First grader going to Arlington Traditional?
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Anonymous
It won't work at other schools because you won't have parent involvement, and many parents are anti homework because it interferes with sports etc. |
Anonymous
ATS isn't just about homework and tucked in shirts. There is a lot more to the school and schools can implement ATS best practices without having kids do homework. Best practices include: - Direct teacher led instruction as opposed to inquiry based learning. Here is an article on the importance of direct instruction when it comes to math: https://www.city-journal.org/article/californias-math-framework-is-flawed Direct instruction is a pedology that has a positive effect on learning outcomes. Inquiry based learning on the other hand has a negative correlation. APS should move away from inquiry based learning and adopt direct instruction. See also Natalie Wexler on cognitive load theory: https://theamericanscholar.org/why-so-many-kids-struggle-to-learn/ - High academic expectations. ATS expects that students have the ability to do well, no matter what their background. If a student is below grade level, the school will do everything it can to bring that student up to grade level. - High behavioral expectations: It is difficult to learn if you have erasers and pencils thrown at you in class. Schools should focus on creating a safe learning environment that is conducive to learning. ATS does that with its focus on behavior and character |
Anonymous
This seems like such a copout. I keep hearing other schools can't implement ATS best practices because of not having parent involvement. It's just assumed there isn't parent involvement if a school has a high FARMS rate. It's so frustrating and it feels wrong that should be the assuming of schools with different demographics. |
Anonymous
It's not necessarily that other schools don't do these things; rather it's the extent to which they do or don't and also the proportion of students they have who pose more challenges, either behaviorally or academically or both. But it does begin with approach and expectations and, DISCIPLINE. I've watched (and my kids have experienced) APS continually water down expectations to its own detriment and the detriment of its students. |
Anonymous
Agree. My experience with/impression of the parents at our title 1 elementary school (one of the highest) is that these parents in particular go along with whatever the school philosophy is. Thing is, without having the comparison with the wealthier NA schools or ATS, they don't know how different the schools are. |
Anonymous
| Do we all really feel like ATS is that different compared to the other lottery schools and neighborhood schools? |
Anonymous
these probably do not mean much when you look at the big picture. but I see ATS listed in the top 5 always. https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/elementary-schools/virginia wish we would have tried for ATS back when our first was starting K. |
Anonymous
| We didn’t try for ATS but based on outcomes alone I wish the district did more to replicate it in other schools |
Anonymous
Yes. Neighborhood school and then ATS. Two kids there now. Parent involvement is a big part of ATS but a lot of differences compared to our neighborhood school. |
Anonymous
Sure. I’m all for direct instruction. Done. High academic and behavioral expectations? How is that not already the norm? The problem is that you need parental support when a kid is failing in someway, and the 1-5 kids in every class who are the most challenged consume 20-30% of teachers time and energy and the parents don’t support them. At ATS every parent is engaged and teachers get that support at home when problems arise. Because engaged parents jump through the lottery hoops and accept trade offs of a school not in neighborhood. |
Anonymous
Sometimes I do, too. But then middle school would have been an even bigger leap down anyway. |
Anonymous
Are you saying that parents in Tuckahoe, Nottingham, Cardinal, Jamestown and Discovery are not engaged? My kid went to Tuckahoe then switched to ATS. Trust me when I say that the parents in the schools that I listed are more engaged than ATS parents. They are actually a little too engaged if you ask me. |
Anonymous
This is the issue here. Middle schools at APS suck. Seems like we have a lot of good elementary schools and overall good high schools (assuming you don't end up being a kid overdosing on drugs). Not sure how to make our middle schools better. No-one I have spoken to is excited about their kids middle school. They all seem to be pretty mediocre. |
Anonymous
Whether you get the parent cooperation or not, the expectation and effort should still be there. Other schools just operate under the understanding and expectation that they don't and won't have 100% parents fully involved, as they continue to go through the motions of making the effort to get them involved. You don't lower your expectations for the students, and not for the students whose parents are involved. |
Anonymous
There are different types of engagement. |