Staff Testimonials >> Jason Pendell

Jason Pendell
Grades 7/8 Resource
2005-2008

January 2008.

I am currently in my third year of teaching at the American School Foundation of Monterrey. I wanted to write a review for the school because my experience has been very positive and I know the input of teachers can be important in determining where you would like to teach.

First, I would like to share my experiences with working with the administration and faculty at ASFM. The administration is professional, supportive and approachable. They have confidence in you to be able to do your job and are there for you if you need support. They are kind, dependable people who make working here a great experience. The staff at ASFM are hard-working, motivated, positive people whose primary focus is to see the students succeed. There will always be different personalities in any workplace and a few people with some negative beliefs about the students and their jobs, but, overall, the people here are positive, supportive colleagues. The students, overall, are hard-working and respectful. When I first came to ASFM, I was impressed with how supportive and involved many of the parents are. To me, ASFM is an ideal place to work and I think it will be hard to find another school with the qualities this school has.

Next, I would like to share my experiences of the city of Monterrey. The high school campus where I work is located in a suburb of Monterrey called Santa Catarina. Monterrey is a 15 minute drive from here and taxis are very inexpensive. Santa Catarina is very safe but somewhat polluted. There is a beautiful canyon 5 minutes from the school where you can rock climb and mountain bike. Of the cities I have visited in Mexico, Monterrey is not one of my favorites. I think there is not much culture, and I think the city lacks a personality, but others may tell you different. I love traveling in Mexico and there are many great towns and cities to visit and traveling is fairly cheap. Mexico City is amazing and the Oaxacan Coast has beautiful beaches. Also, I feel like I have learned a lot about the people of Mexico and their culture and it is truly a rich culture.

My three years at ASFM have been a very rewarding experience and I would recommend the school to anyone considering employment here. The school is a great place to work and although I don’t consider Monterrey a great city, the country offers so much to travelers.

Jason Pendell