How to help child succeed at BASIS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Supplementing language would be very important, but I am curious if there are any BASIS families on this thread who have been successful in this area to maintain continued language acquisition for their child.

I would call the school and ask the question - and perhaps ask to speak with a family who came from an immersion school. I know several.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are also making a hard choice between sticking around for DCI or departing for Basis. I’d be curious to hear your thought process if you don’t mind sharing, PP. Also, do you plan to maintain the foreign language outside of Basis? I don’t mean to derail this thread. I have concerns about potentially preparing for Basis coming out of an immersion school where most of the academic challenge derived from the foreign language component.

We just made this tough decision for our rising 5th grader and opted for BASIS because academics rank higher than language. Either way we figured we would have to supplement something but language is lower in priority than math, writing, study skills, self-advocacy etc. We were torn on the size of DCI as there appears to be a growing number of activities but we were concerned that many of the behavior and classroom management issues at our feeder would persist at DCI. Our child is also below grade level in Spanish reading and after all these years still doesn’t feel comfortable speaking Spanish. We included our child in the decision making process and they prefer advanced Math and Science over any instruction in Spanish. Spanish immersion was likely not the best fit for our child but we stuck with it for DCI as a backup option for Walls and Latin for high school. We do have a younger child that has picked up Spanish a lot easier (started in Pk3 instead of K) so that decision will be even more difficult when the time comes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are also making a hard choice between sticking around for DCI or departing for Basis. I’d be curious to hear your thought process if you don’t mind sharing, PP. Also, do you plan to maintain the foreign language outside of Basis? I don’t mean to derail this thread. I have concerns about potentially preparing for Basis coming out of an immersion school where most of the academic challenge derived from the foreign language component.

We just made this tough decision for our rising 5th grader and opted for BASIS because academics rank higher than language. Either way we figured we would have to supplement something but language is lower in priority than math, writing, study skills, self-advocacy etc. We were torn on the size of DCI as there appears to be a growing number of activities but we were concerned that many of the behavior and classroom management issues at our feeder would persist at DCI. Our child is also below grade level in Spanish reading and after all these years still doesn’t feel comfortable speaking Spanish. We included our child in the decision making process and they prefer advanced Math and Science over any instruction in Spanish. Spanish immersion was likely not the best fit for our child but we stuck with it for DCI as a backup option for Walls and Latin for high school. We do have a younger child that has picked up Spanish a lot easier (started in Pk3 instead of K) so that decision will be even more difficult when the time comes.

+1.

DCI IB scores are well below the global average in part because many kids don't achieve anything close to fluency in whatever track they follow. So, at DCI, you end up with the worst of both worlds: less rigorous curriculum and subpar language skills.

In fairness to DCI, language instruction in the US is poor, so that result is not surprising. If you really want your kid to learn a language well, supplement and send them to summer immersion programs overseas.

Also, BASIS isn’t really dumping foreign languages before 8th grade. Kids used to do Latin in 5th and 6th and pick a foreign language for 7th. Instead, starting next year, they will now have a writing class in 5th (which will cover Greek and Latin roots) and take linguistics in 6th and 7th. The linguistics classes lay a foundation for study in a foreign language, so the kids have a head start in 8th. And kids will stick with the same foreign language they select in 8th grade until they graduate (so, 5 years of the language).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are also making a hard choice between sticking around for DCI or departing for Basis. I’d be curious to hear your thought process if you don’t mind sharing, PP. Also, do you plan to maintain the foreign language outside of Basis? I don’t mean to derail this thread. I have concerns about potentially preparing for Basis coming out of an immersion school where most of the academic challenge derived from the foreign language component.

We just made this tough decision for our rising 5th grader and opted for BASIS because academics rank higher than language. Either way we figured we would have to supplement something but language is lower in priority than math, writing, study skills, self-advocacy etc. We were torn on the size of DCI as there appears to be a growing number of activities but we were concerned that many of the behavior and classroom management issues at our feeder would persist at DCI. Our child is also below grade level in Spanish reading and after all these years still doesn’t feel comfortable speaking Spanish. We included our child in the decision making process and they prefer advanced Math and Science over any instruction in Spanish. Spanish immersion was likely not the best fit for our child but we stuck with it for DCI as a backup option for Walls and Latin for high school. We do have a younger child that has picked up Spanish a lot easier (started in Pk3 instead of K) so that decision will be even more difficult when the time comes.

+1.

DCI IB scores are well below the global average in part because many kids don't achieve anything close to fluency in whatever track they follow. So, at DCI, you end up with the worst of both worlds: less rigorous curriculum and subpar language skills.

In fairness to DCI, language instruction in the US is poor, so that result is not surprising. If you really want your kid to learn a language well, supplement and send them to summer immersion programs overseas.

Also, BASIS isn’t really dumping foreign languages before 8th grade. Kids used to do Latin in 5th and 6th and pick a foreign language for 7th. Instead, starting next year, they will now have a writing class in 5th (which will cover Greek and Latin roots) and take linguistics in 6th and 7th. The linguistics classes lay a foundation for study in a foreign language, so the kids have a head start in 8th. And kids will stick with the same foreign language they select in 8th grade until they graduate (so, 5 years of the language).

Basis parent here - yes, but if you are coming from an immersion school, grades 5-7 won't help your kid at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are also making a hard choice between sticking around for DCI or departing for Basis. I’d be curious to hear your thought process if you don’t mind sharing, PP. Also, do you plan to maintain the foreign language outside of Basis? I don’t mean to derail this thread. I have concerns about potentially preparing for Basis coming out of an immersion school where most of the academic challenge derived from the foreign language component.

We just made this tough decision for our rising 5th grader and opted for BASIS because academics rank higher than language. Either way we figured we would have to supplement something but language is lower in priority than math, writing, study skills, self-advocacy etc. We were torn on the size of DCI as there appears to be a growing number of activities but we were concerned that many of the behavior and classroom management issues at our feeder would persist at DCI. Our child is also below grade level in Spanish reading and after all these years still doesn’t feel comfortable speaking Spanish. We included our child in the decision making process and they prefer advanced Math and Science over any instruction in Spanish. Spanish immersion was likely not the best fit for our child but we stuck with it for DCI as a backup option for Walls and Latin for high school. We do have a younger child that has picked up Spanish a lot easier (started in Pk3 instead of K) so that decision will be even more difficult when the time comes.

+1.

DCI IB scores are well below the global average in part because many kids don't achieve anything close to fluency in whatever track they follow. So, at DCI, you end up with the worst of both worlds: less rigorous curriculum and subpar language skills.

In fairness to DCI, language instruction in the US is poor, so that result is not surprising. If you really want your kid to learn a language well, supplement and send them to summer immersion programs overseas.

Also, BASIS isn’t really dumping foreign languages before 8th grade. Kids used to do Latin in 5th and 6th and pick a foreign language for 7th. Instead, starting next year, they will now have a writing class in 5th (which will cover Greek and Latin roots) and take linguistics in 6th and 7th. The linguistics classes lay a foundation for study in a foreign language, so the kids have a head start in 8th. And kids will stick with the same foreign language they select in 8th grade until they graduate (so, 5 years of the language).

Basis parent here - yes, but if you are coming from an immersion school, grades 5-7 won't help your kid at all.

Basis parent here. That is not true. Did you even read the post?

Writing and linguistics won’t help kids from immersion schools? Wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are also making a hard choice between sticking around for DCI or departing for Basis. I’d be curious to hear your thought process if you don’t mind sharing, PP. Also, do you plan to maintain the foreign language outside of Basis? I don’t mean to derail this thread. I have concerns about potentially preparing for Basis coming out of an immersion school where most of the academic challenge derived from the foreign language component.

We just made this tough decision for our rising 5th grader and opted for BASIS because academics rank higher than language. Either way we figured we would have to supplement something but language is lower in priority than math, writing, study skills, self-advocacy etc. We were torn on the size of DCI as there appears to be a growing number of activities but we were concerned that many of the behavior and classroom management issues at our feeder would persist at DCI. Our child is also below grade level in Spanish reading and after all these years still doesn’t feel comfortable speaking Spanish. We included our child in the decision making process and they prefer advanced Math and Science over any instruction in Spanish. Spanish immersion was likely not the best fit for our child but we stuck with it for DCI as a backup option for Walls and Latin for high school. We do have a younger child that has picked up Spanish a lot easier (started in Pk3 instead of K) so that decision will be even more difficult when the time comes.

+1.

DCI IB scores are well below the global average in part because many kids don't achieve anything close to fluency in whatever track they follow. So, at DCI, you end up with the worst of both worlds: less rigorous curriculum and subpar language skills.

In fairness to DCI, language instruction in the US is poor, so that result is not surprising. If you really want your kid to learn a language well, supplement and send them to summer immersion programs overseas.

Also, BASIS isn’t really dumping foreign languages before 8th grade. Kids used to do Latin in 5th and 6th and pick a foreign language for 7th. Instead, starting next year, they will now have a writing class in 5th (which will cover Greek and Latin roots) and take linguistics in 6th and 7th. The linguistics classes lay a foundation for study in a foreign language, so the kids have a head start in 8th. And kids will stick with the same foreign language they select in 8th grade until they graduate (so, 5 years of the language).

You're drinking the Kook-Aid on this one, PP. If you want kids to learn to speak, read and write languages during the critical preteen years, you teach them languages, intensely and well. You don't goof around with linguistics. I say this as polyglot European with a grad degree in cultural anthropology, which has a strong linguistics component.

What BASIS does is admit dozens of 4th graders who come out of DCPCS ES immersion programs for Chinese, French, Chinese and possibly Hebrew. Instead of making any effort to build on the kids' strong base in these languages from 5th-7th grades, Basis withholds language support before 8th grade. Then, in 8th, the immersion kids are offered instruction that's less challenging than what they got in 4th grade.

To BASIS, immersion language knowledge is of no value whatsoever. Rather than help the immersion grads excel in languages in MS, like they can in math, BASIS leaves families to their own devices to retain language knowledge. The UMC immersion families tend to hang on with tutors and immersion camps, while low SES families can't.

This is what happens in a top-down charter franchise run from a HQ out West. Because the immersion families at BASIS lack a better public MS option for instruction in core subjects, they suck up the crappy language policy without complaint. Even those who want DCI for MS can't necessarily get a spot. In a state, the immersion families could appeal to a state oversight board with oversight over language instruction in public schools. In the DC burbs, grads of ES immersion programs are generally entitled to appropriate language instruction further up the chain.

[Anonymous]

BASIS doesn't withhold language. If language is important to you then choose a school that prioritizes language or as other posters have said, supplement. No school can be all things to all people. If you want a school to teach your child languages in 5th then pick a school that teaches languages in 5th. If that's not BASIS then pick another school. If you absolutely want BASIS and want languages, then supplement languages. Why is this so hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BASIS doesn't withhold language. If language is important to you then choose a school that prioritizes language or as other posters have said, supplement. No school can be all things to all people. If you want a school to teach your child languages in 5th then pick a school that teaches languages in 5th. If that's not BASIS then pick another school. If you absolutely want BASIS and want languages, then supplement languages. Why is this so hard.

It's not hard to understand...it is just a difficult decision. I think some parents just want feedback on what has worked for other families and to share ideas. That's all.

[Anonymous]

Exactly. I am wondering what other similarly situated parents have done or plan to do with respect to maintaining a foreign language during the middle school years. If Basis has a decent number of students from immersion schools, might those students have an opportunity to be connected and look at ways to pursue opportunities for tutoring, trips, etc. outside of the school? I am also wondering whether students from immersion schools purposefully shift to a new language at 8th grade rather than repeat a lot of what they already know in an advanced beginner type of class? Also, does anyone know if Basis students truly can select their foreign language at 8th grade, or whether they risk not being able to get their first choice of a foreign language?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. I am wondering what other similarly situated parents have done or plan to do with respect to maintaining a foreign language during the middle school years. If Basis has a decent number of students from immersion schools, might those students have an opportunity to be connected and look at ways to pursue opportunities for tutoring, trips, etc. outside of the school? I am also wondering whether students from immersion schools purposefully shift to a new language at 8th grade rather than repeat a lot of what they already know in an advanced beginner type of class? Also, does anyone know if Basis students truly can select their foreign language at 8th grade, or whether they risk not being able to get their first choice of a foreign language?

I would think if there was sufficient demand, a club could be created. Are parents able to sponsor clubs or does it have to be school staff? I would love for my kid to continue to grow in their target language. Didn’t Latin do something similar for Spanish?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are also making a hard choice between sticking around for DCI or departing for Basis. I’d be curious to hear your thought process if you don’t mind sharing, PP. Also, do you plan to maintain the foreign language outside of Basis? I don’t mean to derail this thread. I have concerns about potentially preparing for Basis coming out of an immersion school where most of the academic challenge derived from the foreign language component.

We just made this tough decision for our rising 5th grader and opted for BASIS because academics rank higher than language. Either way we figured we would have to supplement something but language is lower in priority than math, writing, study skills, self-advocacy etc. We were torn on the size of DCI as there appears to be a growing number of activities but we were concerned that many of the behavior and classroom management issues at our feeder would persist at DCI. Our child is also below grade level in Spanish reading and after all these years still doesn’t feel comfortable speaking Spanish. We included our child in the decision making process and they prefer advanced Math and Science over any instruction in Spanish. Spanish immersion was likely not the best fit for our child but we stuck with it for DCI as a backup option for Walls and Latin for high school. We do have a younger child that has picked up Spanish a lot easier (started in Pk3 instead of K) so that decision will be even more difficult when the time comes.

+1.

DCI IB scores are well below the global average in part because many kids don't achieve anything close to fluency in whatever track they follow. So, at DCI, you end up with the worst of both worlds: less rigorous curriculum and subpar language skills.

In fairness to DCI, language instruction in the US is poor, so that result is not surprising. If you really want your kid to learn a language well, supplement and send them to summer immersion programs overseas.

Also, BASIS isn’t really dumping foreign languages before 8th grade. Kids used to do Latin in 5th and 6th and pick a foreign language for 7th. Instead, starting next year, they will now have a writing class in 5th (which will cover Greek and Latin roots) and take linguistics in 6th and 7th. The linguistics classes lay a foundation for study in a foreign language, so the kids have a head start in 8th. And kids will stick with the same foreign language they select in 8th grade until they graduate (so, 5 years of the language).

You're drinking the Kook-Aid on this one, PP. If you want kids to learn to speak, read and write languages during the critical preteen years, you teach them languages, intensely and well. You don't goof around with linguistics. I say this as polyglot European with a grad degree in cultural anthropology, which has a strong linguistics component.

What BASIS does is admit dozens of 4th graders who come out of DCPCS ES immersion programs for Chinese, French, Chinese and possibly Hebrew. Instead of making any effort to build on the kids' strong base in these languages from 5th-7th grades, Basis withholds language support before 8th grade. Then, in 8th, the immersion kids are offered instruction that's less challenging than what they got in 4th grade.

To BASIS, immersion language knowledge is of no value whatsoever. Rather than help the immersion grads excel in languages in MS, like they can in math, BASIS leaves families to their own devices to retain language knowledge. The UMC immersion families tend to hang on with tutors and immersion camps, while low SES families can't.

This is what happens in a top-down charter franchise run from a HQ out West. Because the immersion families at BASIS lack a better public MS option for instruction in core subjects, they suck up the crappy language policy without complaint. Even those who want DCI for MS can't necessarily get a spot. In a state, the immersion families could appeal to a state oversight board with oversight over language instruction in public schools. In the DC burbs, grads of ES immersion programs are generally entitled to appropriate language instruction further up the chain.

It sounds like you are drinking the "Kook-Aid" on this one Mr. Polyglot European with a grad degree in cultural anthropology.

BASIS is not for everyone. If you think languages are so important send your kid to DCI, Banneker, or Eastern, which all have IB programs. I'm sure you will be really pleased by the results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BASIS doesn't withhold language. If language is important to you then choose a school that prioritizes language or as other posters have said, supplement. No school can be all things to all people. If you want a school to teach your child languages in 5th then pick a school that teaches languages in 5th. If that's not BASIS then pick another school. If you absolutely want BASIS and want languages, then supplement languages. Why is this so hard.

The BASIS policy on language instruction mirrors the one in place at the low-performing rural MS I taught at in the...early 90s. Where are we, and which decade is this?

Our near neighbors in VA and MD, particularly in MoCo and Fairfax, have it right. Teach modern languages just like...other core subjects are taught.

Don't cut out languages any more than you'd cut out science or math. Don't pick another school: pick politicians prepared to risk political capital on building a 21st century urban school system worthy of the name.

What's hard is how far behind DC is on education. BASIS DC, the cream of the local crop for academic rigor without appreciation for the accomplished bilingual students the school system that supports it funnels in. If BASIS families had other appealing choices for MS rigor EotP, your argument would be stronger.

You can toot BASIS' horn without altering the fact that their policy on language instruction is at least 30 years out of date in the East Coast urban context, maybe 40.

[Anonymous]

I agree with PP above that (the short of it) BASIS is a STEM-focused school. If you want a focus on languages, go elsewhere. Also, you are definitely not guaranteed your choice of language. My 7th grader got her first choice - Spanish. But she knows several kids who ended up in their last choice (Latin). Now that would be a bummer. Regardless, for my kid (returning to the topic of the core curriculum and mission of the school) BASIS has been great. I am shocked (pleased) at the high level of science (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology) they have been learning (stuff I didn't see until high school - and I went to a good/challenging high school). English is tough/challenging - but she can diagram a sentence, distinguish parts/types of speech, etc. way better than I can . . . . though I do wish they did more writing. Math - great teacher/learning tons. Art class is superb. Overall she has liked all her teachers (though Chemistry has had an unfortunate amount of turnover).

Bottom line - a great school/fit for my kid - I feel very fortunate that it turned out this way. At least as of now, I think she will stay for high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. I am wondering what other similarly situated parents have done or plan to do with respect to maintaining a foreign language during the middle school years. If Basis has a decent number of students from immersion schools, might those students have an opportunity to be connected and look at ways to pursue opportunities for tutoring, trips, etc. outside of the school? I am also wondering whether students from immersion schools purposefully shift to a new language at 8th grade rather than repeat a lot of what they already know in an advanced beginner type of class? Also, does anyone know if Basis students truly can select their foreign language at 8th grade, or whether they risk not being able to get their first choice of a foreign language?

Each language caps at 30 kids. So, if more than 32 kids apply for, say, French for 8th grade, then they will do a lottery and two kids will get their second choice.

The 8th grade is usually well below 100 kids (although it seems to get bigger every year); it was around 92 this year.

Languages offered are Spanish, French, Mandarin, and Latin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. I am wondering what other similarly situated parents have done or plan to do with respect to maintaining a foreign language during the middle school years. If Basis has a decent number of students from immersion schools, might those students have an opportunity to be connected and look at ways to pursue opportunities for tutoring, trips, etc. outside of the school? I am also wondering whether students from immersion schools purposefully shift to a new language at 8th grade rather than repeat a lot of what they already know in an advanced beginner type of class? Also, does anyone know if Basis students truly can select their foreign language at 8th grade, or whether they risk not being able to get their first choice of a foreign language?

I would think if there was sufficient demand, a club could be created. Are parents able to sponsor clubs or does it have to be school staff? I would love for my kid to continue to grow in their target language. Didn’t Latin do something similar for Spanish?

BASIS parents are able to sponsor nothing beyond fundraisers to generate teachers' bonuses (an all-consuming priority of admins). High school students are also able to sponsor nothing.