My child is drowning at Basis. Thoughts on mid year move?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many hours of homework on average do 5th graders get?

Depends on the kid - but 1-1.5 seems about average for my kid and his friends.

[Anonymous]

It's not unusual for 5th graders to do 2, even 3, hours per night, especially if they're not great at math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not unusual for 5th graders to do 2, even 3, hours per night, especially if they're not great at math.

Math is 30 problems, half review. If it's taking more than 45 minutes the child should probably be in a different math class. There are 4 different options - talk to a teacher.

[Anonymous]

NP.

My child is a 5th grader at Basis and had a blow to the ego. We had a talk after grades came out in GP 1 that if DC can't handle being a C student at BASIS, we simply will put DC back in the IB elementary school (with all As). Well, that did it. DC was bored, miserable, and unhappy at the IB school and begged to stay at Basis. We all realize that 70s at Basis is a 100 anywhere else. When GP 2 came around with more "disappointing" grades, we went out to ice cream to celebrate DC's "perfect" grades. We have two rules: 1) no studying allowed (homework, yes, but no reviewing for tests since family time is more important); and 2) no morning "student hours" (sleep is more important). I think that proved to DC that I simply don't care about grades.

I'm not staying Basis is the "end all and be all". But, we have changed the dynamic in our house so the blow to the ego is taken in perspective now. Our goal is for DC is to pass 5th grade with as low of grades as possible. We always say "low grades & happy kids is better than high grades & unhappy kids." We're managing to have great balance at Basis by choosing not to push for 90 club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP.

My child is a 5th grader at Basis and had a blow to the ego. We had a talk after grades came out in GP 1 that if DC can't handle being a C student at BASIS, we simply will put DC back in the IB elementary school (with all As). Well, that did it. DC was bored, miserable, and unhappy at the IB school and begged to stay at Basis. We all realize that 70s at Basis is a 100 anywhere else. When GP 2 came around with more "disappointing" grades, we went out to ice cream to celebrate DC's "perfect" grades. We have two rules: 1) no studying allowed (homework, yes, but no reviewing for tests since family time is more important); and 2) no morning "student hours" (sleep is more important). I think that proved to DC that I simply don't care about grades.

I'm not staying Basis is the "end all and be all". But, we have changed the dynamic in our house so the blow to the ego is taken in perspective now. Our goal is for DC is to pass 5th grade with as low of grades as possible. We always say "low grades & happy kids is better than high grades & unhappy kids." We're managing to have great balance at Basis by choosing not to push for 90 club.

Interesting approach.

Will you stay for 6th and will you revisit your no reviewing for tests rules in light of the precomps/comps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP.

My child is a 5th grader at Basis and had a blow to the ego. We had a talk after grades came out in GP 1 that if DC can't handle being a C student at BASIS, we simply will put DC back in the IB elementary school (with all As). Well, that did it. DC was bored, miserable, and unhappy at the IB school and begged to stay at Basis. We all realize that 70s at Basis is a 100 anywhere else. When GP 2 came around with more "disappointing" grades, we went out to ice cream to celebrate DC's "perfect" grades. We have two rules: 1) no studying allowed (homework, yes, but no reviewing for tests since family time is more important); and 2) no morning "student hours" (sleep is more important). I think that proved to DC that I simply don't care about grades.

I'm not staying Basis is the "end all and be all". But, we have changed the dynamic in our house so the blow to the ego is taken in perspective now. Our goal is for DC is to pass 5th grade with as low of grades as possible. We always say "low grades & happy kids is better than high grades & unhappy kids." We're managing to have great balance at Basis by choosing not to push for 90 club.

At some schools, when a kid takes a high school level class, the grade is a part of the high school GPs no matter what grade the kid was in when he took the class. Does BASIS do this too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP.

My child is a 5th grader at Basis and had a blow to the ego. We had a talk after grades came out in GP 1 that if DC can't handle being a C student at BASIS, we simply will put DC back in the IB elementary school (with all As). Well, that did it. DC was bored, miserable, and unhappy at the IB school and begged to stay at Basis. We all realize that 70s at Basis is a 100 anywhere else. When GP 2 came around with more "disappointing" grades, we went out to ice cream to celebrate DC's "perfect" grades. We have two rules: 1) no studying allowed (homework, yes, but no reviewing for tests since family time is more important); and 2) no morning "student hours" (sleep is more important). I think that proved to DC that I simply don't care about grades.

I'm not staying Basis is the "end all and be all". But, we have changed the dynamic in our house so the blow to the ego is taken in perspective now. Our goal is for DC is to pass 5th grade with as low of grades as possible. We always say "low grades & happy kids is better than high grades & unhappy kids." We're managing to have great balance at Basis by choosing not to push for 90 club.

Your contrarian spirit is to be admired at conformity central, but where is this going for you guys? If he's not making good grades down the road, BASIS is going to want him out eventually. After all, they weed out at least half of the MS kids before 9th grade (without being worth the courage of their convictions in taking responsibility for doing this). You don't think he's better off figuring out how to get good grades early on, and getting on with it, before poor grades make him unpopular with BASIS? Are you planning to decamp to a kinder, gentler school somewhere before the **it hits the fan?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP.

My child is a 5th grader at Basis and had a blow to the ego. We had a talk after grades came out in GP 1 that if DC can't handle being a C student at BASIS, we simply will put DC back in the IB elementary school (with all As). Well, that did it. DC was bored, miserable, and unhappy at the IB school and begged to stay at Basis. We all realize that 70s at Basis is a 100 anywhere else. When GP 2 came around with more "disappointing" grades, we went out to ice cream to celebrate DC's "perfect" grades. We have two rules: 1) no studying allowed (homework, yes, but no reviewing for tests since family time is more important); and 2) no morning "student hours" (sleep is more important). I think that proved to DC that I simply don't care about grades.

I'm not staying Basis is the "end all and be all". But, we have changed the dynamic in our house so the blow to the ego is taken in perspective now. Our goal is for DC is to pass 5th grade with as low of grades as possible. We always say "low grades & happy kids is better than high grades & unhappy kids." We're managing to have great balance at Basis by choosing not to push for 90 club.

At some schools, when a kid takes a high school level class, the grade is a part of the high school GPs no matter what grade the kid was in when he took the class. Does BASIS do this too?

The BASIS high school courses are placed on the high school transcript and counted towards high school credits but are not included in the GPA.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the poster to not worry so much about grades and let your kids be happy. However, the no studying for tests strategy is not going to work well when you have comps in 6th grade on up through high school unless your kid has a fantastic memory. The best way to do well on the comps is to spend a little time every week reviewing learned material. It is very difficult to not study and then to expect to study for comps in a week or two which does not work nearly as well as regular review. Studying is also an important skill for college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not unusual for 5th graders to do 2, even 3, hours per night, especially if they're not great at math.

Good grief. I can't believe any parent thinks this is OK for their 5th grader, even if they are great in math. Excessive homework has never been shown to produce better results. If anything its a sign that the school is not efficient or strategic in teaching or class placement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not unusual for 5th graders to do 2, even 3, hours per night, especially if they're not great at math.

Good grief. I can't believe any parent thinks this is OK for their 5th grader, even if they are great in math. Excessive homework has never been shown to produce better results. If anything its a sign that the school is not efficient or strategic in teaching or class placement.

One parent says 2 to 3; another says 1-1.5.

If your child is spending that much time to get through homework at BASIS (or anywhere else), contact their teachers or the academic dean. That is not typical or expected, and the school staff would want to know -- sometimes teachers don't realize how much time an assignment will take, kids have an undiagnosed LD or are doing more than is needed to master the content. Keep a log of actual assignments and how much time your child spent on them for a week and bring that data to people who can help.

[Anonymous]

Many BASIS parents think this is OK, because it keeps them in their hip Victorian row house in an urban neighborhood they love. Decamping to some blah burb, or using a DCPS MS featuring weak academics, little academic challenge and an undesirable peer group, the only viable alternatives, seems that much worse. The attitude is, survive BASIS for 4 years and Walls or Banneker await. They think, well, middle school is seldom a happy time for kids anyway and the word is becoming a more competitive place. The kids might as well put nose the grindstone in MS so we can stay in our home.

[Anonymous]

Some of our kids are the happiest they've ever been at Basis and anyway, many parents can't afford the moving costs, let alone the need for cars, gas, insurance, parking, commute, and aftercare in the suburbs. For those of us who work in DC and just barely pick up and see our kids as it is, living amongst the rich in Bethesda and Arlington isn't financially or physically feasible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not unusual for 5th graders to do 2, even 3, hours per night, especially if they're not great at math.

Good grief. I can't believe any parent thinks this is OK for their 5th grader, even if they are great in math. Excessive homework has never been shown to produce better results. If anything its a sign that the school is not efficient or strategic in teaching or class placement.

One parent says 2 to 3; another says 1-1.5.

If your child is spending that much time to get through homework at BASIS (or anywhere else), contact their teachers or the academic dean. That is not typical or expected, and the school staff would want to know -- sometimes teachers don't realize how much time an assignment will take, kids have an undiagnosed LD or are doing more than is needed to master the content. Keep a log of actual assignments and how much time your child spent on them for a week and bring that data to people who can help.

Cutting out studying means Thursday and the weekend are no homework days in 5th grade. That's 4 date of homework only -- mostly the 30-45 minutes of math and some English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP.

My child is a 5th grader at Basis and had a blow to the ego. We had a talk after grades came out in GP 1 that if DC can't handle being a C student at BASIS, we simply will put DC back in the IB elementary school (with all As). Well, that did it. DC was bored, miserable, and unhappy at the IB school and begged to stay at Basis. We all realize that 70s at Basis is a 100 anywhere else. When GP 2 came around with more "disappointing" grades, we went out to ice cream to celebrate DC's "perfect" grades. We have two rules: 1) no studying allowed (homework, yes, but no reviewing for tests since family time is more important); and 2) no morning "student hours" (sleep is more important). I think that proved to DC that I simply don't care about grades.

I'm not staying Basis is the "end all and be all". But, we have changed the dynamic in our house so the blow to the ego is taken in perspective now. Our goal is for DC is to pass 5th grade with as low of grades as possible. We always say "low grades & happy kids is better than high grades & unhappy kids." We're managing to have great balance at Basis by choosing not to push for 90 club.

At some schools, when a kid takes a high school level class, the grade is a part of the high school GPs no matter what grade the kid was in when he took the class. Does BASIS do this too?

The BASIS high school courses are placed on the high school transcript and counted towards high school credits but are not included in the GPA.

What's a HS course at basis in 5th grade? None I know of.