DCI academics

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much of the immersion language does the students get on a typical day if they are coming from a feeder?

2-3 classes in 6th grade. 3 seems to be when a specials teacher is fluent in their language (e.g. the PE teacher conducts class in Mandarin for the children who came from YY; drama is in Spanish for the kids who came from a spanish immersion feeder.)

Which two classes are always in the immersion language in 6th grade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again: I'm trying to get some perspective from parents from other feeder schools. It's not like we have any way to communicate to one another other than DCUM.

If you want to be a convincing troll, don't post stupid stuff like this.

[Anonymous]

I don't kwow why homework would be a measure of rigor in middle school, but if there were some classes of students or tracks of students who needed catching up, wouldn't these students have more homework.

[Anonymous]

Once again, does DCI differentiate in math, reading and languages? Is Algebra I offered in 8th grade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP again: I'm trying to get some perspective from parents from other feeder schools. It's not like we have any way to communicate to one another other than DCUM.

If you want to be a convincing troll, don't post stupid stuff like this.

Wow--the DCI guard dogs are on full alert today! You can't even ask a question without being called a troll. However, no one has answered any questions about differentiation or DCI's academic rigor. Hmm, I wonder why...

[Anonymous]

At DCI, there are multiple language levels for each language, and students may be in any level in grades 6-8 (for instance, a 6th grader may be in Spanish 3, and an 8th grader may be in Spanish 1). Some students are accelerated a year in math, and there is high-school level Integrated Math I for eighth graders who are accelerated. (DCI follows an integrated math high school pathway, not Algebra/Geometry/Algebra II.) All students in the grade level are in the same English class, and there is differentiation (some different books, etc.) within the class, as well as reading support classes for those who need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At DCI, there are multiple language levels for each language, and students may be in any level in grades 6-8 (for instance, a 6th grader may be in Spanish 3, and an 8th grader may be in Spanish 1). Some students are accelerated a year in math, and there is high-school level Integrated Math I for eighth graders who are accelerated. (DCI follows an integrated math high school pathway, not Algebra/Geometry/Algebra II.) All students in the grade level are in the same English class, and there is differentiation (some different books, etc.) within the class, as well as reading support classes for those who need.

This is helpful. Did they do assessments over the summer in reading/math and language skills to determine who to place where? How can parents get the results?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Once again, does DCI differentiate in math, reading and languages? Is Algebra I offered in 8th grade?

NP here and 2nd year DCI parent. I don't think it's tracking but they offer a very individualized curriculum which I'm thrilled with as they meet my kids needs. One thing the school stresses A LOT is the IB learning model (http://www.ibo.org/en/benefits/learner-profile/) which teaches a "broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that go beyond academic success. " For DCI, school and learning not just about homework and tests. You will learn more at BTSN. I think its a very balanced approach to learning but you will need to decide for yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At DCI, there are multiple language levels for each language, and students may be in any level in grades 6-8 (for instance, a 6th grader may be in Spanish 3, and an 8th grader may be in Spanish 1). Some students are accelerated a year in math, and there is high-school level Integrated Math I for eighth graders who are accelerated. (DCI follows an integrated math high school pathway, not Algebra/Geometry/Algebra II.) All students in the grade level are in the same English class, and there is differentiation (some different books, etc.) within the class, as well as reading support classes for those who need.

Thank you--now we're getting somewhere. So, if a 6th grader takes Spanish 3, what level of Spanish will that same student take through the end of 12th grade? What is the highest level of Spanish offered at DCI? What does the math sequence look like for an 8th grader who takes Integrated Math I? What is the highest level of math offered at DCI? What level of Spanish and math does the typical DCI 6th grader take?

I find the labeling of courses at DCI tend to obscure (unintentional or not) what is actually being covered in each course. It doesn't help that DCI really doesn't explain it's curriculum on its website (unlike BASIS).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At DCI, there are multiple language levels for each language, and students may be in any level in grades 6-8 (for instance, a 6th grader may be in Spanish 3, and an 8th grader may be in Spanish 1). Some students are accelerated a year in math, and there is high-school level Integrated Math I for eighth graders who are accelerated. (DCI follows an integrated math high school pathway, not Algebra/Geometry/Algebra II.) All students in the grade level are in the same English class, and there is differentiation (some different books, etc.) within the class, as well as reading support classes for those who need.

OP here: thank you! This is more info than I've gotten so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At DCI, there are multiple language levels for each language, and students may be in any level in grades 6-8 (for instance, a 6th grader may be in Spanish 3, and an 8th grader may be in Spanish 1). Some students are accelerated a year in math, and there is high-school level Integrated Math I for eighth graders who are accelerated. (DCI follows an integrated math high school pathway, not Algebra/Geometry/Algebra II.) All students in the grade level are in the same English class, and there is differentiation (some different books, etc.) within the class, as well as reading support classes for those who need.

Thank you--now we're getting somewhere. So, if a 6th grader takes Spanish 3, what level of Spanish will that same student take through the end of 12th grade? What is the highest level of Spanish offered at DCI? What does the math sequence look like for an 8th grader who takes Integrated Math I? What is the highest level of math offered at DCI? What level of Spanish and math does the typical DCI 6th grader take?

I find the labeling of courses at DCI tend to obscure (unintentional or not) what is actually being covered in each course. It doesn't help that DCI really doesn't explain it's curriculum on its website (unlike BASIS).

These are excellent questions. I would like to also include whether the levels are firm and how they are determined. I was told that in Chinese it was determined by one test they took last spring without the kids knowing that was what it would be used for. I know my DD would have liked to have known.

[Anonymous]

BASIS kids are only tracked in math until 8th, which I think is unfortunate, but they all take a math placement test at the start of the year or in the spring once they have officially enrolled. And yes, the sequence is clear.

What I would like to know is for the most advanced 8th graders in math at DCI, what would be the class for 9th grade (assuming it has a name that is more recognizable) - Algebra II, pre-calculus, trig, whatever - doesn't matter but I would like to know. And I thought Spanish 3 was either AP Spanish or the year before AP Spanish universally - and they do have 8th graders taking AP Spanish at Oyster. So after Spanish 3 (if that is what you are placed in upon admission in 6th grade and appears to be the highest placement level), where do you go next?

BASIS parent here whose kids get slammed immediately and early to acclimate them when they enter in 5th grade. The higher grades start more slowly because the kids already know school is serious business. I kind of like that method - setting the tone (albeit it can be a bit scary) for ten year olds and then starting to be more playful and relaxed later in the year, and at the start of the upper years like 8th and 9th grade when all the kids know what the deal is............

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BASIS kids are only tracked in math until 8th, which I think is unfortunate, but they all take a math placement test at the start of the year or in the spring once they have officially enrolled. And yes, the sequence is clear.

What I would like to know is for the most advanced 8th graders in math at DCI, what would be the class for 9th grade (assuming it has a name that is more recognizable) - Algebra II, pre-calculus, trig, whatever - doesn't matter but I would like to know. And I thought Spanish 3 was either AP Spanish or the year before AP Spanish universally - and they do have 8th graders taking AP Spanish at Oyster. So after Spanish 3 (if that is what you are placed in upon admission in 6th grade and appears to be the highest placement level), where do you go next?

BASIS parent here whose kids get slammed immediately and early to acclimate them when they enter in 5th grade. The higher grades start more slowly because the kids already know school is serious business. I kind of like that method - setting the tone (albeit it can be a bit scary) for ten year olds and then starting to be more playful and relaxed later in the year, and at the start of the upper years like 8th and 9th grade when all the kids know what the deal is............

BASIS parents - please don't hijack this thread!!

DCI is aligned to the IB curriculum, so the names of the courses and sequences are not easily translated to the AP sequence and standards. And no one is asking for comparatives between DCI and other schools; they are asking about different current DCI student experiences.

[Anonymous]

The high school math is integrated, but I don't know if it is ability tracked or if you just eventually reach the course and then take it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The high school math is integrated, but I don't know if it is ability tracked or if you just eventually reach the course and then take it.

Ok, but these courses (math and language) must correlate to traditional courses somehow. So, what does Integrated Math I cover? And what do the subsequent math courses cover? It really shouldn't be this hard to figure out what my child will eventually learn in middle and high school.