Did AAP L3 just disappear?

[Anonymous]

My DC's ES changed LLIII from a pull out to something else when they became a LLIV school. Now the LLIII, are in a core LIV class for some but not all core subjects. It mostly applies to math, but there are some "LIII" students in the other core courses.

[Anonymous]

Math is what I worry about the most. Since she is a good reader and a curious child, the other core areas can easily be addressed outside the school, simply by providing a good book or activity.

But math takes time and practice, and I get a tired child when she comes home, not one fresh from a good night sleep and breakfast. And we still have to do homework.

I did promise her that home math would supersede school math homework if she can show both me and her teacher that she works at an advanced level. We'll see how that will work.

[Anonymous]

not true. Louise Archer is a center and they push in all day long!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Math is what I worry about the most. Since she is a good reader and a curious child, the other core areas can easily be addressed outside the school, simply by providing a good book or activity.

But math takes time and practice, and I get a tired child when she comes home, not one fresh from a good night sleep and breakfast. And we still have to do homework.

I did promise her that home math would supersede school math homework if she can show both me and her teacher that she works at an advanced level. We'll see how that will work.

For her to be in the advanced math class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd keep her in Gened and encourage her to work harder. She can learn plenty there.

The OP's dd has ADHD. OP - you can get lots of advice on the special needs forum. They understand that ADHD kids are not just being lazy as this PP seems to be saying.

[Anonymous]

Right, but here is the problem -- they don't move kids around for advanced classes anymore! They say they just do it in the classroom.

But the class size is the same, and the AAP teacher is focused on building a new program, not on helping GE kids! So I don't see how that can be true!

[Anonymous]

Interesting. I posted this question a couple weeks ago when I noticed our LIII AAP instructor was no longer listed in the staff directory. The school hasn't said anything so far, though DC has been wondering when AAP class will start.

I did love the confidence boost the pull-out gave my DC (who has ADHD and has no confidence socially), and DC loved the projects and instructor. That said, LIII was riddled with kids whose parents clearly requested (read: demanded) they be included, and as the class size grew, the program became more dumbed-down every year. Last year DC told me half the kids wouldn't even complete the assignments, which seemed to both of us fun and interesting.

It'll be interesting to see if our classroom teachers can adequately differentiate on a student-by-student basis. If so, maybe it's time to narrow the center populations to truly gifted children?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The real solution is to spend more time in the early grades making sure the basics are covered, so that all / most children can participate in a more advanced curriculum. Right now, the kids in the middle get penalized.

+1000 We placed our DC into private for this very reason. Makes me angry that we pay so much in taxes and yet our children (unless they are in overblown AAP) get completely overlooked.

[Anonymous]

I really think that the profoundly gifted students need more off a mentorship situation, rather than a special classroom. That 1-2 kid per school really needs a dedicated teacher to work with him / her and help them grow and make connections that most children cannot. The AAP classes would still not serve those children well.

But they do deplete the GE classes of the easier students to teach, dramatically dropping the level of learning from an already deflated level in 2nd grade. So for those kids who stay in GE, but have an interest in learning, it can be a true shock.

As it't set, AAP helps only a few parents and kids show off. It also frees teachers to experiment with innovation, to great success. It is beyond me why it has to be this narrow. If AAP kids (as many as 30% of the kids in some schools!) need something besides the normal curriculum, is it not time to examine that curriculum and replace with something better? 30% of the kids are not exceptional -- they are just those kids who did well on the regular curriculum. 30% or less. Chances are those in GE classes are the children this system leaves behind...

Just a different way to look at it.

[Anonymous]

^^^^ Ask for her to be in the advanced math class.^^^^^

[Anonymous]

At our school, we had one dc at this level and it was just pull- out once a week for 12 weeks ( english/ reading) and then another 12 weeks for math -- if you " qualify" for both. I thought " why bother." Although, in 4 th grade through 6 th it will be compacted math and that is just like like the aap center math kids - in my opinion.

I say that because I know some center kids ( have one there as well) go straight to algebra in 7 th ( but not all) and some kids from compacted math go to algebra in 7 th. Point being - you do not have to have been at center to do honors classes and Algebra in 7th grade/ms. I know it is frustrating but the system is what it is.

My dh would in no way consider private ( he went to one) so we did gen ed and aap for our kids. The one with adhd did not get picked up for aap like our other one. However, this gen ed kid with adhd did all honors 7 th and 8 th and made honor roll. It does all seem to work out. Try not to worry; I know it is hard not to.

[Anonymous]

My FCPS school has a full time AAP teacher who does LIII pull out weekly. The AAP teacher also teaches a lesson once a week to every class except for the kindergarteners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. I posted this question a couple weeks ago when I noticed our LIII AAP instructor was no longer listed in the staff directory. The school hasn't said anything so far, though DC has been wondering when AAP class will start.

I did love the confidence boost the pull-out gave my DC (who has ADHD and has no confidence socially), and DC loved the projects and instructor. That said, LIII was riddled with kids whose parents clearly requested (read: demanded) they be included, and as the class size grew, the program became more dumbed-down every year. Last year DC told me half the kids wouldn't even complete the assignments, which seemed to both of us fun and interesting.

It'll be interesting to see if our classroom teachers can adequately differentiate on a student-by-student basis. If so, maybe it's time to narrow the center populations to truly gifted children?

This seems to be what more and more parents are talking about -- drastically reducing the size of the AAP classes/centers. I think it's past time FCPS addressed these issues. At our school, AAP kids are the norm, not the exception. Something is drastically wrong here.

[Anonymous]

Our ES (Mosby Woods) only has a part time AAP teacher. I am not sure how it works for the advanced, but not in AAP kids if she is only there part time. Do the kids get pushed into the center (it's a center school) since she's only PT?

[Anonymous]

Nope. They simply don't get the services. Most AAP teachers know only the small groups they are assigned to teach. We had that situation before the school became a center.