What exactly is so much better/advanced at an AAP Center or Lv 4 class compared to a regular school?

[Anonymous]

Your kid will be surrounded by many kids who are innovative, imaginary and super curious;

Whoa, imaginary children! My kids did have imaginary friends when they were little, but to have a classroom full of them...wow, how cool!


(I'm not trying to make fun of anyone, I just tought this was cute and couldn't help conjuring up a mental picture of my child in class with all his imaginary friends. )

[Anonymous]

The imaginary scenario is funny I was at the playground and one boy said "your spaceship will be sucked to the black hole" and another replied "then I will do time travel to 1000 year later" and a third said "2000 year later" and then they all start to talk about aliens what they eat

[Anonymous]

Maybe there is something to feeling like you are the smartest in your elementary school class, but reality eventually catches up to you. If a child is qualified for AAP, they will likely gravitate to fields where other AAP type children are, and then know just where they stand on the "intelligence" scale. This typically happens in upper level high school courses or college. The big fish in little pond transition to bigger pond can be pretty jarring.

[Anonymous]

"



"Maybe there is something to feeling like you are the smartest in your elementary school class, but reality eventually catches up to you. If a child is qualified for AAP, they will likely gravitate to fields where other AAP type children are, and then know just where they stand on the "intelligence" scale. This typically happens in upper level high school courses or college. The big fish in little pond transition to bigger pond can be pretty jarring "

PLEASE FCPS collect data on this! From my observation, the writer is correct. The kids feel like failures when they have to go to base high school and not TJ. Most of the ones I knew did not take all honors classes.

[Anonymous]

The difference is the peer group AND the curriculum AND the pace AND the depth AND the teachers that have more experience teaching "gifted" kids (and therefore also have more experience with the social emotional needs of these kids and not "just the academics") AND the support structure (including counselors) that has more experience working with these kids.

[Anonymous]

The problem is that AAP is NOT GT. The characteristics of the truly GT student do not necessarily apply to the AAP kids. Many of them are there just because they are bright, hardworking kids with parents who want them to be identified as smarter than the rest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The difference is the peer group AND the curriculum AND the pace AND the depth AND the teachers that have more experience teaching "gifted" kids (and therefore also have more experience with the social emotional needs of these kids and not "just the academics") AND the support structure (including counselors) that has more experience working with these kids.

But where does that get you at the end of AAP that you couldn't/ wouldn't otherwise be? Not trying to argue... just trying to get a measure of the goal. If the AAP kids just get to Point B a year ahead of everyone else, then I'm not sure it's a goal I want to pursue. Are AAP kids better prepared for college? For Honors classes? For AP classes?

What are we all racing toward?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The difference is the peer group AND the curriculum AND the pace AND the depth AND the teachers that have more experience teaching "gifted" kids (and therefore also have more experience with the social emotional needs of these kids and not "just the academics") AND the support structure (including counselors) that has more experience working with these kids.

How many of the AAP children are really "gifted"? So gifted that they cannot relate to other children, and so gifted that most of their peers would pick on them for being weird? I would imagine that the subset of those children would be very small. All schools in FCPS has the SAME curriculum. AAP does go at a pace and depth that fits the class. General education also accelerates the pace and depth to meet the needs of the children in those classes. If you have an area with many smart children in general education, you would see the class move at a quicker pace and go more in depth. This is why more children in the higher income areas choose to stay at their base schools and not go to the centers. The teachers in both AAP and gen ed are great - or not. If one has a child that is teased by classmates or cannot relate to other children, then AAP may be a better fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The difference is the peer group AND the curriculum AND the pace AND the depth AND the teachers that have more experience teaching "gifted" kids (and therefore also have more experience with the social emotional needs of these kids and not "just the academics") AND the support structure (including counselors) that has more experience working with these kids.

But where does that get you at the end of AAP that you couldn't/ wouldn't otherwise be? Not trying to argue... just trying to get a measure of the goal. If the AAP kids just get to Point B a year ahead of everyone else, then I'm not sure it's a goal I want to pursue. Are AAP kids better prepared for college? For Honors classes? For AP classes?

What are we all racing toward?

It's not just about being ahead academically. The support for these kids is crucial. Being that "smart kid" who learns differently than everyone else is really difficult, and kids can choose all kinds of ways to compensate for being different, not always positive ways. Having a peer group and teachers who "get" it makes all the difference. Kids who are in a classroom that really meets their learning needs have a better chance of success and accomplishment in school and out of school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where do people here this meme that there are less disruptive dc in AAP classes? Its repeated on here so often but its simply not true.

Agree. Actually my DD finds her class more disruptive. Some of these kids are very bright but very immature.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The difference is the peer group AND the curriculum AND the pace AND the depth AND the teachers that have more experience teaching "gifted" kids (and therefore also have more experience with the social emotional needs of these kids and not "just the academics") AND the support structure (including counselors) that has more experience working with these kids.

But where does that get you at the end of AAP that you couldn't/ wouldn't otherwise be? Not trying to argue... just trying to get a measure of the goal. If the AAP kids just get to Point B a year ahead of everyone else, then I'm not sure it's a goal I want to pursue. Are AAP kids better prepared for college? For Honors classes? For AP classes?

What are we all racing toward?

It's not just about being ahead academically. The support for these kids is crucial. Being that "smart kid" who learns differently than everyone else is really difficult, and kids can choose all kinds of ways to compensate for being different, not always positive ways. Having a peer group and teachers who "get" it makes all the difference. Kids who are in a classroom that really meets their learning needs have a better chance of success and accomplishment in school and out of school.

+1000

[Anonymous]

More activities are available to AAP kids. Spelling bee, amc 8, amc10 etc. Makes a difference in resume when applying to TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More activities are available to AAP kids. Spelling bee, amc 8, amc10 etc. Makes a difference in resume when applying to TJ.

Um, I think it depends on the school. My non-AAP DCs participated in the AMC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More activities are available to AAP kids. Spelling bee, amc 8, amc10 etc. Makes a difference in resume when applying to TJ.

Just because a kid is in AAP does not necessarily mean they will end up at TJ. Also, just because a kid is in AAP does not necessarily mean they WANT to end up at TJ. Not all kids at AAP Centers apply to go to TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More activities are available to AAP kids. Spelling bee, amc 8, amc10 etc. Makes a difference in resume when applying to TJ.

These activities are also available to general education students. They may not choose to participate, but they are always welcome if they desire.