Banneker interviews

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Banneker doesn’t hire the teachers needed for serious STEM offerings. Admins are elderly and out of touch on STEM. Nice though.

Maybe because it's an IB Humanities based school. Can't be everything to everybody!

Interesting. Maybe it's time for the DCUM crowd to start taking a serious interest in McKinley, for STEM students.

We have come to this conclusion for our son who has a strong interest in engineering.

That said, I'm sure that college or community college classes could be taken to supplement the Banneker curriculum, though that's a lot of trouble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So does SWW have the APs that Banneker doesn't?

It has at least some of them. It offers BC Calc, AP Chem, AP Bio, AP Earth Science (I think) AP Statistics, and at least one of the AP Physics courses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Banneker doesn’t hire the teachers needed for serious STEM offerings. Admins are elderly and out of touch on STEM. Nice though.

Maybe because it's an IB Humanities based school. Can't be everything to everybody!

Come on, which elite, magnet urban high school in this country doesn't teach BC Cal, AP Chem or Physics?

IB humanities isn't a thing. IBD Geneva requires course work in at least six subject areas, including math and science. That's been true for more than half a century.

[Anonymous]

Banneker's teaching 14 AP subjects. The College Board offers 32. That might be all you need to know.

[Anonymous]

They offer more, 39 as of this year. So Banneker's teaching roughly 40% of the subjects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So does SWW have the APs that Banneker doesn't?

It has at least some of them. It offers BC Calc, AP Chem, AP Bio, AP Earth Science (I think) AP Statistics, and at least one of the AP Physics courses.

There is no AP Earth Science. Wall’s offers AP Physics 1 and AP Physics C- Mechanics. They have AP Chem and AP Bio. I’m pretty sure they have AP Environmental Science and AP Psychology but not 100% sure. They also have AP Stats and AP Calculus BC

[Anonymous]

I am surprised that Banneker does not offer AP Calculus BC. In general, taking AP Calculus BC elevates your college application and helps reassure colleges that you are college ready.
Not all students take it obviously but it seems strange not to offer it when the school only admits academically successful students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Banneker doesn’t hire the teachers needed for serious STEM offerings. Admins are elderly and out of touch on STEM. Nice though.

Maybe because it's an IB Humanities based school. Can't be everything to everybody!

Come on, which elite, magnet urban high school in this country doesn't teach BC Cal, AP Chem or Physics?

IB humanities isn't a thing. IBD Geneva requires course work in at least six subject areas, including math and science. That's been true for more than half a century.

So Humanities focused schools don't exist? I didn't know that....It is what it is. Maybe they are working to offer more..just ask!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So does SWW have the APs that Banneker doesn't?

It has at least some of them. It offers BC Calc, AP Chem, AP Bio, AP Earth Science (I think) AP Statistics, and at least one of the AP Physics courses.

There is no AP Earth Science. Wall’s offers AP Physics 1 and AP Physics C- Mechanics. They have AP Chem and AP Bio. I’m pretty sure they have AP Environmental Science and AP Psychology but not 100% sure. They also have AP Stats and AP Calculus BC

You're right--I meant environmental science, not earth science!

[Anonymous]

I'm dismayed to learn that "humanities focused" Banneker, IB World School, teaches just two foreign languages, both of them Romance languages. Where's the "world school" in that set up? Washington Latin, with a smaller graduating class than Banneker, teaches 5 languages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm dismayed to learn that "humanities focused" Banneker, IB World School, teaches just two foreign languages, both of them Romance languages. Where's the "world school" in that set up? Washington Latin, with a smaller graduating class than Banneker, teaches 5 languages.

The principal is very old school. She is very resistant to any kind of change

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand why the IB program at Banneker is only 20 kids. Do they believe that only very few students at the school are capable of the IB curriculum. That seems weird given it is not easy to get into Banneker. You would think at least 1/3 to 1/2 of the students would be interested in the IB program and would do well in it. And IB is not all that different in terms of academic level than AP so why not let more students into the IB track. Has anyone asked this question

[Anonymous]

As a matter of fact, IBD Higher Level classes--at least three of the two-year classes are required for a student to be on track to earn the Diploma--are pitched a year or two past AP.

I asked the question of a Banneker admin in my parent interview. I was told that few students per cohort are willing to pursue the Diploma because of "all of the extra work involved," like researching and writing the Extended Essay, doing the volunteer work (to meet the Community Action Service requirement) and taking the Theory of Knowledge Class. When I asked what the average points total had been for IBDs at Banneker in the last few years, I was told (by proud admin) in the high 20s. That's about a C- in IBD terms, maybe a D+. DCI is already posting better IBD results, in the low 30s. But then DCI has the advantage of far more advanced language instruction than Banneker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a matter of fact, IBD Higher Level classes--at least three of the two-year classes are required for a student to be on track to earn the Diploma--are pitched a year or two past AP.

I asked the question of a Banneker admin in my parent interview. I was told that few students per cohort are willing to pursue the Diploma because of "all of the extra work involved," like researching and writing the Extended Essay, doing the volunteer work (to meet the Community Action Service requirement) and taking the Theory of Knowledge Class. When I asked what the average points total had been for IBDs at Banneker in the last few years, I was told (by proud admin) in the high 20s. That's about a C- in IBD terms, maybe a D+. DCI is already posting better IBD results, in the low 30s. But then DCI has the advantage of far more advanced language instruction than Banneker.

Thx. That is interesting. I personally believe that the Banneker principal is behind the times. Other schools have adapted better and moved past Banneker in many ways. Banneker is still a solid option but it is an inflexible model which works for some kids but is not ideal for many high school students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a matter of fact, IBD Higher Level classes--at least three of the two-year classes are required for a student to be on track to earn the Diploma--are pitched a year or two past AP.

I asked the question of a Banneker admin in my parent interview. I was told that few students per cohort are willing to pursue the Diploma because of "all of the extra work involved," like researching and writing the Extended Essay, doing the volunteer work (to meet the Community Action Service requirement) and taking the Theory of Knowledge Class. When I asked what the average points total had been for IBDs at Banneker in the last few years, I was told (by proud admin) in the high 20s. That's about a C- in IBD terms, maybe a D+. DCI is already posting better IBD results, in the low 30s. But then DCI has the advantage of far more advanced language instruction than Banneker.

This. Few kids at Banneker can handle IB and the few that can who pass don’t do very well. You need at least a 24 I think to pass IB and their scores last I heard was 26/27 which is very weak and not good.

DCI which offers IB for all and a relatively new program has already surpassed Banneker and Banneker IB program has been around for a long time.