Forum Index
»
DC Public and Public Charter Schools
DCI or Deal
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| +1. Exactly. |
Anonymous
|
So if not Deal or DCI, where are folks gonna go?
We are waitlisted at #1 at a DEAL feeder, but currently attend a school that feeds into MacFarland. Should we stay put? |
Anonymous
| I can’t believe they are making physics “honors for all” at Wilson. The Physics Dept. Is very weak. AP Physics 1 was a disaster and everyone who could afford it was getting tutored on the side. |
Anonymous
| When my daughter attended Wilson a year ago, during her 10th grade year they insisted on her taking AP History. Science is her strong suit, but the counselor insisted. She gave it a shot and passed with a “C”. I wasn’t happy, but I didn’t let that happen again. |
Anonymous
They had kids taking AP history in tenth grade? Who aren’t even that strong in history? |
Anonymous
Kids actually take AP history in 9th in many schools (several MCPS schools, BASIS, FCPS). With a good teacher, history in MS, and/or an independent interest in the subject, students can be successful and enjoy AP history classes before 11th. Look at the class overviews on the College Board website. |
Anonymous
Of course not, go. But parents coming up the chain need to seek political support to challenge the idiocy of honors for all well before they get to Wilson, and Deal for that matter. |
Anonymous
|
To the poster who said the IB career program is for kids who aren’t going to college, you are incorrect: https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-admissions-playbook/articles/2018-06-18/3-facts-about-the-ib-career-related-program
|
Anonymous
That is how DCI has described it for years. Maybe they've updated their language by now. |
Anonymous
|
For those outraged by Wilson, here is what DCI says about its program in its amendment related to HS graduation requirements, Amendment Application Part 2.
In addition, the District of Columbia International School offers an “honors for all curriculum” by requiring all students to take IB Middle Years Program Courses in grades 9 and 10 and IB Diploma and Career-related courses in grades 11 and 12. Thus, requiring that a strong preparatory program is in place for all students. This is the basis for the specific adjustment to the .5 credit art and .5 credit music graduation requirement requested above. Our students need a strong preparatory course in music, visual arts, theater or film if they are going to pursue any one of these courses at the Diploma Program level (a two-year course that has the possibility of bearing college credit). |
Anonymous
Even in 9-10, math and language are tracked, and kids can opt into APs for computer science. In 11-12, all kids will have to take at least some diploma classes, but most are offered both Standard level and higher level. So an individual student can opt for a more or less challenging path. Why isn't that good enough? It seems like some parents on this board (and all of those who react so negatively to "honors for all") want their kids to have an exclusive on the good/challenging classes. Like, somehow the curriculum isn't good if most kids are allowed to access it. We get it - filet mignon for the special few, and dog food for everyone else. I am glad DCI and schools like it believe in giving all students the chance to go as far as they can in their public high school education |
Anonymous
What grade is your child in? |
Anonymous
PP, did you earn the IB Diploma in secondary school? It certainly doesn't sound like it. My small town public schools tracked extensively from 7th grade on up. Yet even with that strong foundation as prep, the rigor of IB Diploma HL course work came as quite a shock. I was only able to score in the mid 30s on IBD in the late 80s, good enough to crack an Ivy at the time. However, these days, the competition in elite college admissions is much tougher (and that's putting it mildly). If you want advanced students to "go as far as they can in their public high school education," rather than simply paying lip service to the concept, you can't put them in class with kids who don't have the drive, talent or prep to begin to keep up with them for that to happen. You can't do it in the 6th grade, let alone in the 10th. It's a no brainer, so please spare us your well-meaning but muddle-headed guilt trip. At DCI, many parents of means quietly supplement to add rigor where rigor is needed. As others have attested on this thread, parents who can't afford private school tuition routinely spend thousands per public school student annually to ensure rigor. Unfortunately, allowing most kids to access the most advanced courses is foolishness that hurts low SES advanced and highly-motivated students the most. |
Anonymous
No, the idea is not that good = most difficult! "Challenging" means something different for different kids. Every child should be challenged, at the level that is best for them. That's the idea behind tracking. If lower track classes aren't taught well, then that's a different story. The challenge is to ensure that kids who can keep up with more difficult classwork are not tracked lower just because of other biases, and kids are given a chance to move up if they are motivated. These are tougher questions. But "normal" classes are not dog food. |
Anonymous
We've been at DCI for two years now, and they've always been clear that the career program is also for kids who are interested in college. |