Reply to New BASIS discussion

Forum Index » DC Public and Public Charter Schools

Reply to "New BASIS discussion"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]PP, I agree.  We aren't talking about rare ability, BASIS isn't trying to teach kids anything extraordinary like how to levitate or move things using telekinesis - this is stuff that most kids, given the right environment, should be able to master.[/quote]

I'm new to this discussion but I taught G/T middle school math in a Fairfax school for 5 years before switching to a DC private 2 years ago.  Is it true that Basis plans to teach 7th grade algebra to almost all the students?  Whose stats are you going on?

At my Fairfax school, 90% of the G/T math kids came out of county elementary G/T programs, or were very bright DCPS transplants, yet we found that only about 1/3 could handle 7th grade algebra.  Even fewer at my DC private, where two-thirds of middle school applicants are rejected, take this subject.  As you may know, 7th grade algebra puts kids on track for BC (higher level) AP calculus.

How in the heck could Basis effectively teach 7th grade algebra to almost all the kids when we, in one of the country's best and most G/T inclined school systems, where kids are routinely screened for math giftedness from 2nd grade, could not?  Not even close.  Is nobody asking these questions?  It really does sound like some of you have drunk the Koolaid.

[/quote]

I find this totally baffling.  Deal is currently teaching 7th grade algebra to a very large percentage of what is still a heterogenous and diverse group of kids, who had no gifted/talented identification or programming at all, and is doing so after having them for only one year.  Hell, my 7th grader is about to start and is clearly ready after last year's pre-algebra class, and that was after she learned basically nothing in fifth grade math.

Maybe the private and Fairfax County schools aren't all that after all.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics