GDS middle school

[Anonymous]

Can anyone share their experience with the GDS middle school? After tours, we still aren't clear about the curriculum, student academic experience for the core subjects like Math, Science, History, Arts, etc.

[Anonymous]

Do you have specific questions?

[Anonymous]

The curriculum is spelled out with specificity in the course catalog on their website. Did you have specific questions or concerns? In 7th and 8th grade, students choose 1-2 arts to focus on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is spelled out with specificity in the course catalog on their website. Did you have specific questions or concerns? In 7th and 8th grade, students choose 1-2 arts to focus on.

I mean the quality of the teaching of these subjects as I didn't really see much student projects. Are there hands-on projects in science? How is learning outcome evaluated?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is spelled out with specificity in the course catalog on their website. Did you have specific questions or concerns? In 7th and 8th grade, students choose 1-2 arts to focus on.

Arts meaning drawing or photography?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is spelled out with specificity in the course catalog on their website. Did you have specific questions or concerns? In 7th and 8th grade, students choose 1-2 arts to focus on.

I mean the quality of the teaching of these subjects as I didn't really see much student projects. Are there hands-on projects in science? How is learning outcome evaluated?

There is something really odd about the OP's post. Did you actually take the tour? Did you look at the GDS website? https://www.gds.org/academics/middle-school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is spelled out with specificity in the course catalog on their website. Did you have specific questions or concerns? In 7th and 8th grade, students choose 1-2 arts to focus on.

Arts meaning drawing or photography?

I believe the MS choices are visual art, band, chorus, and dance. My kid did band, so I don't know anything about visual arts. It's described in the course catalog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is spelled out with specificity in the course catalog on their website. Did you have specific questions or concerns? In 7th and 8th grade, students choose 1-2 arts to focus on.

Arts meaning drawing or photography?

I believe the MS choices are visual art, band, chorus, and dance. My kid did band, so I don't know anything about visual arts. It's described in the course catalog.

how are the teachers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is spelled out with specificity in the course catalog on their website. Did you have specific questions or concerns? In 7th and 8th grade, students choose 1-2 arts to focus on.

I mean the quality of the teaching of these subjects as I didn't really see much student projects. Are there hands-on projects in science? How is learning outcome evaluated?

There is something really odd about the OP's post. Did you actually take the tour? Did you look at the GDS website? https://www.gds.org/academics/middle-school

How can one evaluate the quality of teaching and learning experience from website?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is spelled out with specificity in the course catalog on their website. Did you have specific questions or concerns? In 7th and 8th grade, students choose 1-2 arts to focus on.

I mean the quality of the teaching of these subjects as I didn't really see much student projects. Are there hands-on projects in science? How is learning outcome evaluated?

Yes, there were regular labs in science. But I doubt the teachers regular hang up lab reports for people to see -- not really sure what you were expecting to see. There are also hands on projects in other subjects. The travelling biography in 5th, box project in 6th, power project in 7th (related to history class), and Constitutional issue paper in 8th were highlights for my kid. But it's not kindergarten -- student work isn't lining the halls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum is spelled out with specificity in the course catalog on their website. Did you have specific questions or concerns? In 7th and 8th grade, students choose 1-2 arts to focus on.

I mean the quality of the teaching of these subjects as I didn't really see much student projects. Are there hands-on projects in science? How is learning outcome evaluated?

Yes, there were regular labs in science. But I doubt the teachers regular hang up lab reports for people to see -- not really sure what you were expecting to see. There are also hands on projects in other subjects. The travelling biography in 5th, box project in 6th, power project in 7th (related to history class), and Constitutional issue paper in 8th were highlights for my kid. But it's not kindergarten -- student work isn't lining the halls.

Sounds good!

[Anonymous]

Truthfully it’s the weakest part of the school and it doesn’t fully prepare kids for the gds high school. Maybe that’s just a general middle school thing. But the high school is unbelievable. So it’s worth it if you are in for the whole ride

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Truthfully it’s the weakest part of the school and it doesn’t fully prepare kids for the gds high school. Maybe that’s just a general middle school thing. But the high school is unbelievable. So it’s worth it if you are in for the whole ride

Why doesn't it prepare the kids for high school? So families stay put for the four years middle school just for the high school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Truthfully it’s the weakest part of the school and it doesn’t fully prepare kids for the gds high school. Maybe that’s just a general middle school thing. But the high school is unbelievable. So it’s worth it if you are in for the whole ride

Why doesn't it prepare the kids for high school? So families stay put for the four years middle school just for the high school?

Not four years. 5th/6th not really the issue and some lovely teachers. There are no grades and not that much work. That would be useful in 7th and particularly 8th grade so they are ready bc the high school is the real deal.

Some people started in elementary school - for some it’s still better than their public middle school. But I’d still do the gds package over other comparable schools but the high school is rigorous and they’ll really learn to write — and it’s a joyful place to be

[Anonymous]

How many kids stay for Hs?