Will Deal challenge a smart kid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here.
I don't think my kid is "truly gifted". Just never challenged or pushed in elementary school.

There have to be a lot of kids like this who breezed through elementary school. No studying, finished homework daily in school, aced all exams, etc. Has yet to come up against anything that she didn't get right away.
I think this is great for elementary although i know many parents who would have taken this kid right to Kumon for extra supplementation. We didn't and didn't want to. Feel strongly that a kid should be a kid.

Just looking ahead to middle school at Deal I'm wondering if kids like this (I'm sure there are many) are challenged or stretched by the material or it will be more of the same.

Op, think back to the dark ages when you were in elementary school. Were you challenged? Did you find homework difficult? Wait, did you even have homework?! We didn't really until 6th. It's elementary school, OP! Quite honestly, I would be slightly concerned if my kid was finding things challenging. It is ok for kids to be kids, DC Parents!!

Plenty of kids find it challenging. I'm not saying it should be challenging but about a zillion kids in our upper NW DC public get private tutoring to get through the elementary material.

No doubt, of course she will. the question at hand is whether it happens at Deal for kids like this.

Yes well IQ is said to be a bell curve. Your child will encounter challenges along the way; it just may take longer.

[Anonymous]

OP - you need a point of comparison or you will always wonder.

Go to Deal's open house and talk to your current principal about it too.

Then go to a couple private school open houses to compare (I'd suggest Holton and GDS or Sidwell for a girl who is smart and sporty).

[Anonymous]

Parcc test is not a hard test and elementary school is not challenging for above average kid imho. DC did even better this year after I told him to take the test seriously or I would have him do homework.
OP, you have to challenge your kid. Don't leave it to US middle school and definitely not to a high school here.

[Anonymous]

Yes, OP, Deal will challenge a smart kid.

[Anonymous]

For some reason "challenging" is a real turn-off for me as related to school. I think it's easy to get caught up in that here, and I don't want my kids burned out before college.

However, I do like it when my kids find lessons or material "engaging" or "interesting." Both of my kids said that Deal classes were so much more interesting than elementary school. That was good enough for me. I want them to be curious and the IB curriculum supports that ideal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For some reason "challenging" is a real turn-off for me as related to school. I think it's easy to get caught up in that here, and I don't want my kids burned out before college.

However, I do like it when my kids find lessons or material "engaging" or "interesting." Both of my kids said that Deal classes were so much more interesting than elementary school. That was good enough for me. I want them to be curious and the IB curriculum supports that ideal.

I like this! I am not sure challenging is the same as learning. Learning new stuff isn't always a challenge.

[Anonymous]

I've been struggling to answer this because of the word "challenging" too. I just keep thinking about my kid who is in 8th grade geometry -- I wouldn't want him in a more advanced class, but I'm not sure he would say math is challenging. Math is fun, interesting, and easy for him, even when he is learning something new and complex.

Anyway, he fits OP's requested profile and loves Deal.

[Anonymous]

I have a daughter that was in the same situation as your daughter. She is in HS now but loved her time at Deal. In particular, she appreciated the independent study projects in science and history. I would agree that even in middle school, being engaged and interested in learning is more important than being challenged.

[Anonymous]

try to get into Basis

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:try to get into Basis

I disagree. If Deal is a choice, the IB experience offers something for all students, but in particular very bright students that you will not find at BASIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:try to get into Basis

I disagree. If Deal is a choice, the IB experience offers something for all students, but in particular very bright students that you will not find at BASIS.

??? Are you really trying to say that BASIS does not have any "very bright" kids? I have nothing against Deal but I don't see why BASIS must be torn down to promote Deal. Can't both schools exist with very bright kids amongst its respective diverse student population?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:try to get into Basis

I disagree. If Deal is a choice, the IB experience offers something for all students, but in particular very bright students that you will not find at BASIS.

??? Are you really trying to say that BASIS does not have any "very bright" kids? I have nothing against Deal but I don't see why BASIS must be torn down to promote Deal. Can't both schools exist with very bright kids amongst its respective diverse student population?

No, I'm not saying that at all. Not even remotely. Not sure why you thought so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:try to get into Basis

I disagree. If Deal is a choice, the IB experience offers something for all students, but in particular very bright students that you will not find at BASIS.

??? Are you really trying to say that BASIS does not have any "very bright" kids? I have nothing against Deal but I don't see why BASIS must be torn down to promote Deal. Can't both schools exist with very bright kids amongst its respective diverse student population?

No, I'm not saying that at all. Not even remotely. Not sure why you thought so.

It's just the way you wrote it. It's a little vague and sounds like there are no bright kids at BASIS but I guess you mean that there are IB courses offered at Deal that are not offered at BASIS. Fair enough statement, since BASIS does not follow an IB curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:try to get into Basis

I disagree. If Deal is a choice, the IB experience offers something for all students, but in particular very bright students that you will not find at BASIS.

??? Are you really trying to say that BASIS does not have any "very bright" kids? I have nothing against Deal but I don't see why BASIS must be torn down to promote Deal. Can't both schools exist with very bright kids amongst its respective diverse student population?

No, I'm not saying that at all. Not even remotely. Not sure why you thought so.

It's just the way you wrote it. It's a little vague and sounds like there are no bright kids at BASIS but I guess you mean that there are IB courses offered at Deal that are not offered at BASIS. Fair enough statement, since BASIS does not follow an IB curriculum.

I think the PPP left out a word - and probably meant to say: "...the IB experience offers something for all students, but in particular FOR very bright students that you will not find at BASIS."

She was pointing to a curricular difference, not a student difference.

[Anonymous]

OP, how many instruments does your child play? how many languages does she speak? chances are, your kid is average just like everyone else's.