Those of you with kids in both AAP and gen ed...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish more gen ed parents would weigh in on how their kids did in middle and high schools.

Hi! My Gen Ed in elementary kid got so many AP credits in high school that’s he is finishing up college (at a school even DCUM likes) nearly a year early. He did just fine academically.

Socially, he said none of the kids care who was AAP and who wasn’t by the time they get to HS. Thankfully, teens are less judgmental than many of the parents here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AAP center kid: 13-15 kids per classroom per year; western Fairfax; title 1 school but wealthier overall compared to title 1 base school

Base school kid: 1 point lower on CoGAT; good GBRS; immersion program (went from 3 to 1 class from K to 6); better teachers overall BUT they admit that they are unable to do as much with Level 3 kids like DC bc after breaks other kids need A LOT more hand holding — it sucks

The biggest difference is the expectations that FCPS has for non-AAP students. When I was in school, the AAP stuff was the standard for everyone. FCPS has not figured out how to walk and chew gum simultaneously. That is, keeping pace up for LEvel 2-3 kids while bringing up the rear. Vast majority of ESL kids here are bilingual by the time they get to K, so understanding instructions is not the issue. Attendance is, as well as rewards for truant kids (may help truant kids stay in school, but others decide to follow suit, because they see the boss kids getting rewarded. Ugh.) All the kids are smart — just in different ways. It is just that the system is not set up right now to provide an education for most kids not in Level 4 despite best efforts of teachers. The system is broken.

Forgot to say largest immersion class was maybe 22.

+1 Also in western Fairfax. AAP is school the way I remember school. They had homework, useful not crazy, and assigned novels to be read at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AAP center kid: 13-15 kids per classroom per year; western Fairfax; title 1 school but wealthier overall compared to title 1 base school

Base school kid: 1 point lower on CoGAT; good GBRS; immersion program (went from 3 to 1 class from K to 6); better teachers overall BUT they admit that they are unable to do as much with Level 3 kids like DC bc after breaks other kids need A LOT more hand holding — it sucks

The biggest difference is the expectations that FCPS has for non-AAP students. When I was in school, the AAP stuff was the standard for everyone. FCPS has not figured out how to walk and chew gum simultaneously. That is, keeping pace up for LEvel 2-3 kids while bringing up the rear. Vast majority of ESL kids here are bilingual by the time they get to K, so understanding instructions is not the issue. Attendance is, as well as rewards for truant kids (may help truant kids stay in school, but others decide to follow suit, because they see the boss kids getting rewarded. Ugh.) All the kids are smart — just in different ways. It is just that the system is not set up right now to provide an education for most kids not in Level 4 despite best efforts of teachers. The system is broken.

Forgot to say largest immersion class was maybe 22.

+1 Also in western Fairfax. AAP is school the way I remember school. They had homework, useful not crazy, and assigned novels to be read at home.

Except now you for your kid to get that education they need to test into AAP. If they don’t, they get stuck in gen ed with students who really should be in remedial classes. It’s gotten out of control. Some many people game the system to get in, I’m completely disillusioned with it.

[Anonymous]

similiar

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/846436.page

[Anonymous]

Now, why do you think people game the system?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Now, why do you think people game the system?

It's usually one of two factors, and they don't tend to overlap:
1. Pressure cooker area where everyone is in an arms race to be at the top
2. High poverty, high ESL base school (FRM >40%) where kids who are on or above grade level get boned

There's also no real, county-wide definition of what "Level III" entails. So if your above average kid is at a base school that doesn't offer Advanced Math until 5th grade and the only advanced differentiation is a weekly hour long pullout, whereas other schools offer a much more comprehensive Level III program, you have every right to want more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The existence of AAP is ugly

It really is. Didn’t used to be, when it was GT. But definitely is now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now, why do you think people game the system?

It's usually one of two factors, and they don't tend to overlap:
1. Pressure cooker area where everyone is in an arms race to be at the top
2. High poverty, high ESL base school (FRM >40%) where kids who are on or above grade level get boned

There's also no real, county-wide definition of what "Level III" entails. So if your above average kid is at a base school that doesn't offer Advanced Math until 5th grade and the only advanced differentiation is a weekly hour long pullout, whereas other schools offer a much more comprehensive Level III program, you have every right to want more.

At our base school, math acceleration happens in 6th grade. So by the time the IAAT rolls around, they’ve theoretically completed 6th grade math and have just begun 7th grade math. So, they have less than a semester of 7th grade math before the 7th grade math SOL. SMH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now, why do you think people game the system?

It's usually one of two factors, and they don't tend to overlap:
1. Pressure cooker area where everyone is in an arms race to be at the top
2. High poverty, high ESL base school (FRM >40%) where kids who are on or above grade level get boned

There's also no real, county-wide definition of what "Level III" entails. So if your above average kid is at a base school that doesn't offer Advanced Math until 5th grade and the only advanced differentiation is a weekly hour long pullout, whereas other schools offer a much more comprehensive Level III program, you have every right to want more.

At our base school, math acceleration happens in 6th grade. So by the time the IAAT rolls around, they’ve theoretically completed 6th grade math and have just begun 7th grade math. So, they have less than a semester of 7th grade math before the 7th grade math SOL. SMH.

Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

I teach AAP elementary and for the most part, we do not give homework any more. Students are supposed to work hard during the school day and get their work done then. Some projects require work at home, but not all.

[Anonymous]

I think this is another terrible policy brought about by the need for equity. Kids absolutely need to be able to manage their time outside of school. My parents weren't involved in school. Homework was valuable practice students were expected to complete on their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is another terrible policy brought about by the need for equity. Kids absolutely need to be able to manage their time outside of school. My parents weren't involved in school. Homework was valuable practice students were expected to complete on their own.

I am fine with homework for many reasons but there are kids who cannot do their homework on their own.

I have learning disabilities and needed help with all of my homework. Math took me hours and lots of help. There are a good number of kids with LDs, I think it is around 20% of the population. Kids with ADHD will need help due to executive functioning skills lagging. Kids with autism and other issues need help.

Then there are the kids who go to after care. Either the after care has someone on hand and a space to help the kids with homework or the kids have to do the homework when they get home, later in the evening, or in the morning. And those same kids may very well be in before care programs which would have to have someone to help the kids with homework. THis is mainly an ES issue, MS and HS kids have different routines and should be more capable of taking care of their homework. Kids that are not Neurotypical will probably still need support.

All I am saying is that there is a large percentage of kids who may not have the ability to do homework solo or have the time to do their homework because of parents work schedules.

Part of my IEP in ES was that I did not have to complete all the homework but at least try the homework. Mom set a timer for an hour and that is how long I spent on math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I teach AAP elementary and for the most part, we do not give homework any more. Students are supposed to work hard during the school day and get their work done then. Some projects require work at home, but not all.

Do all AAP teachers follow this or do schools make their own content and rules?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I teach AAP elementary and for the most part, we do not give homework any more. Students are supposed to work hard during the school day and get their work done then. Some projects require work at home, but not all.

Do all AAP teachers follow this or do schools make their own content and rules?

Every school and Teacher makes its own rules. I know DS had homework in First Grade, even though the County had a no homework policy, and limited homework in Second Grade. It doesn't take much searching to see that some Teachers give homework and some don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish more gen ed parents would weigh in on how their kids did in middle and high schools.

Hi! My Gen Ed in elementary kid got so many AP credits in high school that’s he is finishing up college (at a school even DCUM likes) nearly a year early. He did just fine academically.

Socially, he said none of the kids care who was AAP and who wasn’t by the time they get to HS. Thankfully, teens are less judgmental than many of the parents here.

+2. It starts to diminish in MS when the "gen ed" kids can go into honors or AAP (if they meet the standards, etc.) Then by HS, all kids can take AP, not just the super special AAP kids. And they do just as well. My kid has done as well or better than the AAP friends.