BASIS to Banneker

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BASIS isn’t the only place DCPS ES students can pursue advanced math here in 2023. Our local Mathnasium branch on CH is packed, with kids freely working far ahead of grade level if they can handle it. We have friends in Upper NE and NW who send their middle schoolers to Kumon or Russian Math. Some kids work ahead on IXL and Khan Academy at home. Others work with math tutors or parents who can tutor themselves. Some of these kids will wind up at Banneker.

So your view is that there's no benefit of being advanced in school if your kid can spend time and money outside of school to supplement? It's fine to just waste time in school math, which is now remedial for your kid, rather than being in an appropriate level and learning at school? I have the kid who took AP Calc in 8th grade at Basis. It was much easier and far superior to taking Calc through RSM or AoPS in 8th, but being stuck in Honors Geometry at school because the schools don't have the willingness or logistical ability to allow more acceleration.

NP and I think part of this debate comes down to whether someone thinks AP Calc in 8th grade is a useful endeavor. As someone in a STEM field I just do not see the point in doing that in 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BASIS isn’t the only place DCPS ES students can pursue advanced math here in 2023. Our local Mathnasium branch on CH is packed, with kids freely working far ahead of grade level if they can handle it. We have friends in Upper NE and NW who send their middle schoolers to Kumon or Russian Math. Some kids work ahead on IXL and Khan Academy at home. Others work with math tutors or parents who can tutor themselves. Some of these kids will wind up at Banneker.

So your view is that there's no benefit of being advanced in school if your kid can spend time and money outside of school to supplement? It's fine to just waste time in school math, which is now remedial for your kid, rather than being in an appropriate level and learning at school? I have the kid who took AP Calc in 8th grade at Basis. It was much easier and far superior to taking Calc through RSM or AoPS in 8th, but being stuck in Honors Geometry at school because the schools don't have the willingness or logistical ability to allow more acceleration.

NP and I think part of this debate comes down to whether someone thinks AP Calc in 8th grade is a useful endeavor. As someone in a STEM field I just do not see the point in doing that in 8th grade.

As someone in a STEM field, I just do not see the point in making kids sit through math classes that are too slow or remedial for them. Kids should be accelerated to the point where they're learning and thriving, rather than being bored and uninspired. It's wonderful that people who desire math acceleration can get it through Basis, and kids who don't wish math acceleration have tons of other charter or DCPS public schools they can attend. It's much better than taking acceleration away from kids who are ready and would thrive, just because you "do not see the point."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BASIS isn’t the only place DCPS ES students can pursue advanced math here in 2023. Our local Mathnasium branch on CH is packed, with kids freely working far ahead of grade level if they can handle it. We have friends in Upper NE and NW who send their middle schoolers to Kumon or Russian Math. Some kids work ahead on IXL and Khan Academy at home. Others work with math tutors or parents who can tutor themselves. Some of these kids will wind up at Banneker.

So your view is that there's no benefit of being advanced in school if your kid can spend time and money outside of school to supplement? It's fine to just waste time in school math, which is now remedial for your kid, rather than being in an appropriate level and learning at school? I have the kid who took AP Calc in 8th grade at Basis. It was much easier and far superior to taking Calc through RSM or AoPS in 8th, but being stuck in Honors Geometry at school because the schools don't have the willingness or logistical ability to allow more acceleration.

NP and I think part of this debate comes down to whether someone thinks AP Calc in 8th grade is a useful endeavor. As someone in a STEM field I just do not see the point in doing that in 8th grade.

As someone in a STEM field, I just do not see the point in making kids sit through math classes that are too slow or remedial for them. Kids should be accelerated to the point where they're learning and thriving, rather than being bored and uninspired. It's wonderful that people who desire math acceleration can get it through Basis, and kids who don't wish math acceleration have tons of other charter or DCPS public schools they can attend. It's much better than taking acceleration away from kids who are ready and would thrive, just because you "do not see the point."

No one in this conversation has said anything about taking acceleration away from your kid.

[Anonymous]

My view is that your kid’s life isn’t over if they doesn’t get into BASIS or you avoid the school for whatever reasons. I taught at BASIS DC for a year and was thrilled to leave (though my contract was renewed). The students were mostly great. The admins and building were the opposite. Not nearly enough critical, analytical or creative thinking in the curriculum for this educator. No idea about Banneker but it could only be a happier environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My view is that your kid’s life isn’t over if they doesn’t get into BASIS or you avoid the school for whatever reasons. I taught at BASIS DC for a year and was thrilled to leave (though my contract was renewed). The students were mostly great. The admins and building were the opposite. Not nearly enough critical, analytical or creative thinking in the curriculum for this educator. No idea about Banneker but it could only be a happier environment.

I’m a DCPS teacher and that is my impression of basis instruction as well.

[Anonymous]

Have a kid who went to BASIS 5-8 then moved to Walls. So far (kid has not graduated yet) - the instruction/curriculum at BASIS was superior. Only data point I have so YMMV. Kid is in any event happy at Walls, so all is good (and Walls absolutely has things that BASIS lacked - better sports, music program, more uniformly strong student body . . . . but the academics were, IMO better at BASIS).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My view is that your kid’s life isn’t over if they doesn’t get into BASIS or you avoid the school for whatever reasons. I taught at BASIS DC for a year and was thrilled to leave (though my contract was renewed). The students were mostly great. The admins and building were the opposite. Not nearly enough critical, analytical or creative thinking in the curriculum for this educator. No idea about Banneker but it could only be a happier environment.

I’m a DCPS teacher and that is my impression of basis instruction as well.

As a Basis parent, I agree that middle school could use more "critical, analytical or creative thinking", though high school seems better. But the question is, which DCPS school provides that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have a kid who went to BASIS 5-8 then moved to Walls. So far (kid has not graduated yet) - the instruction/curriculum at BASIS was superior. Only data point I have so YMMV. Kid is in any event happy at Walls, so all is good (and Walls absolutely has things that BASIS lacked - better sports, music program, more uniformly strong student body . . . . but the academics were, IMO better at BASIS).

we were also basis 5-8 and in walls now - maybe our kids are in the same cohort?
Agreed that walls is a cake walk for my kid, but the uniformly strong student body was the biggest reason to leave basis. we could not stand the terrible kids who kept getting promoted, and making true acceleration near impossible - most of the classes they never got through the whole Arizona curriculum.

Also when my kid was in 9, they got to take Pre calc at walls and thriving.
Happy socially and academically so all is well

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have a kid who went to BASIS 5-8 then moved to Walls. So far (kid has not graduated yet) - the instruction/curriculum at BASIS was superior. Only data point I have so YMMV. Kid is in any event happy at Walls, so all is good (and Walls absolutely has things that BASIS lacked - better sports, music program, more uniformly strong student body . . . . but the academics were, IMO better at BASIS).

we were also basis 5-8 and in walls now - maybe our kids are in the same cohort?
Agreed that walls is a cake walk for my kid, but the uniformly strong student body was the biggest reason to leave basis. we could not stand the terrible kids who kept getting promoted, and making true acceleration near impossible - most of the classes they never got through the whole Arizona curriculum.

Also when my kid was in 9, they got to take Pre calc at walls and thriving.
Happy socially and academically so all is well

Right, the academics are better at Basis.

[Anonymous]

The academics just aren't better across the board at BASIS than Walls and Banneker. For STEM yes, not for humanities. It's rare for BASIS students to take advantage of dual enrollment options at GW. Not uncommon at Walls, particularly for foreign language. As has been pointed out, Banneker has better/more experienced humanities teachers in the upper echelons. Few BASIS teachers have taught there for more than about 5 years and the better ones have a way of running of to DCPS and suburban school systems in search of better pay and working conditions. BASIS burns them out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The academics just aren't better across the board at BASIS than Walls and Banneker. For STEM yes, not for humanities. It's rare for BASIS students to take advantage of dual enrollment options at GW. Not uncommon at Walls, particularly for foreign language. As has been pointed out, Banneker has better/more experienced humanities teachers in the upper echelons. Few BASIS teachers have taught there for more than about 5 years and the better ones have a way of running of to DCPS and suburban school systems in search of better pay and working conditions. BASIS burns them out.

I dunno - 9th grade English at Walls consists of tons of grammar (things BASIS kids did in grades 5-7) and zero reading/writing of any substance - just lots of "annotating." Not very impressive or challenging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The academics just aren't better across the board at BASIS than Walls and Banneker. For STEM yes, not for humanities. It's rare for BASIS students to take advantage of dual enrollment options at GW. Not uncommon at Walls, particularly for foreign language. As has been pointed out, Banneker has better/more experienced humanities teachers in the upper echelons. Few BASIS teachers have taught there for more than about 5 years and the better ones have a way of running of to DCPS and suburban school systems in search of better pay and working conditions. BASIS burns them out.

I dunno - 9th grade English at Walls consists of tons of grammar (things BASIS kids did in grades 5-7) and zero reading/writing of any substance - just lots of "annotating." Not very impressive or challenging.

Nope...As with all of it, depends on the teacher. It's pretty bizarre how having a different set of teachers can change the whole experience at Walls. That's the most surprising thing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The academics just aren't better across the board at BASIS than Walls and Banneker. For STEM yes, not for humanities. It's rare for BASIS students to take advantage of dual enrollment options at GW. Not uncommon at Walls, particularly for foreign language. As has been pointed out, Banneker has better/more experienced humanities teachers in the upper echelons. Few BASIS teachers have taught there for more than about 5 years and the better ones have a way of running of to DCPS and suburban school systems in search of better pay and working conditions. BASIS burns them out.

I dunno - 9th grade English at Walls consists of tons of grammar (things BASIS kids did in grades 5-7) and zero reading/writing of any substance - just lots of "annotating." Not very impressive or challenging.

Overall, the Walls AP humanities teachers are much better than the 9th and 10th grade teachers, old hands. The BASIS AP humanities teachers are mostly young, long on enthusiasm, short on experience and knowledge of the AP curriculum. Unlike Walls and Banneker, BASIS struck me as nervous about encouraging kids/families to think for themselves. If they did, they might not suck up all the accelerated math and science, demand languages before 8th, reject all the rote learning and constant testing, ponder why most peers bail for other schools by 9th grade. They might even, gasp, rebel and plan gap years, depriving BASIS of the bragging rights to their college merit aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My view is that your kid’s life isn’t over if they doesn’t get into BASIS or you avoid the school for whatever reasons. I taught at BASIS DC for a year and was thrilled to leave (though my contract was renewed). The students were mostly great. The admins and building were the opposite. Not nearly enough critical, analytical or creative thinking in the curriculum for this educator. No idea about Banneker but it could only be a happier environment.

Basis doesn’t have contracts.

[Anonymous]

BASIS teachers are asked to stay, or not asked. Sounds a lot like a contract.

Interesting points being made here hinting at the distinction between education/choice and "academic prep." More of the former at Banneker and Walls, less at BASIS.

We left for Walls partly because my 8th greater wanted more class discussions, group projects, research projects and inquiry in general and fewer tests. Far fewer.