End of the first week at Basis.
Transportation: not a problem for a fifth grader to take city buses alone in dc; I accompanied ds for a month before he said he was ready to go it alone. Now in 7th grade he is a pro.
Paper management system: so well-thought out. Child carries only an assignment book (called Communication Journal) and expanding file with slot for each subject plus blank paper to every class. No lugging around 3-ring binders: At end of each week, kid transfers papers into subject binders at home or in locker, ready for comp exams when the time comes. Every class organized the same way so even the spaciest (mine) can implement.
Classes: can't tell much yet about the teachers, but each syllabus follows consistent basic format but is rich in detail about the subject matter to be covered. This is the program: Math (tracked), Physics, Chemistry, Biology, World History, Logic, English, Foreign Language and an elective. 9 academic classes. Sounds a bit daunting.
Social life: half hour lunch and after-care seem to cover it pretty well.
Homework load: pretty light so far, I'm sure that won't last.

Anonymous wrote:
You have still not addressed, PP, the fact that BASIS does exactly this at its non-selective, non-G&T schools in Arizona.

From the BASIS Chandler home page: " The Social Science courses tackle advanced content curriculum, and all students complete a minimum of Algebra 1 by the end of seventh grade." (https://www.basisschools.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=161&Itemid=284)

Do you believe it yet?

Haven't posted for many pages. Have a cousin with a kid in Basis in AZ. The girl, white from an upper-middle-class home, came out of a GT ES math program (with pullout math groups & a gifted coordinator) yet, according to my cousin, struggled with 7th grade algebra and kept up only by working with a tutor the parents hired.

My cousin also tells me that 7th grade algebra felled a good number of the low-SES minority (mostly Latino) kids in her daughter's grade - some won't be back for 8th. You haven't heard the last of the 7th grade algebra issue, folks. Even Singapore, which tests in the top several countries for math internationally on the OECD PISA tests, has trouble teaching 7th grade algebra to all kids. I taught there at an international school five a few years ago.

The famous Basis Chandler home page isn't telling the whole story.

Anonymous wrote:There's nothing wrong with legitimate, fact-based concern, but the problem is, there hasn't been any fact-based concern expressed.

It's all just been speculation and accusation, the poster(s) posting them had ample opportunity over the last month to clarify and provide specifics and details on their concerns, or better yet, to provide specifics and details on what they think might be an even better schooling alternative than Basis - but, they didn't do any of that - and instead, they only got nasty and continued attacking, with more of the same fundamental intellectual dishonesty.

As such there's not really been anything for anyone to respond to.

Spoken like a true BASIS booster

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PP who used to teach math in Fairfax, including middle school GT math. On the subject of Basis teaching 7th grade algebra to almost all the kids, whose parents self-select them, or come in via a lottery, in a city without elementary GT programs, I'll believe it only if it happens.

What's happened in Fairfax MS GT programs in the last few years is that the percentage of kids taking 7th grade algebra has dropped, because middle school educators have found that too many starting have been dropping out, or being asked to leave, mainly because they weren't developmentally ready. But some of the kids taking 8th grade algebra are making it to BC calculus anyway, after taking summer courses, either privately (e.g. Johns Hopkins CTY) and in Fairfax schools. As a math teacher, I don't see the point of 7th grade algebra for those who'd struggle with it, akin to teaching reading to all 3 and 4 year-olds. So I remain skeptical about Basis' plans, and would be glad to see them work out.

Don't get nasty folks. We all speak from different experiences in teaching, parenting and learning.

You have still not addressed, PP, the fact that BASIS does exactly this at its non-selective, non-G&T schools in Arizona.

From the BASIS Chandler home page: " The Social Science courses tackle advanced content curriculum, and all students complete a minimum of Algebra 1 by the end of seventh grade." (https://www.basisschools.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=161&Itemid=284)

Do you believe it yet?

There's nothing wrong with legitimate, fact-based concern, but the problem is, there hasn't been any fact-based concern expressed.

It's all just been speculation and accusation, the poster(s) posting them had ample opportunity over the last month to clarify and provide specifics and details on their concerns, or better yet, to provide specifics and details on what they think might be an even better schooling alternative than Basis - but, they didn't do any of that - and instead, they only got nasty and continued attacking, with more of the same fundamental intellectual dishonesty.

As such there's not really been anything for anyone to respond to.

Anonymous wrote:

I believe they are only just opening their doors with the start of classes this week. Sure, they have a successful model in Arizona, and it remains to be seen how they will do in DC. But as for "crazy boosters" I haven't really seen much of that and certainly not enough to merit name-calling - though it seems there have been a lot of posts trying to slam BASIS for whatever reason - and again, without merit given they are only just opening their doors.

I also don't see any posts "slamming" BASIS. However, I have seen at least one pro-BASIS person starting threads elsewhere and all over the old BASIS discussion thread name calling and trying to "pin to the wall" parents who suggest, as you do above, that the school isn't open yet and it remains to be seen whether or not they will be successful in DC. The vitriol with which pro-BASIS poster(s) attack anyone with any concern whatsoever about BASIS is unnerving, and sort of crazy sounding. You can find the threads here pretty easily.

It would probably be best if everyone just waits, now that school has opened, and let the school prove itself.

Agree and can't wait to see how the pro-BASIS posters respond.

I believe they are only just opening their doors with the start of classes this week. Sure, they have a successful model in Arizona, and it remains to be seen how they will do in DC. But as for "crazy boosters" I haven't really seen much of that and certainly not enough to merit name-calling - though it seems there have been a lot of posts trying to slam BASIS for whatever reason - and again, without merit given they are only just opening their doors.

I also don't see any posts "slamming" BASIS. However, I have seen at least one pro-BASIS person starting threads elsewhere and all over the old BASIS discussion thread name calling and trying to "pin to the wall" parents who suggest, as you do above, that the school isn't open yet and it remains to be seen whether or not they will be successful in DC. The vitriol with which pro-BASIS poster(s) attack anyone with any concern whatsoever about BASIS is unnerving, and sort of crazy sounding. You can find the threads here pretty easily.

It would probably be best if everyone just waits, now that school has opened, and let the school prove itself.

I see massive erosion of the primary educational system in all of this.

7th graders not capable of Algebra is quite likely because they didn't get adequately proficient in their basic math facts in 3rd, 4th, 5th, et cetera. It all compounds. It's like trying to build a house on quicksand. Without solid footing, you have nothing to build on, it all erodes and crumbles away just as fast as you try and build.

A lot of bad ideas and bad educational theory, a lot of "these poor kids, let's just focus on giving them a few hours in a safe environment and worry about the rest later" - basically its DCPS degenerating into nothing but a glorified daycare, which delivers failure with compound interest as kids go from one grade to the next.

I'm the PP who used to teach math in Fairfax, including middle school GT math. On the subject of Basis teaching 7th grade algebra to almost all the kids, whose parents self-select them, or come in via a lottery, in a city without elementary GT programs, I'll believe it only if it happens.

What's happened in Fairfax MS GT programs in the last few years is that the percentage of kids taking 7th grade algebra has dropped, because middle school educators have found that too many starting have been dropping out, or being asked to leave, mainly because they weren't developmentally ready. But some of the kids taking 8th grade algebra are making it to BC calculus anyway, after taking summer courses, either privately (e.g. Johns Hopkins CTY) and in Fairfax schools. As a math teacher, I don't see the point of 7th grade algebra for those who'd struggle with it, akin to teaching reading to all 3 and 4 year-olds. So I remain skeptical about Basis' plans, and would be glad to see them work out.

Don't get nasty folks. We all speak from different experiences in teaching, parenting and learning.

I haven't heard anything along the lines of Basis trying to "get rid of the feeble-minded" and frankly that's an offensive term.

However, one also has to consider what a reasonable expectation is. Not all kids are created alike - there are normal kids, there are seriously disabled kids who have sharp minds, either of whom should do just fine in an Algebra class for example.

However, there are also kids who have other severe disabilities, who for example might never be capable of learning beyond a 2nd-grade level. In that last case, no amount of sitting in an Algebra class will ever succeed in teaching them Algebra. That has nothing to do with the school, it's a hurdle no school will ever surmount - the question is, why would their parents want to keep throwing them at Algebra? They could, though they'd need to eventually accept that the child will never master it - and maybe there are more useful pursuits they should be undertaking to help their child with useful life skills instead of Algebra.

If it's a kid who's just lazy but in all other respects is perfectly capable, then what is so wrong with trying to challenge him, trying to instill some organizational skills, a work ethic and holding him to a higher standard? Why is this kind of thing continually being described as "crazy"?

I just moved to the DC area, but when I was growing up and going to public schools in several different cities around the country 30 years ago, I was always used to being challenged, being expected to perform, being encouraged to take AP courses and so on, and if you failed, you might have to repeat a grade - basically what Basis is promoting. Why is that now being treated as though it were some kind of unacceptable, radical and crazy idea? Is that a DC thing?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

From all I have seen, schools like Basis are bending over backward to keep up their end of the bargain toward providing a high-quality education. They have tutoring sessions and all kinds of other extra resources available to the struggling kids. The more important and more-ignored challenge that should be focused on is for the students, parents and the community to keep up their end of the bargain. If the struggling kids can't keep up it will more likely be because their families won't back them up, won't support them toward getting the extra tutoring and help to catch up, then that is not the fault of Basis.

Frankly, this sounds like it came from a starry-eyed parent (BASIS will get my kid to Harvard) or the BASIS PR dept (We gotta get a bunch of parents to believe this to populate the school, but if it doesn't work it's because of inadequate parents)

This is a fascinating shift from the DCPS philosophy in which the teachers count for everything and the parents for nothing. Left out of the equation are the kids, which apparently are putty in the hands of either their parents or their teachers, depending on which school they attend.

Only bright and hardworking kids will succeed at BASIS.

The tutoring sessions can redress mediocre elementary educations, but not feeble-mindedness or, more likely, laziness.

The work ethic of the BASIS student matters more than the degree of parental support.

The kids who don't want to work that hard in middle and high school will simply leave.

Who are these nut jobs describing children as feeble-minded and lazy?????? Public schools are supposed to educate everyone even the "feeble-minded". I hope so much I don't know the person who wrote that.

I can't wait to see how Basis does. There are so many rumors floating around. On here someone says there will be v. little homework for 5th graders, a parent I know IRL told me that they've been told to expect 2 hours a night.

I honestly believe my DS will be ready for Algebra 1 in 7th grade (he is in 4th now and has mastered concepts beyond his bright 7th grade cousin in a respected suburban district), but I can't deal with a community Hell-bent on getting rid of the feeble-minded.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, where in this is all this supposed "inane" and "crazy" Basis boosterism that supposedly promised miracles? I see no such thing anywhere in this thread. Care to post a quote?

The only things I have seen here speak strictly to the same pragmatics that would apply to any school or any similar situation.

for example, see above

What, specifically?

Anonymous wrote:Wow, where in this is all this supposed "inane" and "crazy" Basis boosterism that supposedly promised miracles? I see no such thing anywhere in this thread. Care to post a quote?

The only things I have seen here speak strictly to the same pragmatics that would apply to any school or any similar situation.

for example, see above

Anonymous wrote:The BASIS boosters are more concerning than the stated goals and policies of the school itself. The school isn't even open yet, yet the crazy boosters keep talking about it as if it were a successful model in DC. It isn't.

We hope it will be, but it isn't now.

I believe they are only just opening their doors with the start of classes this week. Sure, they have a successful model in Arizona, and it remains to be seen how they will do in DC. But as for "crazy boosters" I haven't really seen much of that and certainly not enough to merit name-calling - though it seems there have been a lot of posts trying to slam BASIS for whatever reason - and again, without merit given they are only just opening their doors.

Wow, where in this is all this supposed "inane" and "crazy" Basis boosterism that supposedly promised miracles? I see no such thing anywhere in this thread. Care to post a quote?

The only things I have seen here speak strictly to the same pragmatics that would apply to any school or any similar situation.