Basis Charter Math Progression

[JubilantNest]

We have an internationally high-ranking charter school in town and I was astounded to see one of their ten year old students doing Algebra 1 (prepping for sixth grade).  I looked up the school's website and saw that they used:

3rd grade: Saxon Intermediate 4

4th grade:

5th grade: Saxon 8/7

6th grade: Saxon Algebra 1

Does anyone have any idea  how they manage that?  What do you think that mystery blank is for fourth grade?  Please note that I don't intend to follow suit, you don't need to warn me off.  I am just really, really curious as to how they accomplish this!

[Crimson Wife]

The BASIS in my metro area is a private school that starts in 5th grade. 5th graders take either Saxon 7/6, Saxon 8/7, or algebra 1 (I presume this is Saxon as well because there is no separate geometry course).

 

6th graders take pre-algebra, algebra 1, or algebra 2

7th graders take algebra 1, algebra 2, or pre-calculus

8th graders take algebra 2, pre-calculus, or  AP calculus

9th graders take pre-calculus, AP calculus, or post-AP math

 

All students take AP calculus by 11th.

 

Presumably they do this by selecting only those students for admission who are capable of studying an accelerated math sequence.

[Mike in SA]

I have been meaning to join this board for a while now, and it looks like I have my excuse.  :)

 

My older son attends BASIS, and did Algebra 2 in sixth.  There are no entrance exams or selectivity.  There is a placement test at the beginning, though.  Kids who are very far behind the lowest option will begin remediation immediately.

 

Obviously BASIS attracts families who are underwhelmed by their public options, so a surprising number are ready for acceleration.  To reach the highest level of acceleration, a student must petition and take additional tests.  We had four sixth graders in the class, along with a dozen or so seventh and eighth graders.

 

That's all there really is to it.  No magic or engineering.  They just jump in with both feet.  It's tough for some kids, and not for others.

[JubilantNest]

Wow! Thanks.

[Crimson Wife]

   There are no entrance exams or selectivity.  There is a placement test at the beginning, though.  Kids who are very far behind the lowest option will begin remediation immediately.

 

Obviously BASIS attracts families who are underwhelmed by their public options, so a surprising number are ready for acceleration.  To reach the highest level of acceleration, a student must petition and take additional tests.  We had four sixth graders in the class, along with a dozen or so seventh and eighth graders.

 

That's all there really is to it.  No magic or engineering.  They just jump in with both feet.  It's tough for some kids, and not for others.

 

This is one of the big differences between the BASIS charters and the BASIS private schools. The latter absolutely *DO* have selective admissions.

 

[kiwik]

But it is generally accepted that the schools work at the middle at best. So in any class probably 30% could work at least a grade ahead. If you have a charter that appeals to people who value academics it is likely the kids will be from among that 30% and be able to be accelerated at least one grade and possibly up to 3.

 

It is an indication of how underchallenged many kids are. I only know Saxon as referred to on these boards - but it is a solid traditional programme? Rather than a very challenging programme?

[Mike in SA]

Saxon, IMHO, is neither traditional nor overly challenging.  It is weak on theory, and strong on application.  Kids have to do what is perceived to be a *lot* of problems four nights per week, and are tested weekly.  The problems are repeated throughout the year, so that by the end, the kids can do the problems with minimal thought.

 

Weaker math students do very well by Saxon, and stronger ones get short-changed a bit.  The real benefit from BASIS' math sequence comes after calculus, when advanced learners can foray into university-level topics.

[JubilantNest]

kiwik,  everything I have read on these boards points to Art of Problem Solving as the most challenging math texts available for homeschoolers.  I have never used Saxon, but it seems to be in the same vein as the Horizons books we have used in the past.  My daughter can do all sorts of equations, but she doesn't know why she is doing them.  That, of course, is why we are looking for a new program.  My initial forum post above (about progression) is because I would like to gently help her accelerate (she is capable, I don't know why I never thought of it!) once I find the program that will explain the beauty behind the math she is learning.  I do not think I will be using Saxon for that.

[Arcadia]

My initial forum post above (about progression) is because I would like to gently help her accelerate (she is capable, I don't know why I never thought of it!) once I find the program that will explain the beauty behind the math she is learning.

MEP is free, easy to accelerate, and goes up to 12th grade.

[kiwik]

kiwik, everything I have read on these boards points to Art of Problem Solving as the most challenging math texts available for homeschoolers. I have never used Saxon, but it seems to be in the same vein as the Horizons books we have used in the past. My daughter can do all sorts of equations, but she doesn't know why she is doing them. That, of course, is why we are looking for a new program. My initial forum post above (about progression) is because I would like to gently help her accelerate (she is capable, I don't know why I never thought of it!) once I find the program that will explain the beauty behind the math she is learning. I do not think I will be using Saxon for that.

Kind of what I meant but I didn't want to upset Saxon users. Saxon doesn't exist in NZ but it sounds like what we did in the 70's - do 80 long division problems but don't worry about how or why it works. Only we had a lot of set theory as well which was never explained.

 

It they were all doing AOPS algebra in 6th grade it would be a lot more impressive. There are kids who do that but not everyone could.

[Mike in SA]

Kind of what I meant but I didn't want to upset Saxon users. Saxon doesn't exist in NZ but it sounds like what we did in the 70's - do 80 long division problems but don't worry about how or why it works. Only we had a lot of set theory as well which was never explained.

 

It they were all doing AOPS algebra in 6th grade it would be a lot more impressive. There are kids who do that but not everyone could.

 

Precisely right.  We supplement like crazy, because Saxon does not reveal any beauty whatsoever.  DS is fortunate (or unfortunate!) in that he has mathematicians for parents.  :)

 

Saxon + Gelfand works well.  Do Saxon, then come back around with Gelfand, which is very brief and all about theory and development.  But, honestly, DS hates Saxon.  He doesn't need the repetition, and craves theory.  He got about 2 months ahead of his classmates, then did Gelfand Algebra until the end of the year. 

 

AoPS is challenging for him, but he's only 12, so he has lots of time to shore things up.  If you really want to see the beauty of math, don't be afraid to blow the sequence up.  DS7 learned a bit of abstract algebra (set theory!) before finishing arithmetic, and then moved on to theory of arithmetic (he loves playing with archaic number systems).  He'll be doing prealgebra in second grade.  DS12 did geometry in 5th, followed by algebra.  Both dramatically changed the perspective the kids brought to learning algebra.  I don't think it's a pure "intelligence" thing, though I know it plays a part, because a facility for abstract thinking is required.

 

That said, Saxon does work well for the many kids who need repetition.  It's very formulaic, which really helps when you are trying to accelerate entire populations.