Local Level IV vs Level IV Center

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do wish we had the opportunity to observe a class in each setting before making a decision.

You can talk with the Center principal and probably a teacher there and activate your DN's center eligibility at any time through grade 8. I am guessing observing a class would be tough if not impossible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't know the PTA could pay for teachers. Can they? We have a full time AAP teacher at our local level IV school I think, but our K child only gets a worksheet given to the teacher every couple of weeks. There is no pull out at the kindergarten level.

As a former PTA president, PTA is not allowed to pay for teachers. No funding comes from the PTA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In practice, there are difference largely the result of the cohorts.

At our school, there were five 2nd grade kids found center-eligible last year. Four of them went to the assigned center and the last kid stayed at the base school. This last kid had such a miserable time at the base school in 3rd grade that he transferred to the center school last month.

How come some school only had 5 kids found eligible, while others had over 30. Can schools (student count and ability) differ so much? Or it has something to do with GBRS standards that teachers used differently.

[Anonymous]

The GBRS is subjective. The NNAT and CogAT are objective. You really should, IMHO, only have kids with both numbers in the center. Unfortunately this is not the case. AAP centers have way too many average kids who need at home tutors to keep up, such a shame, I feel bad for those kids. Level IV would be a better option for these kids. The centers have become rather watered down. I hope the centers go back to what they once were, for the truly bright and make Level IV for the average but hardworking students. My DC has 32 kids in the AAP class, too many are struggling. Maybe kids should have to requalify. In for 3 and 4, based on scores stay in for 5 and 6 or go back to base school.

[Anonymous]

Maybe they are struggling because there are 32 kids! Lets reduce class size first for everyone to a reasonable level to help the students and teachers and then decide whether to make the cutoff higher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they are struggling because there are 32 kids! Lets reduce class size first for everyone to a reasonable level to help the students and teachers and then decide whether to make the cutoff higher.

Great idea, apart from the fact that nobody wants to pay taxes to make it happen. In fact they want more tax cuts. I am amazed by the parents who constantly complain about class size and beg for more programs, expansion and activities for the students. Yet drive through the carpool lane with bumper stickers that say things like, "Government get out of my way!" Can't have it both ways.

This is not directed at any one person on this thread. Just venting about the impossible opinions expressed to me at school so often.

[Anonymous]

My point was along the lines that any child can struggle in a 32 child classroom. Don't necessarily blame the process for getting into AAP. I do not have those bumper stickers nor think like that although I think if Fairfax County would allow more ways for private donors to pay into programs and policies they want to see, I think they'd get a much better contribution from the private sector.

[Anonymous]

That is kind of the point. A truly bright kid can learn in any environment. Class size shouldn't matter if you are truly exceptional in learning. However, if you need more silence and individualized teacher instruction, the center is not a good fit. The idea behind the center was to move through learning at a quicker pace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That is kind of the point. A truly bright kid can learn in any environment. Class size shouldn't matter if you are truly exceptional in learning. However, if you need more silence and individualized teacher instruction, the center is not a good fit. The idea behind the center was to move through learning at a quicker pace.

Haha! If you are expecting a quiet learning environment in an AAP center, you will be in for arude awakening

AAP is lots of things for accelerated learners; quiet and orderly it is not.

[Anonymous]

Well many students and parents think class size does matter as well as the way information is taught even for AAP. They feel it's high enough academically but too impersonal and leaves less room for creativity.

Below are two recent posts from the private school forum.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/30/267941.page

I have two kids at the most sought after AAP center in FCPS. The work is challenging and the teachers are wonderful, but the program is still not right for kids with very high IQs. My kids (WISC scores of 144 and 148) are still just being pushed to memorize and calculate and are drowning in homework, there is no room for higher thinking or reasoning and no room for their endless creativity and crazy passions.

If you simply have a high acheiving student that can work at a fast pace, its great, but if your child is highly capable an out of the box thinker, it may not be the best fit. We are looking at Howard Gardner and The New School for next year.

I agree -- finally someone says it. I felt the work was just being crammed in to my DS. He was making all As in FCPS, but so are/were 30% of the class. If 30% of the class are "excelling" that means a certain number are just waiting around. The busy/work homework was a joke also. In private school, he goes much more in depth in Math. "At FCPS the teachers just threw it at us, work sheet after work sheet. I just filled them out and got my 100%. Now I understand Math much better" It has been wonderful to see the joy of learning come back to my student after years of the glazed eyes. Nice to not be worrying all the time, either. He is not a super high IQ kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well many students and parents think class size does matter as well as the way information is taught even for AAP. They feel it's high enough academically but too impersonal and leaves less room for creativity.

Below are two recent posts from the private school forum.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/30/267941.page

I have two kids at the most sought after AAP center in FCPS. The work is challenging and the teachers are wonderful, but the program is still not right for kids with very high IQs. My kids (WISC scores of 144 and 148) are still just being pushed to memorize and calculate and are drowning in homework, there is no room for higher thinking or reasoning and no room for their endless creativity and crazy passions. If you simply have a high acheiving student that can work at a fast pace, its great, but if your child is highly capable an out of the box thinker, it may not be the best fit. We are looking at Howard Gardner and The New School for next year.

I agree -- finally someone says it. I felt the work was just being crammed in to my DS. He was making all As in FCPS, but so are/were 30% of the class. If 30% of the class are "excelling" that means a certain number are just waiting around. The busy/work homework was a joke also. In private school, he goes much more in depth in Math. "At FCPS the teachers just threw it at us, work sheet after work sheet. I just filled them out and got my 100%. Now I understand Math much better" It has been wonderful to see the joy of learning come back to my student after years of the glazed eyes. Nice to not be worrying all the time, either. He is not a super high IQ kid.

I am surprised that your AAP center is so sought after. We have found the opposite to be true with our school's center program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is kind of the point. A truly bright kid can learn in any environment. Class size shouldn't matter if you are truly exceptional in learning. However, if you need more silence and individualized teacher instruction, the center is not a good fit. The idea behind the center was to move through learning at a quicker pace.

Haha! If you are expecting a quiet learning environment in an AAP center, you will be in for arude awakening

AAP is lots of things for accelerated learners; quiet and orderly it is not.

Reread what I said, please. I was noting that truly smart kids can learn in ANY environment, if a kids needs it to be quiet or less fast, they are in the wrong place. My reply was to an above poster about class size. no need to HA HA at my post, obviously you do not read very well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is kind of the point. A truly bright kid can learn in any environment. Class size shouldn't matter if you are truly exceptional in learning. However, if you need more silence and individualized teacher instruction, the center is not a good fit. The idea behind the center was to move through learning at a quicker pace.

Haha! If you are expecting a quiet learning environment in an AAP center, you will be in for arude awakening

AAP is lots of things for accelerated learners; quiet and orderly it is not.

Reread what I said, please. I was noting that truly smart kids can learn in ANY environment, if a kids needs it to be quiet or less fast, they are in the wrong place. My reply was to an above poster about class size. no need to HA HA at my post, obviously you do not read very well.

Ummm, I was agreeing with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well many students and parents think class size does matter as well as the way information is taught even for AAP. They feel it's high enough academically but too impersonal and leaves less room for creativity.

Below are two recent posts from the private school forum.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/30/267941.page

I have two kids at the most sought after AAP center in FCPS. The work is challenging and the teachers are wonderful, but the program is still not right for kids with very high IQs. My kids (WISC scores of 144 and 148) are still just being pushed to memorize and calculate and are drowning in homework, there is no room for higher thinking or reasoning and no room for their endless creativity and crazy passions. If you simply have a high acheiving student that can work at a fast pace, its great, but if your child is highly capable an out of the box thinker, it may not be the best fit. We are looking at Howard Gardner and The New School for next year.

I agree -- finally someone says it. I felt the work was just being crammed in to my DS. He was making all As in FCPS, but so are/were 30% of the class. If 30% of the class are "excelling" that means a certain number are just waiting around. The busy/work homework was a joke also. In private school, he goes much more in depth in Math. "At FCPS the teachers just threw it at us, work sheet after work sheet. I just filled them out and got my 100%. Now I understand Math much better" It has been wonderful to see the joy of learning come back to my student after years of the glazed eyes. Nice to not be worrying all the time, either. He is not a super high IQ kid.

I am surprised that your AAP center is so sought after. We have found the opposite to be true with our school's center program.

This pp is probably at Haycock or Louise Archer. People seem to go nuts about those two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well many students and parents think class size does matter as well as the way information is taught even for AAP. They feel it's high enough academically but too impersonal and leaves less room for creativity.
Below are two recent posts from the private school forum.
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/30/267941.page
I have two kids at the most sought after AAP center in FCPS. The work is challenging and the teachers are wonderful, but the program is still not right for kids with very high IQs. My kids (WISC scores of 144 and 148) are still just being pushed to memorize and calculate and are drowning in homework, there is no room for higher thinking or reasoning and no room for their endless creativity and crazy passions. If you simply have a high acheiving student that can work at a fast pace, its great, but if your child is highly capable an out of the box thinker, it may not be the best fit. We are looking at Howard Gardner and The New School for next year.
I agree -- finally someone says it. I felt the work was just being crammed in to my DS. He was making all As in FCPS, but so are/were 30% of the class. If 30% of the class are "excelling" that means a certain number are just waiting around. The busy/work homework was a joke also. In private school, he goes much more in depth in Math. "At FCPS the teachers just threw it at us, work sheet after work sheet. I just filled them out and got my 100%. Now I understand Math much better" It has been wonderful to see the joy of learning come back to my student after years of the glazed eyes. Nice to not be worrying all the time, either. He is not a super high IQ kid.

I am surprised that your AAP center is so sought after. We have found the opposite to be true with our school's center program.

This pp is probably at Haycock or Louise Archer. People seem to go nuts about those two.

I don't understand why the center would just have the kids doing rote memorization and piles of homework. Our center (not commonly mentioned on dcum) has the kids doing projects, power point presentations, digging on the playground, creating their own civilizations, participating in philosophical seminars and debates, experimenting with electricity and more. I have noticed very little time spent on "memorization" and there is hardly any homework. It is definitely a rich learning environment. So if these "sought after" centers are not doing this, I wonder what is the appeal.