AAP Local Level IV
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Anonymous
| All FCPS classes offer this. Every single school! AAP moves at a faster pace. |
Anonymous
+1 |
Anonymous
| Then why are there all the complaints about teaching to the test and drill and kill and little creative thinking taught in the schools? In the general ed classes I hear there was no public speaking this year whereas in the AAP classes I hear they have had multiple projects involving public speaking. You say there is no difference except that the curriculum is faster, but then I hear that they follow the same curriculum for language arts, science, and social studies, and do not go beyond except in math. How can those go faster? They can only go more in depth in order to be more advanced, right? |
Anonymous
Because some of the general ed kids fill up the Local Level IV classes. |
Anonymous
I am 13:04. You know, my whole point for remaining at LLIV was so DS could stay in a familiar place, have friends he has known since K, etc. With the self-contained class, he will be with these same children for the next two years. My center would not be a whole lot different, as as of last year, there was only 1 class per grade. A friend mentioned that due to huge class sizes at the Center, they were considering doing a 4/5 Combo class...not sure how I feel about that at all. Anyway, I think, ideally, I would like to make sure that DS was getting the challenge he needs, but also is exposed to a wide variety of students. I hear time and again about the peer group, and truly, our LLIV is mostly LLIV eligible, but quite frankly, it is more important to me that DS get used to working with, socializing with, etc. all types of children. Isn't that what real life is about? I think in LLIV when it is self contained, when there are peer difficulties, it can be really tough knowing that you are not going to get student variety any time soon. I think the biggest things standing in the way of FCPS offering differentiation to all students is class size. If there was some way to reduce class size to around 20 in upper grades (I know dream world), teachers would be able to better differentiate for all students. For now, we have been pretty pleased with the curriculum at our LLIV, with the exception of the lack of 4th grade science. I understand that this is common even in AAP centers in 4th grade though, with the focus on the Math, LA and History SOL's |
Anonymous
| 13:04. So your child's class is self contained or integrated then? If self contained, if it switched to being integrated, do you think you'd have the same or better experience? |
Anonymous
| 13:04. My son's class is currently self-contained. I am not sure if that will be different for 5th or 6th at our school, he is my oldest. I think, at the very least, it would be nice to have them integrated for specials and lunch. A friend has her son in LLIV at another school. They have a homeroom class, that is mixed. Those children attend specials and lunch together. Generally, the AAP kids from each homeroom do travel together to their academic subjects, I think unless there is a child who is in advanced math. I think this sounds like a reasonable compromise. I do not like having LLIV where the AAP kids are not integrated for even specials and lunch. In my opinion, it creates division among parents and students, one that I would not like to be a part of. |
Anonymous
| I agree, that sounds like a nice compromise. I think the local level IV programs that are integrated though are more integrated than just for specials, lunch, recess, and homeroom. I'm just not sure how those integrated academic classrooms really work. |
Anonymous
| 13:04 again. Indeed, I bet if we looked into LLIV at 5 schools, we would have 5 different ways it is implemented. Thinking that for them to truly make LLIV work, there need to be some level of consistency among schools. |
Anonymous
| my son is at a center. he is integrated for specials and also for word study. |
Anonymous
| Our school has one local level IV class and it is self contained, however I believe it has few level IV students. I do wish the administration would be more forthcoming with information so that more level IV kids would choose to stay. |
Anonymous
Our school had 6 Center-eligible students this year. 4 are going to the Center and 2 are staying at the base school for Local Level IV. |
Anonymous
| That doesn't make sense - they would not have a LLIV class if so few children are found eligible (ie a small school). Our school has up to 30 qualifying in a year. |
Anonymous
Here are several examples of That Doesn't Make Sense. 3rd grade Center-Eligible Students from 2009-2010 screening process BRADDOCK ELEM 3 CAMELOT ELEM 3 CAMERON ELEM 3 CHERRY RUN ELEM 8 COLUMBIA ELEM 7 FREEDOM HILL ELEM 9 GLEN FOREST ELEM 7 LITTLE RUN ELEM 9 SILVERBROOK ELEM 7 TIMBER LANE ELEM 5 WASHINGTON MILL ELEM 4 WESTLAWN ELEM 6 source: http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.n...FILE/AttachmentA.pdf What really Doesn't Make Sense is that this information is not easily available when parents are making a decision between Local Level IV and AAP Center placement. |
Anonymous
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My kid stayed at the local school (Oak View) for level IV AAP. The curriculum is exactly the same as at the center (Willow Springs) and every student in the class is level IV eligible.
We stayed home because (1) the AAP specialist at OV is outstanding, (2) we liked the principal at OV MUCH better, (3) the curriculum and the standards are exactly the same, (4) my kid gets to keep to keep some friends who are not in the level IV AAP, and (5) it's easier. They go to a different teacher for math, and some of the level III kids join their math class. My only point of dissatisfaction is I don't think much of the 4th grade teacher. On the other hand, the 5th grade teacher is one of the best I've ever seen (and this is my 18th year with a kid in grade school). |