How is AAP different from regular classroom

[Anonymous]

Everything was the same at our school except math accelerated slowly over the elementary years so that grade 7 math concepts were covered by end of 6th grade. We didn’t see anything overly creative flowing out of AAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ll be blunt: lots of Indians and Asians in AAP. Very few white kids.

Not true at every school. My kids’ AAP class has a very diversity of students group including black, Arabic, Hispanic, Asian and white kids. They also have enough kids with IEP and 504 to keep the diversity going. The new holistic approach makes sure kids are compared to kids of the same race to keep the class diverse.

LOL--comparing to the same race? Is that even....legal?

But yah, race/ethnicity *is* listed on the cover sheet.

I will report back when my kid starts AAP. We are in a mid-SES center school that pulls in kids from schools not within the pyramid and a range of SES levels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is the curriculum, with AAP extensions, for 3rd grade: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/grading-and-reporting/elementary-school/elementary-progress-report-grade-level-3-aap

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

DC entered 3rd this year. AAP has more rigor for math and LA than the GenEd class. If your child is significantly ahead in one area or truly gifted, you may be surprised to learn that the program is aimed at meeting the needs of the middle 80th percentile. Top or bottom 20% will likely need to supplement. DC has made good friends and enjoys seeing them at all the academically inclined events.

[Anonymous]

My experience is a bit older, and it obviously varies by school. Center is a mid SES school. Base is a mid-low SES school.

Kid 1 at the base school was ignored by the teachers because she was advanced in all subjects. The teachers did not feel the need to load her up with busywork, and she spent enormous amounts of time reading at school.

Advanced math was fine and often moved faster, with more depth, and with more projects than the AAP math at the center. Only kids who had a pass advanced on the previous year's SOL or had a high CogAT Q were allowed to be in the advanced math class.

Kid 2 at center: Was still ignored often in language arts block because the teacher needed to focus on the kids who were below(!) and at grade level. There was a lot of busywork. Math was slower since some of the AAP kids were only average at math, and the entire class had to slow down for them.

Both kids for every project got stuck with unmotivated kids who were academically struggling, and then had to do all of the work while dealing with deadweight on the team. Both learned early that group projects suck.

Socially, it was bad at both places. Kids at both the base school and center did talk about AAP, and there was a feel of "smart kids" and "not smart kids." My first kid struggled with being made to feel like she was "not smart." Her peer group of motivated, bright kids at the base school was very small. The center had an extremely strong divide between AAP and base kids.

So, the whole thing was a mixed bag and wasn't great. If you have a motivated kid who will make good use of their time, they'll thrive fine in either AAP or gen ed. If I could go back in time, I would have homeschooled. But YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Does a child need to be performing above grade level in both Math and Language Arts in Kindergarten to be considered for pull-out programs in 1st grade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does a child need to be performing above grade level in both Math and Language Arts in Kindergarten to be considered for pull-out programs in 1st grade?

A lot of schools don't have pull outs prior to 3rd grade. At our base LII was described as normal in-class differentiation. It was an ear mark for the AAP process, but not much else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does a child need to be performing above grade level in both Math and Language Arts in Kindergarten to be considered for pull-out programs in 1st grade?

A lot of schools don't have pull outs prior to 3rd grade. At our base LII was described as normal in-class differentiation. It was an ear mark for the AAP process, but not much else.

Thanks! What's the criteria to get into LII?

[Anonymous]

I have had 2 kids in AAP and we are at a competitive center school. A few differences that I have noticed, but YMMV.

1) Differentiated math curriculum - AAP aims to be about 1 year ahead of GenEd for Math. As others have noted, this may not necessarily be the case, but that is the stated goal.

2) Previously a differentiated writing/reading curriculum - AAP used to incorporate supplemental writing and reading assignments for kids. For my older child, we noticed that she received extra assignments that some of her friends in GenEd did not. With the newer FCPS writing/reading curriculum, this has been severely curtailed and we see much less of this.

3) On average, more experienced teachers - At least at our center school, we have noticed that, on average, the AAP teachers tend to be the more experienced, longer-tenured teachers. I think most people would view this as a positive difference, but it is not uniformly positive, as older teachers can be more set in their ways.

4) Demographics - AAP noticeably skews heavily white and asian, even though FCPS has tried to make AAP more diverse by incorporating diversity as one of the factors in taking students into AAP. In addition, AAP noticeably has a noticeably more well-to-do population (or, at the very least, this is my impression given the much more extravagant vacations that I have started to hear about)

5) More Academically Inclined Peer Group - I think this is probably a side effect of the types of people that AAP attracts, but we have noticed a much more academically inclined and/or nerdy peer group. Less sports-focused and more science-math olympiad-focused. This is relative difference and this should not be interpreted as people doing no sports. I view this as a slight negative, as I like for my kids to be involved in sports, but this is more preference than anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does a child need to be performing above grade level in both Math and Language Arts in Kindergarten to be considered for pull-out programs in 1st grade?

A lot of schools don't have pull outs prior to 3rd grade. At our base LII was described as normal in-class differentiation. It was an ear mark for the AAP process, but not much else.

+1. At our school (base is a center) there were pullouts in 2nd, but they were just so the AART would know the probable pool of AAP candidates in order to assemble a more compelling packet. They just did more critical thinking worksheets. My kids liked it though. It had nothing to do with being level II for math or reading - it was all the same packets for both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More project based learning. The math is a full grade advanced. Kids are overall more interested in learning so the teacher can move at a faster pace.

So they literally start with fourth grade math in third? That would be fine with me but was not expecting it.

Any examples of what you mean by project-based learning? Is it defined by the curriculum or does it vary by teacher? Also curious about how much independence they get relative to regular class.

There's been much discussion about math slowing down a bit starting with this year's 3rd grade cohort. At our center, per teachers and what we see coming home, they're completing 3rd and roughly 1/2 of 4th grade math. In 4th they'll finish through 5th grade math. 6th in 5th.

Other subjects are less explicit in their increased depth, but just comparing what our kid is doing/learning with friends at the base school/other GE programs they're covering a lot more depth. And there is a *ton* more writing.

Thanks. I'm guessing this all varies by school or was there a general change to slow down math?

Are there still a lot of worksheets?

If you search on here there are several large threads discussing the apparent slow down in math across the district - and it's supposed basis in equity or the program called E3 math. I didn't have a kid in the program before, so I don't have a frame of reference. I will say that my kid is enthusiastic about staying at the center, but because they're now only "half bored" not "completely bored.". So, it's an improvement, but don't expect a world of difference.

There are still worksheets, but they're significantly more challenging and involved a lot more critical thinking, not just repetition. Also, at least at our school, there's a lot more opportunity for kids to choose what they're doing during rotations. For example, my kid hasn't really done any ST Math or Lexia this year because, while they're an option, they're not required.

The slowdown in math was a total change to the pacing guide. Several people on here have claimed to be teachers and claimed that it is real. You can see prior year pacing guides and this year's pacing guide both at the state level and the FCPS level and there are changes (math standards changed last year). The state level changes aren't substantial but the FCPS advanced math ones are. My math-inclined but not enriched 7th grader enjoyed the pace of math in AAP before and I think would have been wildly bored with the standards as written for this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have had 2 kids in AAP and we are at a competitive center school. A few differences that I have noticed, but YMMV.

1) Differentiated math curriculum - AAP aims to be about 1 year ahead of GenEd for Math. As others have noted, this may not necessarily be the case, but that is the stated goal.

2) Previously a differentiated writing/reading curriculum - AAP used to incorporate supplemental writing and reading assignments for kids. For my older child, we noticed that she received extra assignments that some of her friends in GenEd did not. With the newer FCPS writing/reading curriculum, this has been severely curtailed and we see much less of this.

3) On average, more experienced teachers - At least at our center school, we have noticed that, on average, the AAP teachers tend to be the more experienced, longer-tenured teachers. I think most people would view this as a positive difference, but it is not uniformly positive, as older teachers can be more set in their ways.

4) Demographics - AAP noticeably skews heavily white and asian, even though FCPS has tried to make AAP more diverse by incorporating diversity as one of the factors in taking students into AAP. In addition, AAP noticeably has a noticeably more well-to-do population (or, at the very least, this is my impression given the much more extravagant vacations that I have started to hear about)

5) More Academically Inclined Peer Group - I think this is probably a side effect of the types of people that AAP attracts, but we have noticed a much more academically inclined and/or nerdy peer group. Less sports-focused and more science-math olympiad-focused. This is relative difference and this should not be interpreted as people doing no sports. I view this as a slight negative, as I like for my kids to be involved in sports, but this is more preference than anything.

OP here. Thanks for this very informative answer!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trust me, you want to get in if you can. Of course there may be butt kissing required, with parents and admin. Parents test prep, IQ test, appeal, class parent kiss up, PTA, etc to get in. We thought it was all so toxic, happy we left for private where nobody is gaming the system or acting as info/opportunity gatekeepers.

Sorry your kid didn’t get in, but you seem super bitter. Kids who are placed at the county level are chosen BY THE COUNTY. There is no “gaming the system” as you imply. I feel sad for you that you’re so hung up on this, even after leaving FCPS.

[Anonymous]

I do a lot of in-school volunteer work. AAP gets the better teachers and for the most part the kids are better behaved. The parents of kids on the cusp lobby really hard to get their kids into AAP, because the non-AAP classes are really slow. Lots of non-English speakers, lots of remediation, lots of behavioral/emotional challenges, lots of kids who are way too mature for their age (not in a good way).

The AAP classes have enrichment because they have parents at home supporting that enrichment: securing supplies, reminding kids of deadlines, helping out with the projects. Usually the AAP kids are the ones in the after-school chess lessons, or Lego robotics, or Odyssey of the Mind. The AAP classes win the read-a-thon and thus get the pizza or ice cream parties. The AAP parents buy the “pizza with the principal” at the PTA auction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do a lot of in-school volunteer work. AAP gets the better teachers and for the most part the kids are better behaved. The parents of kids on the cusp lobby really hard to get their kids into AAP, because the non-AAP classes are really slow. Lots of non-English speakers, lots of remediation, lots of behavioral/emotional challenges, lots of kids who are way too mature for their age (not in a good way).

The AAP classes have enrichment because they have parents at home supporting that enrichment: securing supplies, reminding kids of deadlines, helping out with the projects. Usually the AAP kids are the ones in the after-school chess lessons, or Lego robotics, or Odyssey of the Mind. The AAP classes win the read-a-thon and thus get the pizza or ice cream parties. The AAP parents buy the “pizza with the principal” at the PTA auction.

This must vary by school. Our base is our center and about the only thing that's true is that the AAP classes typically win readathon. There are plenty of involved parents (who are friends of mine) in gen ed. Their kids might be more likely to be in tutoring than supplementing, but they're still giving plenty of academic support at home. The parents are still deeply volunteering in school. Sure this also happens in AAP, but it's not exclusive to the program. And the experienced teachers are pretty evenly split between the programs. The grade lead is as likely to be a gen ed teacher as an AAP teacher.