Anonymous
Post 10/02/2012 10:26     Subject: How's basis going so far?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:There's a bit more than horseplay otherwise the head of school didn't have to step in. But the problems are apparently not pervasive. I agree with poster about choosy parents having to put up with this for a while and maybe Basis will turn some of the disruptive kids around more effectively than another school with less autonomy.


I have been intrigued by Basis (which is why I read this board), but opted not to take a chance on it this year. I do find it interesting that the every single one of the kids who left my child's class for Basis were those who had the greatest discipline issues. I think that this is one of the issues with first year charters -- that there is a huge range of reasons that people send their children to an unestablished school, one of the biggest is that parents are running away from something, not necessarily choosing the school for what it offers or to what they think it is a good fit. I don't envy any first year school this problem and how the school handles it will speak volumes to the success of the school, especially in retaining those children in its inaugural classes.


Interesting, I believe about half of Brent 4th graders went to Basis for fifth. The two kids I know best are very bright and well behaved and are reporting that they are very happy so far (as are the parents). I'm a little disappointed by the Basis website; a lot of the info seems to be old (for example the newsletters were all from the summer). I couldn't easily find info on open houses, teacher bios, or curriculum. Latin's website is easier to use and has more info.
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2012 10:19     Subject: How's basis going so far?
Anonymous wrote:There's a bit more than horseplay otherwise the head of school didn't have to step in. But the problems are apparently not pervasive. I agree with poster about choosy parents having to put up with this for a while and maybe Basis will turn some of the disruptive kids around more effectively than another school with less autonomy.


I have been intrigued by Basis (which is why I read this board), but opted not to take a chance on it this year. I do find it interesting that the every single one of the kids who left my child's class for Basis were those who had the greatest discipline issues. I think that this is one of the issues with first year charters -- that there is a huge range of reasons that people send their children to an unestablished school, one of the biggest is that parents are running away from something, not necessarily choosing the school for what it offers or to what they think it is a good fit. I don't envy any first year school this problem and how the school handles it will speak volumes to the success of the school, especially in retaining those children in its inaugural classes.
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2012 09:41     Subject: How's basis going so far?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

I have been going through my son's accordion folder regulary to see what is being taught in the classroom. I am really impressed by everything I have seen thus far. All three science teachers explain in logical, orderly and sequential mnner. There is nothing haphazardly put together at the last minute. The homework is a direct application of what has been taught in class.
I really do not care if they have had prior teaching experience or not. And being a teacher myself, I truly think that worshops for assessment and curriculum planning are highly overrated. There are great resources readily available for teachers. Instead of spending time on writing curiculum, let the teachers use the boooks/worksheets prepared by experts, and use their precious time and energy on teaching.


Yes workshops are overrated. You either have the education and personality to teach well or you don't. Experts? I teach undergraduates and prepare my own lessons. Who needs to avail pf worksheets prepared by experts to effectively teach middle school kids other than an instructor without the right stuff?

As for disruptive students, sure, Basis can call in parents and try this and that to reign such kids in, but the bottom line is that it can't get rid of them unless they're heading to juvenile hall. The parents of the disruptive kids are not obligated to appear or act, even if they can. Some of these kids have had such tough home lives for so long that there probably isn't much to be done at this stage.

The school can't bump disruptive kids onto a second track, as at Yu Ying, becone none exists, yet. No, DC Charter, in its infinite wisdom, tells us that all middle school kids who enroll are created equal. The reality is that that choosey parents are going to have to tolerate a few disruptive kids in class with theirs at least until some of the problem children fail to advance a grade.


BASIS can suspend and expel, PP, both without going to juvi. While I am sympathetic to kids coming from troubled homes, at a certain point you have to accept that this is school, not daycare, not therapy, etc.
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2012 09:37     Subject: How's basis going so far?
There's a bit more than horseplay otherwise the head of school didn't have to step in. But the problems are apparently not pervasive. I agree with poster about choosy parents having to put up with this for a while and maybe Basis will turn some of the disruptive kids around more effectively than another school with less autonomy.
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2012 08:00     Subject: Re:How's basis going so far?
I think alot of the problems have been talking and horse play. Remember, this is middle school and most kids at this age are trying to deal with raging hormones that they are not use to. Basis is trying to crack down on issues. My DC got in trouble for horse play. DC does not have a troubled home life and DC is a straight a student!
Anonymous
Post 10/02/2012 05:52     Subject: How's basis going so far?
Anonymous wrote:

I have been going through my son's accordion folder regulary to see what is being taught in the classroom. I am really impressed by everything I have seen thus far. All three science teachers explain in logical, orderly and sequential mnner. There is nothing haphazardly put together at the last minute. The homework is a direct application of what has been taught in class.
I really do not care if they have had prior teaching experience or not. And being a teacher myself, I truly think that worshops for assessment and curriculum planning are highly overrated. There are great resources readily available for teachers. Instead of spending time on writing curiculum, let the teachers use the boooks/worksheets prepared by experts, and use their precious time and energy on teaching.


Yes workshops are overrated. You either have the education and personality to teach well or you don't. Experts? I teach undergraduates and prepare my own lessons. Who needs to avail pf worksheets prepared by experts to effectively teach middle school kids other than an instructor without the right stuff?

As for disruptive students, sure, Basis can call in parents and try this and that to reign such kids in, but the bottom line is that it can't get rid of them unless they're heading to juvenile hall. The parents of the disruptive kids are not obligated to appear or act, even if they can. Some of these kids have had such tough home lives for so long that there probably isn't much to be done at this stage.

The school can't bump disruptive kids onto a second track, as at Yu Ying, becone none exists, yet. No, DC Charter, in its infinite wisdom, tells us that all middle school kids who enroll are created equal. The reality is that that choosey parents are going to have to tolerate a few disruptive kids in class with theirs at least until some of the problem children fail to advance a grade.







Anonymous
Post 10/01/2012 01:31     Subject: How's basis going so far?
Anonymous wrote:What support do these inexperienced content experts have in the area of teaching skills such as classroom management, assessment, curriculum planning and mapping, and such?

Are there workshops for them? Teacher mentors? Tuition remission for remediation in this area?

How is Basis addressing this issue?


I have been going through my son's accordion folder regulary to see what is being taught in the classroom. I am really impressed by everything I have seen thus far. All three science teachers explain in logical, orderly and sequential mnner. There is nothing haphazardly put together at the last minute. The homework is a direct application of what has been taught in class.
I really do not care if they have had prior teaching experience or not. And being a teacher myself, I truly think that worshops for assessment and curriculum planning are highly overrated. There are great resources readily available for teachers. Instead of spending time on writing curiculum, let the teachers use the boooks/worksheets prepared by experts, and use their precious time and energy on teaching.
Anonymous
Post 09/29/2012 19:17     Subject: How's basis going so far?
Anonymous wrote:What support do these inexperienced content experts have in the area of teaching skills such as classroom management, assessment, curriculum planning and mapping, and such?

Are there workshops for them? Teacher mentors? Tuition remission for remediation in this area?

How is Basis addressing this issue?


First of all, they aren't "inexperienced content experts" and second, yes, BASIS does have training and procedures in place for dealing with it, likely more so than most schools in the District.

Since you personally don't know what the training or experience is, doesn't at all mean it's valid for you to go ahead and state there isn't any.
Anonymous
Post 09/29/2012 16:52     Subject: How's basis going so far?
Is Mary involved in the day-to-day activities of DC Basis?
Anonymous
Post 09/29/2012 16:31     Subject: How's basis going so far?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Awesome. Right back to DCPS. And you can declare charters a success!

What a load of crap.

I want my money back. This charter thing is a rip off.


No, PP, it is DCPS that is the rip off. DCPS gets twice as much per student as DC charters do. If you really want to save money, you should help to dismantle DCPS.

Disruptive middle schoolers do not value the educational opportunities they are being afforded. Not only do they squander their own opportunities, but they squander the opportunities of their classmates, the vast majority of whom are eager to learn.

It is well known that BASIS offers a rigorous college prep curriculum. Simply put, BASIS is is not the appropriate school for a child who cannot be reasonably expected to attend a four-year college and perhaps grad school. The parents of these kids enroll them in BASIS for lack of better options. Their IB DCPS middle schools are so terrible that any school that is a) safe and b) offers some opportunity to learn is a better choice.

The fault here lies not with BASIS, but with DCPS for not offering middle schools that meet the needs of these kids. Perhaps the fault lies with the greater DC community, especially education activists, for not founding more charter schools to meet the needs of these children.

Given DC's strong charter law, why isn't middle school a buyer's market in DC? Why doesn't DC have a charter trade school, where kids can prepare to become electricians, contractors, plumbers, auto mechanics, computer technicians, etc? Why aren't there charter schools eager to take the kids who can't cut it at BASIS? After all, they are worth $12 thousand each, and their families have demonstrated a willingness to abandon DCPS. Why didn't they woo those families back in March and convince them not to enroll in BASIS in the first place?

Charters aren't the problem, PP. They are the solution.




^^ This. It is quite clear that DCPS is the organization that has ripped you and all other tax payers off for decades. Do you think a high school diploma ( for the abysmally small percentage who make it to graduation) actually means much for most? It's the most colossal waste of money and poorest education I can imagine for thousands of kids. Where is your outrage about that? Your money is much better off spent in the chance charters give kids in this city to get an actual education.
Anonymous
Post 09/29/2012 13:02     Subject: How's basis going so far?
What support do these inexperienced content experts have in the area of teaching skills such as classroom management, assessment, curriculum planning and mapping, and such?

Are there workshops for them? Teacher mentors? Tuition remission for remediation in this area?

How is Basis addressing this issue?
Anonymous
Post 09/29/2012 10:31     Subject: How's basis going so far?
Obviously 22:42 is just making random pot-stirring comments. Best to just ignore.
Anonymous
Post 09/29/2012 10:16     Subject: How's basis going so far?
I taught once in high school as a content expert. It was the trade wing so these were not achieving kids and some were very, shall we say, impolite. The only thing I could count on was knowing my stuff because I never had a day of teaching experience. Fact is, kids tend to respect content knowledge because the enthusiasm for the material is infectious. That's how I knew this would work and I'm glad my kid is there.
Anonymous
Post 09/29/2012 09:50     Subject: Re:How's basis going so far?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Most disruptive kid collected by head of school, back in class a bit later. But many were acting out apparently. Don't know long term plan but they def. need a plan.


I'm shocked, just shocked that a bunch of "content experts" don't have classroom management skills.


BASIS can't even claim to have content experts.


From what I saw, no - troublemakers aren't just being given a free pass to continue, they have a system for escalating disciplinary action, and the troublemakers will have to get their act together or they will be gone. As for "can't even claim to have content experts" - many of the BASIS faculty have Ph.D.s and would be qualified to teach their respective content at universities, so if they "can't claim to have content experts" then who can? By that same standard apparently no school in the district or suburbs can claim to have "content experts".
Anonymous
Post 09/28/2012 22:42     Subject: Re:How's basis going so far?
Anonymous wrote:
Most disruptive kid collected by head of school, back in class a bit later. But many were acting out apparently. Don't know long term plan but they def. need a plan.


I'm shocked, just shocked that a bunch of "content experts" don't have classroom management skills.


BASIS can't even claim to have content experts.