AAP school experience

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The program itself is lacking. It’s really not advanced or any big challenge for the kids at all. There is nothing very creative or innovative. The so-called extensions are truly lackluster. You are better off supplementing on your own. These kids are not coming out as strong writers or strong spellers, they even struggle to go on to Algebra 1 by 7th grade. The program is failing on many levels. It needs a complete overhaul, more rigor, or it needs to go away. The program is a ruse for the parent’s sake.

This. And in my experience in FCPS some of the weakest teachers teach honors and AAP because they assume the kids can fend for themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The AAP program needs to end.

A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

[Anonymous]

Our base is our center. My kids are in the AAP program but most of our neighborhood isn't. I've never, ever heard a complaint from anyone. Kids typically know each other from summer swim (even if you're not at the same pool you see each other at B meets), rec sports, club sports, etc. My AAP kids played with their gen ed friends at recess all the way through.

It's a little different for the kids who come in to the full-time AAP classes later or gen ed later, who didn't get a chance to build those friendships in K-2, especially if they don't do sports.

And I agree with 08:26 that this may all be due in part to being in a more "chill" part of FCPS. We're mid-SES, in an area where people typically like the schools but yet don't get crazy competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s so sad is once a base kid moves into the AAP class, they lose all their friendships with the gen Ed kids because they literally never see them again.

My AAP kid who still writes letters to her gen ed best friend who moved away would beg to differ. They stayed close enough friends that they keep in touch years later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The program itself is lacking. It’s really not advanced or any big challenge for the kids at all. There is nothing very creative or innovative. The so-called extensions are truly lackluster. You are better off supplementing on your own. These kids are not coming out as strong writers or strong spellers, they even struggle to go on to Algebra 1 by 7th grade. The program is failing on many levels. It needs a complete overhaul, more rigor, or it needs to go away. The program is a ruse for the parent’s sake.

This. And in my experience in FCPS some of the weakest teachers teach honors and AAP because they assume the kids can fend for themselves.

We are at a Local Level 4 and the 3rd-6th AAP teachers have been there for years and are some of the best in our school. This will vary from school to school.

[Anonymous]

In my experience, it's parents of the gen ed kids who cause the most strife. They pass their jealousy off to their kids, which is nonsense if AAP is the lousy program they claim it is. If that were true, why would it matter what class your kid was in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our base is our center. My kids are in the AAP program but most of our neighborhood isn't. I've never, ever heard a complaint from anyone. Kids typically know each other from summer swim (even if you're not at the same pool you see each other at B meets), rec sports, club sports, etc. My AAP kids played with their gen ed friends at recess all the way through.

It's a little different for the kids who come in to the full-time AAP classes later or gen ed later, who didn't get a chance to build those friendships in K-2, especially if they don't do sports.

And I agree with 08:26 that this may all be due in part to being in a more "chill" part of FCPS. We're mid-SES, in an area where people typically like the schools but yet don't get crazy competitive.

Do you really think those with kids in the "base" are going to complain to you?

This AAP program is out of hand. The idea behind GT was to move faster. Once they began putting in 2E kids, that really changed the dynamics. I thought the idea was to give more challenging instruction that required little remediation. It's not working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, it's parents of the gen ed kids who cause the most strife. They pass their jealousy off to their kids, which is nonsense if AAP is the lousy program they claim it is. If that were true, why would it matter what class your kid was in?

You remind me of the first boundary meeting I attended--many years ago. A parent stood up defending the (then GT) program. She said that we need it because if "other" kids were in the class with hers that her child would be bored and cause trouble.

Irony: At graduation from high school, her child was not going to college. My DD was over 4.0, AP Scholar, commended National Merit, and won many department awards. Her child was not at any of those ceremonies. Maybe, he would have been better off with the "regular" kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s awful.

The kids who come to the center are endlessly told how smart and special they are at home and look down on the Gen Ed kids. Their parents treat the school like their own personal private school. The superiority complex infects the entire AAP class including the kids in boundary, and the Gen Ed kids internalize the message.

It’s super awesome when your 3rd grader comes home and tells you they aren’t smart enough for “special smart kid” program.

The whole program needs to end.

This 100% happens at our AAP center school. I feel like our school community would be so much better if we weren’t a center. Parents target our school pyramid specifically for the AAP center ES and MS, and some of them are crazy. My older one started at the school in third so they just made friends with Gen Ed kids in their classes and only know a couple AAP kids from sports. The kids are not the problem at all. I’m dreading the AAP/Gen Ed split next year for my current second grader because I am sure some friends will end up in AAP and my kid will be sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our base is our center. My kids are in the AAP program but most of our neighborhood isn't. I've never, ever heard a complaint from anyone. Kids typically know each other from summer swim (even if you're not at the same pool you see each other at B meets), rec sports, club sports, etc. My AAP kids played with their gen ed friends at recess all the way through.

It's a little different for the kids who come in to the full-time AAP classes later or gen ed later, who didn't get a chance to build those friendships in K-2, especially if they don't do sports.

And I agree with 08:26 that this may all be due in part to being in a more "chill" part of FCPS. We're mid-SES, in an area where people typically like the schools but yet don't get crazy competitive.

Do you really think those with kids in the "base" are going to complain to you?

This AAP program is out of hand. The idea behind GT was to move faster. Once they began putting in 2E kids, that really changed the dynamics. I thought the idea was to give more challenging instruction that required little remediation. It's not working.

Yes, I really do think my friends would complain to me if their kid was feeling left out, actually. We spend hours together every weekend. They have plenty of time to do so.

I'm so happy that I'm routinely confused by the anti-AAP posters on this board, because I'm so happy not to know people like you in real life. Yes there are people who think the AAP program is silly because it has no impact on high school course selection - which I'm sure is true - but they don't go around concerned that kids feel left out because their kids don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, it's parents of the gen ed kids who cause the most strife. They pass their jealousy off to their kids, which is nonsense if AAP is the lousy program they claim it is. If that were true, why would it matter what class your kid was in?

You remind me of the first boundary meeting I attended--many years ago. A parent stood up defending the (then GT) program. She said that we need it because if "other" kids were in the class with hers that her child would be bored and cause trouble.

Irony: At graduation from high school, her child was not going to college. My DD was over 4.0, AP Scholar, commended National Merit, and won many department awards. Her child was not at any of those ceremonies. Maybe, he would have been better off with the "regular" kids.

And the bulk of AAP parents understand that there will be plenty of that irony in 12th grade, and even much, much more of it 10 years after high school graduation. Everyone on this thread knows that, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our base is our center. My kids are in the AAP program but most of our neighborhood isn't. I've never, ever heard a complaint from anyone. Kids typically know each other from summer swim (even if you're not at the same pool you see each other at B meets), rec sports, club sports, etc. My AAP kids played with their gen ed friends at recess all the way through.

It's a little different for the kids who come in to the full-time AAP classes later or gen ed later, who didn't get a chance to build those friendships in K-2, especially if they don't do sports.

And I agree with 08:26 that this may all be due in part to being in a more "chill" part of FCPS. We're mid-SES, in an area where people typically like the schools but yet don't get crazy competitive.

Do you really think those with kids in the "base" are going to complain to you?

This AAP program is out of hand. The idea behind GT was to move faster. Once they began putting in 2E kids, that really changed the dynamics. I thought the idea was to give more challenging instruction that required little remediation. It's not working.

I’m sorry, could you play that back to explain your specific issue with the program?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s so sad is once a base kid moves into the AAP class, they lose all their friendships with the gen Ed kids because they literally never see them again.

My AAP kid who still writes letters to her gen ed best friend who moved away would beg to differ. They stayed close enough friends that they keep in touch years later.

What grade did the friend move away? Are you talking out of state? Totally different. We are talking about kids at one school. One goes to the AAP class and one stays in gen Ed. They don’t have any classes together so the friendship fades. It’s basic human nature - you develop stronger bonds with kids in your classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, it's parents of the gen ed kids who cause the most strife. They pass their jealousy off to their kids, which is nonsense if AAP is the lousy program they claim it is. If that were true, why would it matter what class your kid was in?

You remind me of the first boundary meeting I attended--many years ago. A parent stood up defending the (then GT) program. She said that we need it because if "other" kids were in the class with hers that her child would be bored and cause trouble.

Irony: At graduation from high school, her child was not going to college. My DD was over 4.0, AP Scholar, commended National Merit, and won many department awards. Her child was not at any of those ceremonies. Maybe, he would have been better off with the "regular" kids.

Your projection is laughable. None of what you said here was anywhere in my comment. Nice try, but the irony is that you are the kind of parent who obviously has a problem with your child's placement. Reasonable parents do not care what class other kids are in, nor do they fill their kids' heads with crazy ideas. Congrats on your smart prodigy, I guess, but surely you don't think his lack of success has anything to do with "being with regular kids."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, it's parents of the gen ed kids who cause the most strife. They pass their jealousy off to their kids, which is nonsense if AAP is the lousy program they claim it is. If that were true, why would it matter what class your kid was in?

You remind me of the first boundary meeting I attended--many years ago. A parent stood up defending the (then GT) program. She said that we need it because if "other" kids were in the class with hers that her child would be bored and cause trouble.

Irony: At graduation from high school, her child was not going to college. My DD was over 4.0, AP Scholar, commended National Merit, and won many department awards. Her child was not at any of those ceremonies. Maybe, he would have been better off with the "regular" kids.

Your projection is laughable. None of what you said here was anywhere in my comment. Nice try, but the irony is that you are the kind of parent who obviously has a problem with your child's placement. Reasonable parents do not care what class other kids are in, nor do they fill their kids' heads with crazy ideas. Congrats on your smart prodigy, I guess, but surely you don't think his lack of success has anything to do with "being with regular kids."

Bull. No one wants the troublemakers or academically low kids in their kid’s classes.