad ones however…. Well that’s where I’d say staff that are assigned one site for the year leave the bad reviews. I’d recommend starting the job by asking for multiple sites and get a feel of what each school is like (you’ll be sent to a lot of them if you are sports) then as you get adjusted and a new school years starts ask for the districts or sites that you really got along well in. 

Management sucks, very unclear and will lie to your face. Do not care about their employees time and hard work. I didn’t get proper breaks, and no personal time off or sick pay. They over work you and don’t compensate you for time spent driving in between schools. It’s just sad because the actual work was enjoyable and fulfilling but the actual company sucked. Stopped giving me any hours without saying anything, because they put me somewhere I needed to be certified for and was not. Hire people with little no experience and I straight up had to train people. Literally felt unsafe at my job at one point and they did nothing about it. Do yourself a favor and work for the actual district or stepping stones because they have much better benefits, and overall management. 

honestly this would definitely be the worst job i’ve ever had. the management was awful and coworkers are rude, passive aggressive and condescending. i felt constantly targeted by the people i worked with on a day to day basis. management was no help at making anything better; if you have any type of personal life and need to call off expect to be fired. no joke. if not they will beg you to come in even if you have a doctors note! i would say the pay rate is NOTHING for what you will be dealing with and it has nothing to do with the kids! i loved my group and im very sad that i couldn’t give them my all all the time because of the vibe killers the people i worked with were.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Instructor 7 salaries reported	$25.71 per hour
Teacher's aide 18 salaries reported	$21.13 per hour
Tutor 22 salaries reported	$25.68 per hour
Teaching assistant 12 salaries reported	$19.10 per hour
Para educator 4 salaries reported	$21.63 per hour

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