Latin Cooper

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my family's experience (at the 2nd street campus), Latin is a pretty racist and exclusionary place.

The honors classes were almost entirely White; the on-track classes were almost entirely Black. All the attention was given to the honors classes. When White affluent kids made flip anti-immigrant, sexist, anti-Black, or anti-semitic comments (yup my DD heard it all on a regular basis) they were "just being kids" and there was no consequence or deterrence for next time. Once, relatively recently, a White kid did get in trouble for saying derogatory anti-Black comments and boy did the administrators feel great about their show of equity. But it was one of the very few times I heard of any effort made at shutting down snide, casual racism by White students.

Have they starting offering Spanish yet? When my DD went there (she graduated recently) it wasn't offered. They told us it wasn't "classical" enough and wasn't in the school's original charter, which of course didn't stop them from offering Arabic, which also wasn't in the school's original charter. Not offering Spanish in today's America? Message received.

The school is what it is. Lots of (White) kids seem to enjoy it. Lots of (White) honors kids go to good colleges. But in my family's experience it's a passively toxic. We made it through the place. We only added up the issues over time and by then our DD was nearly done and had close friends there so we didn't want to uproot her. But I personally advise friends to keep their kids away from there. It's left a bad feeling in our family.

You sound rather racist to me- Arabic is one of the classical languages of the ancient world, just like greek and latin. Sanskrit is also. maybe you are just ignorant about the classics and the curriculum which is classics based? OTH, not offering a common language like spanish is crazy if you want to be a good school.. Americans should have exposure to Spanish, the more the better- it is basically the 2nd language of the country. I am continuously astounded by how public education has declined in the past 30 years- we all received a much better education than our kids do. Not having Spanish available as a foreign language in middle school was unheard of pre-2000s in the Washington area.

When White affluent kids made flip anti-immigrant, sexist, anti-Black, or anti-semitic comments (yup my DD heard it all on a regular basis

A bunch of white kids from Washington, DC -a 99.9 percent liberal city--attending a public charter school new start up campus has GOT to be the wokest crowd around. This just doesn't fly that anti -everybody comments are flying off their lips .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
A bunch of white kids from Washington, DC -a 99.9 percent liberal city--attending a public charter school new start up campus has GOT to be the wokest crowd around. This just doesn't fly that anti -everybody comments are flying off their lips .

You've got no idea. Latin is not woke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
A bunch of white kids from Washington, DC -a 99.9 percent liberal city--attending a public charter school new start up campus has GOT to be the wokest crowd around. This just doesn't fly that anti -everybody comments are flying off their lips .

You've got no idea. Latin is not woke.

I'm a Latin parent and I would agree that Latin is not "woke" in the fashionable GDS-type way. They grapple with the tough issues of class and race and do it in an educational environment that uses history and the classics to give context and meaning to the current times. Being DC, as PP says, the student body is largely ultra liberal, but the school is so diverse in so many ways that there isn't a dominant "woke" ideology or anything like that.

[Anonymous]

My kid in in 5th at Cooper. I wish they had a stronger math program. The humanities curriculum has been great so far. Not sure how things will go for current sixth graders next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid in in 5th at Cooper. I wish they had a stronger math program. The humanities curriculum has been great so far. Not sure how things will go for current sixth graders next year.

Could you please say more about this? I think a lot of families at HRCS are looking for options precisely because academic rigor is less than desirable. Would be interesting to hear how or why you think the math curriculum falls short.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid in in 5th at Cooper. I wish they had a stronger math program. The humanities curriculum has been great so far. Not sure how things will go for current sixth graders next year.

Could you please say more about this? I think a lot of families at HRCS are looking for options precisely because academic rigor is less than desirable. Would be interesting to hear how or why you think the math curriculum falls short.

Well, for one thing it's a classical education, you've got reading, the Socratic method, etc. You have a great Latin teacher, English and Geography/Literature classes are strong too. Science and math are the weak links, and it's harder to have students of different abilities in the same math class, so the curriculum is basically a retread of previous years' concepts (per my kid). According to my kid, there are three strong math students in the class, and they are bored. It's not really clear what will happen in second semester and next year, if the remediating works well, the cohort can move forward. I don't think it's likely that there will be an opportunity for advance math anytime soon, just being realistic.

If I could somehow combine the math/science curriculum of BASIS with the Latin approach, that would of course have been ideal. I was pretty sure my kid couldn't handle BASIS, so we opted for Cooper, and overall are very happy, but it's not going to be perfect. Supplementing a bit in math and foreign language outside of school.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and someone had a question about the campus. The Kirov space was in fact purchased, the school will be moving there after a couple more years (I forget when, plus delays are so common, anyway).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid in in 5th at Cooper. I wish they had a stronger math program. The humanities curriculum has been great so far. Not sure how things will go for current sixth graders next year.

Could you please say more about this? I think a lot of families at HRCS are looking for options precisely because academic rigor is less than desirable. Would be interesting to hear how or why you think the math curriculum falls short.

Well, for one thing it's a classical education, you've got reading, the Socratic method, etc. You have a great Latin teacher, English and Geography/Literature classes are strong too. Science and math are the weak links, and it's harder to have students of different abilities in the same math class, so the curriculum is basically a retread of previous years' concepts (per my kid). According to my kid, there are three strong math students in the class, and they are bored. It's not really clear what will happen in second semester and next year, if the remediating works well, the cohort can move forward. I don't think it's likely that there will be an opportunity for advance math anytime soon, just being realistic.

If I could somehow combine the math/science curriculum of BASIS with the Latin approach, that would of course have been ideal. I was pretty sure my kid couldn't handle BASIS, so we opted for Cooper, and overall are very happy, but it's not going to be perfect. Supplementing a bit in math and foreign language outside of school.

My DS is in 5th grade at 2nd Street--I'm not surprised to hear this. My DS is on the other end of the spectrum--far behind on math (thanks to COVID/previous teacher and school). The amount of time and resources my DS is receiving to catch up in math is truly astounding and I'm absolutely grateful. The progress he's made in a few months is unbelievable. But I also appreciate that this focus on remediation is at the expense of offering his classmates curriculum at their level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid in in 5th at Cooper. I wish they had a stronger math program. The humanities curriculum has been great so far. Not sure how things will go for current sixth graders next year.

Could you please say more about this? I think a lot of families at HRCS are looking for options precisely because academic rigor is less than desirable. Would be interesting to hear how or why you think the math curriculum falls short.

Well, for one thing it's a classical education, you've got reading, the Socratic method, etc. You have a great Latin teacher, English and Geography/Literature classes are strong too. Science and math are the weak links, and it's harder to have students of different abilities in the same math class, so the curriculum is basically a retread of previous years' concepts (per my kid). According to my kid, there are three strong math students in the class, and they are bored. It's not really clear what will happen in second semester and next year, if the remediating works well, the cohort can move forward. I don't think it's likely that there will be an opportunity for advance math anytime soon, just being realistic.

If I could somehow combine the math/science curriculum of BASIS with the Latin approach, that would of course have been ideal. I was pretty sure my kid couldn't handle BASIS, so we opted for Cooper, and overall are very happy, but it's not going to be perfect. Supplementing a bit in math and foreign language outside of school.

My DS is in 5th grade at 2nd Street--I'm not surprised to hear this. My DS is on the other end of the spectrum--far behind on math (thanks to COVID/previous teacher and school). The amount of time and resources my DS is receiving to catch up in math is truly astounding and I'm absolutely grateful. The progress he's made in a few months is unbelievable. But I also appreciate that this focus on remediation is at the expense of offering his classmates curriculum at their level.

Aww. I think it's for the best for everyone in the long run, so don't feel bad! Intense remediation in 5th grade means the 6th grade teachers don't have to stretch across so far a range of abilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid in in 5th at Cooper. I wish they had a stronger math program. The humanities curriculum has been great so far. Not sure how things will go for current sixth graders next year.

Could you please say more about this? I think a lot of families at HRCS are looking for options precisely because academic rigor is less than desirable. Would be interesting to hear how or why you think the math curriculum falls short.

Well, for one thing it's a classical education, you've got reading, the Socratic method, etc. You have a great Latin teacher, English and Geography/Literature classes are strong too. Science and math are the weak links, and it's harder to have students of different abilities in the same math class, so the curriculum is basically a retread of previous years' concepts (per my kid). According to my kid, there are three strong math students in the class, and they are bored. It's not really clear what will happen in second semester and next year, if the remediating works well, the cohort can move forward. I don't think it's likely that there will be an opportunity for advance math anytime soon, just being realistic.

If I could somehow combine the math/science curriculum of BASIS with the Latin approach, that would of course have been ideal. I was pretty sure my kid couldn't handle BASIS, so we opted for Cooper, and overall are very happy, but it's not going to be perfect. Supplementing a bit in math and foreign language outside of school.

My DS is in 5th grade at 2nd Street--I'm not surprised to hear this. My DS is on the other end of the spectrum--far behind on math (thanks to COVID/previous teacher and school). The amount of time and resources my DS is receiving to catch up in math is truly astounding and I'm absolutely grateful. The progress he's made in a few months is unbelievable. But I also appreciate that this focus on remediation is at the expense of offering his classmates curriculum at their level.

By 7th grade they allow kids to advance in math......so hang on to the one PP......and to the other PP - so glad your child is getting the help that they need!

Aww. I think it's for the best for everyone in the long run, so don't feel bad! Intense remediation in 5th grade means the 6th grade teachers don't have to stretch across so far a range of abilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid in in 5th at Cooper. I wish they had a stronger math program. The humanities curriculum has been great so far. Not sure how things will go for current sixth graders next year.

Could you please say more about this? I think a lot of families at HRCS are looking for options precisely because academic rigor is less than desirable. Would be interesting to hear how or why you think the math curriculum falls short.

Well, for one thing it's a classical education, you've got reading, the Socratic method, etc. You have a great Latin teacher, English and Geography/Literature classes are strong too. Science and math are the weak links, and it's harder to have students of different abilities in the same math class, so the curriculum is basically a retread of previous years' concepts (per my kid). According to my kid, there are three strong math students in the class, and they are bored. It's not really clear what will happen in second semester and next year, if the remediating works well, the cohort can move forward. I don't think it's likely that there will be an opportunity for advance math anytime soon, just being realistic.

If I could somehow combine the math/science curriculum of BASIS with the Latin approach, that would of course have been ideal. I was pretty sure my kid couldn't handle BASIS, so we opted for Cooper, and overall are very happy, but it's not going to be perfect. Supplementing a bit in math and foreign language outside of school.

My DS is in 5th grade at 2nd Street--I'm not surprised to hear this. My DS is on the other end of the spectrum--far behind on math (thanks to COVID/previous teacher and school). The amount of time and resources my DS is receiving to catch up in math is truly astounding and I'm absolutely grateful. The progress he's made in a few months is unbelievable. But I also appreciate that this focus on remediation is at the expense of offering his classmates curriculum at their level.

Aww. I think it's for the best for everyone in the long run, so don't feel bad! Intense remediation in 5th grade means the 6th grade teachers don't have to stretch across so far a range of abilities.

I did that wrong: By 7th grade they allow kids to advance in math......so hang on to the one PP......and to the other PP - so glad your child is getting the help that they need!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
A bunch of white kids from Washington, DC -a 99.9 percent liberal city--attending a public charter school new start up campus has GOT to be the wokest crowd around. This just doesn't fly that anti -everybody comments are flying off their lips .

You've got no idea. Latin is not woke.

I'm a Latin parent and I would agree that Latin is not "woke" in the fashionable GDS-type way. They grapple with the tough issues of class and race and do it in an educational environment that uses history and the classics to give context and meaning to the current times. Being DC, as PP says, the student body is largely ultra liberal, but the school is so diverse in so many ways that there isn't a dominant "woke" ideology or anything like that.

Coming from super liberal DC families for the most part, raised that way since birth, it's hard to imagine the white Latin Cooper kids making flip "anti- comments" right and left as PP stated. Even if they were the Alex Keaton of the family, it is VERY unlikely that non-stop derogatory othering comments would be an innate, flip thing. Why the heck would they attend/their parents send them to a diverse public charter school in DC if they were so staunchly anti-whatever and so clueless as to advertise it widely. It just doesn't add up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
A bunch of white kids from Washington, DC -a 99.9 percent liberal city--attending a public charter school new start up campus has GOT to be the wokest crowd around. This just doesn't fly that anti -everybody comments are flying off their lips .

You've got no idea. Latin is not woke.

I'm a Latin parent and I would agree that Latin is not "woke" in the fashionable GDS-type way. They grapple with the tough issues of class and race and do it in an educational environment that uses history and the classics to give context and meaning to the current times. Being DC, as PP says, the student body is largely ultra liberal, but the school is so diverse in so many ways that there isn't a dominant "woke" ideology or anything like that.

Coming from super liberal DC families for the most part, raised that way since birth, it's hard to imagine the white Latin Cooper kids making flip "anti- comments" right and left as PP stated. Even if they were the Alex Keaton of the family, it is VERY unlikely that non-stop derogatory othering comments would be an innate, flip thing. Why the heck would they attend/their parents send them to a diverse public charter school in DC if they were so staunchly anti-whatever and so clueless as to advertise it widely. It just doesn't add up.

I read so many prejudiced comments (mostly subtle, but some blatant) from parents on this very board DCPS board. It’s not hard for me to believe their kids have similar views.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
A bunch of white kids from Washington, DC -a 99.9 percent liberal city--attending a public charter school new start up campus has GOT to be the wokest crowd around. This just doesn't fly that anti -everybody comments are flying off their lips .

You've got no idea. Latin is not woke.

I'm a Latin parent and I would agree that Latin is not "woke" in the fashionable GDS-type way. They grapple with the tough issues of class and race and do it in an educational environment that uses history and the classics to give context and meaning to the current times. Being DC, as PP says, the student body is largely ultra liberal, but the school is so diverse in so many ways that there isn't a dominant "woke" ideology or anything like that.

Coming from super liberal DC families for the most part, raised that way since birth, it's hard to imagine the white Latin Cooper kids making flip "anti- comments" right and left as PP stated. Even if they were the Alex Keaton of the family, it is VERY unlikely that non-stop derogatory othering comments would be an innate, flip thing. Why the heck would they attend/their parents send them to a diverse public charter school in DC if they were so staunchly anti-whatever and so clueless as to advertise it widely. It just doesn't add up.

I read so many prejudiced comments (mostly subtle, but some blatant) from parents on this very board DCPS board. It’s not hard for me to believe their kids have similar views.

I will say I went to a virtual open house last year and asked how the school managed the classic approach with the realities of our current world, and if non-Classical (ie, Europe, MENA) literature, etc were included... they didn't answer my question.

[Anonymous]

i think a lot of white liberals simply dont talk all that much with their children about race or socioeconomic status. but kids notice and lacking better information are at some risk of inventing their own ignorant or incorrect explanations for things. they also pick up on conversations about the local eotp feeder middle school being perceived as not very good etc. (which lots of latin families have likely had at home)