Reply to Is Basis really as hard as people think?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Some posters make it sound like BASIS all just robotic "drill and kill", and that it's all geared toward testing.

That's not the case.

DS has done a lot of nice creative projects at BASIS, from art, to essay writing, to a "travel brochure to the ancient world", to hands-on science labs and several other nice projects.  Some projects have involved some good introspection, reflection and  critical thinking, such as analyzing a recently-read favorite book and understanding parallels, and talking about how it has directly changed DS's perspectives and influenced his outlook and his life, and writing a solid essay on it.

And, in fact, BASIS is not just STEM-focused.  The curriculum tracks actually add in some additional language-oriented content and other areas not found in standard curricula, i.e. both English language AND literature courses in some grades, where students may have more than one English class a day.

DS thoroughly enjoys BASIS.  It's NOT just kids memorizing facts and grinding out math problems like little automatons.  Not at all.  There's a lot of breadth and well-roundedness to go along with the depth.[/quote]

So this is the promise of BASIS. And I want to believe you. And I certainly can believe there are kids in all grades, maybe including yours, that are getting as much as they can out of BASIS, but how many? If your kid is in 5th grade he/she is dealing already with decimals, fractions, ratios, geometry, scientific notation in math on a daily basis, quiz one week, test the next. If that isn't giving your DS problems you have what is known as a gifted math student. So math might be fun for him/her. But for how much longer is even a math gifted 11-12-13 year old going to really enjoy that daily dose of accelerated Saxon Math? (By the way I am the PP with a friend teaching in Tucson. Anecdote 3 is that a 5th grade math teacher there believes that a good 50% of the 5th graders are hopelessly over their heads with the math, surviving only due to the tenacity of their parents. Looking at Saxon 8/7, I know my kid would be one of the 50%.)

So your DS is handling math right now. But then add to that grammar rules, flashcard terms for geography, Latin and science. Is it not your experience that tests in science require basic memorization of science flashcard definitions and formula? Does your DS really **understand** gravity and friction and energy and Newton's laws of motion? All elements of the BASIS curriculum (with exception of the rote learning in science) are or can be good elements of a rigorous curriculum. I do agree it is amazing what kids can do if the bar is raised with appropriate guidance. But as a parent I see it as an unwise recipe for overload and burnout, despite the opportunities you list above, with little payoff since elite schools really want a lot more from kids than AP test scores. I think the curriculum sounds better to parents who want their 5th grader to get into MIT than to the actual kids in the classroom.[/quote]

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