Middle School AAP vs. Honors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

AP and AAP are two different things and in my opinion the AP is the better choice for an advanced education.

AP and AAP are two different things: AP courses are available for high school students to choose and AAP is a program for students in grades 3 through 8. The two are not available at the same time to one age group; they are for completely different age groups, so one does not choose between one and the other.

Yes my mistake in wording meat to say honors and AAP are two different things. Both prepare for AP which I think is the better choice for an advanced education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I would have agreed with you -- until I read the Thoreau MS course catalog.

What about it?

Thoreau is the middle school that requires every student to be enrolled in honors history and English. They do not offer a regular level of these classes, only honors.

It is actually history and science (see post 13:56 right out of the course catalog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

How do parents with kids in AAP know that their base school's honors program is a joke?

If the entire student body is enrolled, by default, in a honors class, that is a joke. Our middle school enrolls EVERY student in honors history & science. There is no general ed option for these courses. How on earth is that an honors class?

Which middle school does this? Our middle school requires the kids/parents to choose which level the student enrolls in, so those in Honors actually want to be there. I was under the impression all of FCPS allows open choice enrollment for middle school honors (i.e. no one is placed, by default, in any class).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do parents with kids in AAP know that their base school's honors program is a joke?

They don't. They are ignorant. Just one more way to justify their decisions. Middle school honors is a fantastic program and prepares the students for high school AP and IB. AAP elementary is for kids who can't learn in the standard classroom environment. AAP middle, I think, may be a little more challenging for the top tier students I don't know. But I do know many AAP elementary kids have a really hard time in middle school honors as I am sure they most likely do in middle school AAP. They problem is not knowing how to do the work it is keeping up with the deadlines and workload because the parents are not able to do the work or pick up all the pieced anymore A good student who can learn in the standard classroom environment should do just fine AAP center or not there is no difference.

+1000

However, I would disagree that elementary AAP is for kids who can't learn in a standard classroom environment. It's just a slightly advanced curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How do parents with kids in AAP know that their base school's honors program is a joke?

If the entire student body is enrolled, by default, in a honors class, that is a joke. Our middle school enrolls EVERY student in honors history & science. There is no general ed option for these courses. How on earth is that an honors class?

Which middle school does this? Our middle school requires the kids/parents to choose which level the student enrolls in, so those in Honors actually want to be there. I was under the impression all of FCPS allows open choice enrollment for middle school honors (i.e. no one is placed, by default, in any class).

Thoreau

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do parents with kids in AAP know that their base school's honors program is a joke?

They don't. They are ignorant. Just one more way to justify their decisions. Middle school honors is a fantastic program and prepares the students for high school AP and IB. AAP elementary is for kids who can't learn in the standard classroom environment. AAP middle, I think, may be a little more challenging for the top tier students I don't know. But I do know many AAP elementary kids have a really hard time in middle school honors as I am sure they most likely do in middle school AAP. They problem is not knowing how to do the work it is keeping up with the deadlines and workload because the parents are not able to do the work or pick up all the pieced anymore A good student who can learn in the standard classroom environment should do just fine AAP center or not there is no difference.

+1000

However, I would disagree that elementary AAP is for kids who can't learn in a standard classroom environment. It's just a slightly advanced curriculum.

Not all MS have a fantastic honors program. I know this first hand as I know my son is far better off at the assigned AAP middle school compared to our base middle school in all honors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do parents with kids in AAP know that their base school's honors program is a joke?

They don't. They are ignorant. Just one more way to justify their decisions. Middle school honors is a fantastic program and prepares the students for high school AP and IB. AAP elementary is for kids who can't learn in the standard classroom environment. AAP middle, I think, may be a little more challenging for the top tier students I don't know. But I do know many AAP elementary kids have a really hard time in middle school honors as I am sure they most likely do in middle school AAP. They problem is not knowing how to do the work it is keeping up with the deadlines and workload because the parents are not able to do the work or pick up all the pieced anymore A good student who can learn in the standard classroom environment should do just fine AAP center or not there is no difference.

You are incorrect.

I talked to may parents from two different centers in our pyramid. I talked to parents with kids who went through AAP and chose the base school honors program.

I talked to parents who have kids at both the middle school AAP program AND the base honors program.

I talked with parents whose kids are in the honors program at the center school, and parents whose kids are in the AAP middle school.

The consensus from all of these people is that the non-center schools honors program is a cake walk and not at all challenging, that the center school's honors program is a nice challenge, and the center schools AAP program is very rigorous.

The families with sibling in the base honors program and in the AAP elementary program were the most emphatic about these differences.

[Anonymous]

Which middle school does this? Our middle school requires the kids/parents to choose which level the student enrolls in, so those in Honors actually want to be there. I was under the impression all of FCPS allows open choice enrollment for middle school honors (i.e. no one is placed, by default, in any class).

Thoreau does this, as stated several times. That's why "all honors" at Thoreau is NOT "all honors." If you ask anyone who knows (i.e., FCPS staff) they will tell you it is for scheduling reasons. They claim it's too difficult to schedule kids in honors and gen ed for the four core subjects, so they decided to make all of the history & science courses the same level and label it "honors" so parents wouldn't complain that honors courses weren't offered in those subjects. Easier for them to create schedules when all of the history & science courses are the same. Clearly those are not honors-level classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do parents with kids in AAP know that their base school's honors program is a joke?

They don't. They are ignorant. Just one more way to justify their decisions. Middle school honors is a fantastic program and prepares the students for high school AP and IB. AAP elementary is for kids who can't learn in the standard classroom environment. AAP middle, I think, may be a little more challenging for the top tier students I don't know. But I do know many AAP elementary kids have a really hard time in middle school honors as I am sure they most likely do in middle school AAP. They problem is not knowing how to do the work it is keeping up with the deadlines and workload because the parents are not able to do the work or pick up all the pieced anymore A good student who can learn in the standard classroom environment should do just fine AAP center or not there is no difference.

You are incorrect.

I talked to may parents from two different centers in our pyramid. I talked to parents with kids who went through AAP and chose the base school honors program.

I talked to parents who have kids at both the middle school AAP program AND the base honors program.

I talked with parents whose kids are in the honors program at the center school, and parents whose kids are in the AAP middle school.

The consensus from all of these people is that the non-center schools honors program is a cake walk and not at all challenging, that the center school's honors program is a nice challenge, and the center schools AAP program is very rigorous.

The families with sibling in the base honors program and in the AAP elementary program were the most emphatic about these differences.

There are many people who would disagree with that consensus, but you can certainly believe whatever you'd like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Which middle school does this? Our middle school requires the kids/parents to choose which level the student enrolls in, so those in Honors actually want to be there. I was under the impression all of FCPS allows open choice enrollment for middle school honors (i.e. no one is placed, by default, in any class).

Thoreau does this, as stated several times. That's why "all honors" at Thoreau is NOT "all honors." If you ask anyone who knows (i.e., FCPS staff) they will tell you it is for scheduling reasons. They claim it's too difficult to schedule kids in honors and gen ed for the four core subjects, so they decided to make all of the history & science courses the same level and label it "honors" so parents wouldn't complain that honors courses weren't offered in those subjects. Easier for them to create schedules when all of the history & science courses are the same. Clearly those are not honors-level classes.

I see, so it's a total of one (1) middle school within FCPS that does this. All other middle schools have very definite "regular" and "honors" level classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do parents with kids in AAP know that their base school's honors program is a joke?

They don't. They are ignorant. Just one more way to justify their decisions. Middle school honors is a fantastic program and prepares the students for high school AP and IB. AAP elementary is for kids who can't learn in the standard classroom environment. AAP middle, I think, may be a little more challenging for the top tier students I don't know. But I do know many AAP elementary kids have a really hard time in middle school honors as I am sure they most likely do in middle school AAP. They problem is not knowing how to do the work it is keeping up with the deadlines and workload because the parents are not able to do the work or pick up all the pieced anymore A good student who can learn in the standard classroom environment should do just fine AAP center or not there is no difference.

You are incorrect.

I talked to may parents from two different centers in our pyramid. I talked to parents with kids who went through AAP and chose the base school honors program.

I talked to parents who have kids at both the middle school AAP program AND the base honors program.

I talked with parents whose kids are in the honors program at the center school, and parents whose kids are in the AAP middle school.

The consensus from all of these people is that the non-center schools honors program is a cake walk and not at all challenging, that the center school's honors program is a nice challenge, and the center schools AAP program is very rigorous.

The families with sibling in the base honors program and in the AAP elementary program were the most emphatic about these differences.

There are many people who would disagree with that consensus, but you can certainly believe whatever you'd like.

Are you in "our pyramid"?

So how would you know if what I am saying is correct or not?

[Anonymous]

I see, so it's a total of one (1) middle school within FCPS that does this. All other middle schools have very definite "regular" and "honors" level classes.

Well, if Thoreau is your middle school, then that's what you have to work with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do parents with kids in AAP know that their base school's honors program is a joke?

They don't. They are ignorant. Just one more way to justify their decisions. Middle school honors is a fantastic program and prepares the students for high school AP and IB. AAP elementary is for kids who can't learn in the standard classroom environment. AAP middle, I think, may be a little more challenging for the top tier students I don't know. But I do know many AAP elementary kids have a really hard time in middle school honors as I am sure they most likely do in middle school AAP. They problem is not knowing how to do the work it is keeping up with the deadlines and workload because the parents are not able to do the work or pick up all the pieced anymore A good student who can learn in the standard classroom environment should do just fine AAP center or not there is no difference.

You are incorrect.

I talked to may parents from two different centers in our pyramid. I talked to parents with kids who went through AAP and chose the base school honors program.

I talked to parents who have kids at both the middle school AAP program AND the base honors program.

I talked with parents whose kids are in the honors program at the center school, and parents whose kids are in the AAP middle school.

The consensus from all of these people is that the non-center schools honors program is a cake walk and not at all challenging, that the center school's honors program is a nice challenge, and the center schools AAP program is very rigorous.

The families with sibling in the base honors program and in the AAP elementary program were the most emphatic about these differences.

There are many people who would disagree with that consensus, but you can certainly believe whatever you'd like.

Are you in "our pyramid"?

So how would you know if what I am saying is correct or not?

It is very clear you are trying to make a broad, sweeping generalization about middle school honors classes vs. AAP, and not just "in your pyramid". If, indeed, you are simply talking about your own pyramid, then it sounds like your pyramid is vastly different from mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do parents with kids in AAP know that their base school's honors program is a joke?

They don't. They are ignorant. Just one more way to justify their decisions. Middle school honors is a fantastic program and prepares the students for high school AP and IB. AAP elementary is for kids who can't learn in the standard classroom environment. AAP middle, I think, may be a little more challenging for the top tier students I don't know. But I do know many AAP elementary kids have a really hard time in middle school honors as I am sure they most likely do in middle school AAP. They problem is not knowing how to do the work it is keeping up with the deadlines and workload because the parents are not able to do the work or pick up all the pieced anymore A good student who can learn in the standard classroom environment should do just fine AAP center or not there is no difference.

You are incorrect.

I talked to may parents from two different centers in our pyramid. I talked to parents with kids who went through AAP and chose the base school honors program.

I talked to parents who have kids at both the middle school AAP program AND the base honors program.

I talked with parents whose kids are in the honors program at the center school, and parents whose kids are in the AAP middle school.

The consensus from all of these people is that the non-center schools honors program is a cake walk and not at all challenging, that the center school's honors program is a nice challenge, and the center schools AAP program is very rigorous.

The families with sibling in the base honors program and in the AAP elementary program were the most emphatic about these differences.

There are many people who would disagree with that consensus, but you can certainly believe whatever you'd like.

Are you in "our pyramid"?

So how would you know if what I am saying is correct or not?

It is very clear you are trying to make a broad, sweeping generalization about middle school honors classes vs. AAP, and not just "in your pyramid". If, indeed, you are simply talking about your own pyramid, then it sounds like your pyramid is vastly different from mine.

I'm a NP. Honest question to the long post PP: Which are the two MS centers that you talked to people about? It sounds like it depends on the MS. I would just like to know if you were talking about my kids' future MS. TIA.

[Anonymous]

^^ I was asking my question to the PP who wrote, "you are incorrect...