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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]NP here, and I'm just a bit perplexed by some things the Basis Tucson teacher said.  I don't think anyone here would disagree with many of those arguments, for example that sole emphasis on APs is a mistake, or that schools like MIT look for extracurriculars and diversity.  And, I don't think anyone would disagree that a bonafide perspective from a teacher could provide valuable insights.

But...  as some previous posters here have pointed out, Basis does in fact have its students participate in many other types of activities, for example the National Science Bowl.  Didn't Basis Tucson make it to be a statewide finalist in the Arizona Science Bowl just a few weeks ago, and wouldn't a Basis Tucson teacher be aware of that ans be proud of it?  Why doesn't this Basis Tucson teacher seem to be aware of that, to just slip the mind let alone allow some strong opinion to form that Basis only pursues APs and doesn't have its students pursue competitions and extracurriculars?  And it's not just STEM - I believe this week we also learned that a number of Basis students also made it to finalists in the Letters About Literature competition as well.   And that's just in the last couple of weeks.  Also, from what I hear from DC and other students, it's not just lecture-based seminars, that there are a lot of hands-on activities and fun things in class.  I know that Basis DC has a debate team, and that there was recently a field trip to the Newseum.  Given the wealth of world-class museums within walking distance of Basis DC it might make sense to have more field trips, I'm sure that's a matter of logistics.  [/quote]

Hi Basis Teacher here -

The one thing that astounds me continually since day 1 is how impressive and cool every kid is at my campus. Many manage to do amazing things both academically and in extracurriculars - science bowl, robotics, music, scholarships, etc. These kids are hats off impressive - polite, quirky, thoughtful, caring, diligent. I should know since I have taught at many other schools! BASIS attracts awesome kids and that alone is its biggest selling point and key to its track record of success. But these kids are awesome when they walk in the door. The key question is whether this great potential is being fostered and maximized by BASIS, or whether they persist despite what BASIS does. I obviously am moving towards the latter conclusion here at my campus. You guys hear the accolades, I hear the students who quit piano lessons etc. to keep up with homework.
Now all of this is of course specific to my campus, but I still am troubled by several things that stem from the system imposed from above on all BASIS campuses. First is the loss of some of these good kids because they get defeated. I can see how this might not bother a parent of a kid who is not one of these casualties (or, more troubling but not uncommon - parents who refuse to see that their kid is a casualty), but it deeply saddens me as a teacher. We are an elite / niche school for sure but I think Marines is fine, Navy Seals is too much, if you get what I mean. Second, I do see a notable decline in raw enthusiasm for learning from 5th (where it is just epic) to 11th grade due, I think, not only to hormones but also to cumulative stress and fatigue. I also see that students come to see school mostly as a "learn-stuff-get-tested" process, which is quite passive and definitely not a good foundation for a successful college experience. Again, there are many exceptions, but this is what I perceive to be the case in general terms. The reason I am posting here is because my opinion seems to matter not one bit to the ever-growing BASIS corporation, and this is why I am not happy with the national expansion. Almost every academic and cultural and financial decision now is made by the central office with confidence that "the BASIS system" has a demonstrated track record of success... and I think that is a grave mistake. We look very good on paper but I have serious concerns about what is actually happening, at least at my campus.[/quote]

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