WWYD? DD doesn't want to apply for AAP

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you for your thoughtful responses. It is difficult, as a parent, to know when to push and when to let your kid do what they want. I'm leaning towards letting her skip AAP, and insisting that she start the harder classes (Honors) in MS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As the others have said, math doors will not be closed whether a child is in AAP or not. Remember, everything starts over in 9th grade. Anyone can take honors or AP and plenty of kids who were never in AAP are every bit as successful in high school as kids who came up through AAP.

Math doors may not be closed but they are more likely to be opened for a child who is in AAP.

It is not a good thing to encourage mediocrity in children who have the capability to do better.

Glad you're not my parent. 1. you're wrong about math --a smart math kid will get into all the higher math he/she wants. it's not a race, it's about readiness. and I've seen plenty of AAP kids have to retake algebra or geometry in middle school -- so much for their big advantage.

2. Gen. Ed isn't mediocrity in one of the top school systems in the country. Sounds like your kids can't excel without constant pressure and being put in an advanced group to push them along. Intelligence doesn't wilt and die as long as kids are challenged or learn to challenge themselves. I am so sick of posters fanning the" AAP or life fail" flames because of their own insecurity/ignorance.

Please walk, don't run to find a video of Race to Nowhere

Oh, and I had a kid in GT, btw. DC would have done fine either way.

I am sorry to say you are clueless; this is nothing to do with "fanning the flames" ......... and one does not need to constantly pressure kids. But encouraging mediocrity is an outright disservice to a bright kid. But believe whatever you will.

And as far having a kid in GT, big fricking deal!

I mentioned having a kid in GT for some context. Too often opinions are dismissed on these forum if people think you have no personal knowledge of AAP/GT.

And again, remind me how sending a kid to a public school where she is happy and learning is encouraging mediocrity? By your logic a "bright" child has no business in GE, which is funny since GE is full of bright kids. AAP in its original iteration ( and the only one truly supported by state law) was set up for kids whose needs were so unique they couldn't be met in a base school and these kids, these outliers -- had to be brought together in a center in order to be with a critical mass of their intellectual peers. That's no longer the majority of kids in AAP and you can no longer say many of the AAP kids are any smarter than a lot of children who stay in Gen Ed.


More evidence that the whole program is flawed and really no more than School Board sanctioned tracking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As the others have said, math doors will not be closed whether a child is in AAP or not. Remember, everything starts over in 9th grade. Anyone can take honors or AP and plenty of kids who were never in AAP are every bit as successful in high school as kids who came up through AAP.

Math doors may not be closed but they are more likely to be opened for a child who is in AAP.

It is not a good thing to encourage mediocrity in children who have the capability to do better.

Glad you're not my parent. 1. you're wrong about math --a smart math kid will get into all the higher math he/she wants. it's not a race, it's about readiness. and I've seen plenty of AAP kids have to retake algebra or geometry in middle school -- so much for their big advantage.

2. Gen. Ed isn't mediocrity in one of the top school systems in the country. Sounds like your kids can't excel without constant pressure and being put in an advanced group to push them along. Intelligence doesn't wilt and die as long as kids are challenged or learn to challenge themselves. I am so sick of posters fanning the" AAP or life fail" flames because of their own insecurity/ignorance.

Please walk, don't run to find a video of Race to Nowhere

Oh, and I had a kid in GT, btw. DC would have done fine either way.

I am sorry to say you are clueless; this is nothing to do with "fanning the flames" ......... and one does not need to constantly pressure kids. But encouraging mediocrity is an outright disservice to a bright kid. But believe whatever you will.

And as far having a kid in GT, big fricking deal!

I mentioned having a kid in GT for some context. Too often opinions are dismissed on these forum if people think you have no personal knowledge of AAP/GT.

And again, remind me how sending a kid to a public school where she is happy and learning is encouraging mediocrity? By your logic a "bright" child has no business in GE, which is funny since GE is full of bright kids. AAP in its original iteration ( and the only one truly supported by state law) was set up for kids whose needs were so unique they couldn't be met in a base school and these kids, these outliers -- had to be brought together in a center in order to be with a critical mass of their intellectual peers. That's no longer the majority of kids in AAP and you can no longer say many of the AAP kids are any smarter than a lot of children who stay in Gen Ed.


More evidence that the whole program is flawed and really no more than School Board sanctioned tracking.

Opinions and evidence are two different things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As the others have said, math doors will not be closed whether a child is in AAP or not. Remember, everything starts over in 9th grade. Anyone can take honors or AP and plenty of kids who were never in AAP are every bit as successful in high school as kids who came up through AAP.

Math doors may not be closed but they are more likely to be opened for a child who is in AAP.

It is not a good thing to encourage mediocrity in children who have the capability to do better.

Glad you're not my parent. 1. you're wrong about math --a smart math kid will get into all the higher math he/she wants. it's not a race, it's about readiness. and I've seen plenty of AAP kids have to retake algebra or geometry in middle school -- so much for their big advantage.

2. Gen. Ed isn't mediocrity in one of the top school systems in the country. Sounds like your kids can't excel without constant pressure and being put in an advanced group to push them along. Intelligence doesn't wilt and die as long as kids are challenged or learn to challenge themselves. I am so sick of posters fanning the" AAP or life fail" flames because of their own insecurity/ignorance.

Please walk, don't run to find a video of Race to Nowhere

Oh, and I had a kid in GT, btw. DC would have done fine either way.

I am sorry to say you are clueless; this is nothing to do with "fanning the flames" ......... and one does not need to constantly pressure kids. But encouraging mediocrity is an outright disservice to a bright kid. But believe whatever you will.

And as far having a kid in GT, big fricking deal!

I mentioned having a kid in GT for some context. Too often opinions are dismissed on these forum if people think you have no personal knowledge of AAP/GT.

And again, remind me how sending a kid to a public school where she is happy and learning is encouraging mediocrity? By your logic a "bright" child has no business in GE, which is funny since GE is full of bright kids. AAP in its original iteration ( and the only one truly supported by state law) was set up for kids whose needs were so unique they couldn't be met in a base school and these kids, these outliers -- had to be brought together in a center in order to be with a critical mass of their intellectual peers. That's no longer the majority of kids in AAP and you can no longer say many of the AAP kids are any smarter than a lot of children who stay in Gen Ed.


More evidence that the whole program is flawed and really no more than School Board sanctioned tracking.

YES. You are absolutely correct. Ask any FCPS administrator and they will tell you the same thing. It's the parents of AAP students who just don't want word to get out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As the others have said, math doors will not be closed whether a child is in AAP or not. Remember, everything starts over in 9th grade. Anyone can take honors or AP and plenty of kids who were never in AAP are every bit as successful in high school as kids who came up through AAP.

Math doors may not be closed but they are more likely to be opened for a child who is in AAP.

It is not a good thing to encourage mediocrity in children who have the capability to do better.

Glad you're not my parent. 1. you're wrong about math --a smart math kid will get into all the higher math he/she wants. it's not a race, it's about readiness. and I've seen plenty of AAP kids have to retake algebra or geometry in middle school -- so much for their big advantage.

2. Gen. Ed isn't mediocrity in one of the top school systems in the country. Sounds like your kids can't excel without constant pressure and being put in an advanced group to push them along. Intelligence doesn't wilt and die as long as kids are challenged or learn to challenge themselves. I am so sick of posters fanning the" AAP or life fail" flames because of their own insecurity/ignorance.

Please walk, don't run to find a video of Race to Nowhere

Oh, and I had a kid in GT, btw. DC would have done fine either way.

I am sorry to say you are clueless; this is nothing to do with "fanning the flames" ......... and one does not need to constantly pressure kids. But encouraging mediocrity is an outright disservice to a bright kid. But believe whatever you will.

And as far having a kid in GT, big fricking deal!

I mentioned having a kid in GT for some context. Too often opinions are dismissed on these forum if people think you have no personal knowledge of AAP/GT.

And again, remind me how sending a kid to a public school where she is happy and learning is encouraging mediocrity? By your logic a "bright" child has no business in GE, which is funny since GE is full of bright kids. AAP in its original iteration ( and the only one truly supported by state law) was set up for kids whose needs were so unique they couldn't be met in a base school and these kids, these outliers -- had to be brought together in a center in order to be with a critical mass of their intellectual peers. That's no longer the majority of kids in AAP and you can no longer say many of the AAP kids are any smarter than a lot of children who stay in Gen Ed.


More evidence that the whole program is flawed and really no more than School Board sanctioned tracking.

YES. You are absolutely correct. Ask any FCPS administrator and they will tell you the same thing. It's the parents of AAP students who just don't want word to get out.

If this isn't sock puppeting, it's collusion. Same thing posted over and over again.

[Anonymous]

^^The fact that you keep seeing it ought to tell you something....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you for your thoughtful responses. It is difficult, as a parent, to know when to push and when to let your kid do what they want. I'm leaning towards letting her skip AAP, and insisting that she start the harder classes (Honors) in MS.

Good luck, OP. She'll do fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As the others have said, math doors will not be closed whether a child is in AAP or not. Remember, everything starts over in 9th grade. Anyone can take honors or AP and plenty of kids who were never in AAP are every bit as successful in high school as kids who came up through AAP.

Math doors may not be closed but they are more likely to be opened for a child who is in AAP.

It is not a good thing to encourage mediocrity in children who have the capability to do better.

Glad you're not my parent. 1. you're wrong about math --a smart math kid will get into all the higher math he/she wants. it's not a race, it's about readiness. and I've seen plenty of AAP kids have to retake algebra or geometry in middle school -- so much for their big advantage.

2. Gen. Ed isn't mediocrity in one of the top school systems in the country. Sounds like your kids can't excel without constant pressure and being put in an advanced group to push them along. Intelligence doesn't wilt and die as long as kids are challenged or learn to challenge themselves. I am so sick of posters fanning the" AAP or life fail" flames because of their own insecurity/ignorance.

Please walk, don't run to find a video of Race to Nowhere

Oh, and I had a kid in GT, btw. DC would have done fine either way.

I am sorry to say you are clueless; this is nothing to do with "fanning the flames" ......... and one does not need to constantly pressure kids. But encouraging mediocrity is an outright disservice to a bright kid. But believe whatever you will.

And as far having a kid in GT, big fricking deal!

I mentioned having a kid in GT for some context. Too often opinions are dismissed on these forum if people think you have no personal knowledge of AAP/GT.

And again, remind me how sending a kid to a public school where she is happy and learning is encouraging mediocrity? By your logic a "bright" child has no business in GE, which is funny since GE is full of bright kids. AAP in its original iteration ( and the only one truly supported by state law) was set up for kids whose needs were so unique they couldn't be met in a base school and these kids, these outliers -- had to be brought together in a center in order to be with a critical mass of their intellectual peers. That's no longer the majority of kids in AAP and you can no longer say many of the AAP kids are any smarter than a lot of children who stay in Gen Ed.


More evidence that the whole program is flawed and really no more than School Board sanctioned tracking.

YES. You are absolutely correct. Ask any FCPS administrator and they will tell you the same thing. It's the parents of AAP students who just don't want word to get out.

If this isn't sock puppeting, it's collusion. Same thing posted over and over again.

What on earth are you blabbering on about? I know it's painful to have the obvious pointed out again and again, but perhaps that should tell you something about how AAP is viewed by a lot of people. If you don't want to hear it, feel free to move along rather than lazily accusing posters of sock puppeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
What on earth are you blabbering on about? I know it's painful to have the obvious pointed out again and again, but perhaps that should tell you something about how AAP is viewed by a lot of people. If you don't want to hear it, feel free to move along rather than lazily accusing posters of sock puppeting.

Yet again, DCUM does not represent reality.

[Anonymous]

Good luck OP, she'll do fine in or out of AAP. (It's the parents that make the big deal about it because it becomes their badge-of-honor sadly.)

[Anonymous]

OP, our DD had the same attitude. However, she's the classic underachiever--unlike her non-AAP siblings, who are very self-motivated. She did complain all the time about being bored in class, and we got a few calls from the teacher about her distracting other students. I could care less about the "status" of AAP, but I did think she needed a more challenging environment.

We ended up telling her to do her best on the test (as we do with everything) and that we'd talk about AAP if she even became eligible. She did, and we still kept open minds until the orientation. She warmed up that night--they did some critical-thinking exercises that she found fun, and I think she realized it really could be a good place for her.

She is now at the center, and we all feel we made the best choice. She's very happy at school, and I have yet to get a call about her goofing off.

I wouldn't push, but I wouldn't close that door, either. In the end, DD wanted to go to AAP, but had she not, we would have insisted on her trying it for a year, for everyone's sake. I'm super-permissive on my kids making their own decisions, but I would not allow a 7- or 8-year-old (who has not even tried the program) to take charge of her education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, our DD had the same attitude. However, she's the classic underachiever--unlike her non-AAP siblings, who are very self-motivated. She did complain all the time about being bored in class, and we got a few calls from the teacher about her distracting other students. I could care less about the "status" of AAP, but I did think she needed a more challenging environment.

We ended up telling her to do her best on the test (as we do with everything) and that we'd talk about AAP if she even became eligible. She did, and we still kept open minds until the orientation. She warmed up that night--they did some critical-thinking exercises that she found fun, and I think she realized it really could be a good place for her.

She is now at the center, and we all feel we made the best choice. She's very happy at school, and I have yet to get a call about her goofing off.

I wouldn't push, but I wouldn't close that door, either. In the end, DD wanted to go to AAP, but had she not, we would have insisted on her trying it for a year, for everyone's sake. I'm super-permissive on my kids making their own decisions, but I would not allow a 7- or 8-year-old (who has not even tried the program) to take charge of her education.

OP's child may not be a good ft for AAP, though. That can make all the difference in a terrible experience, even if Just for a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What on earth are you blabbering on about? I know it's painful to have the obvious pointed out again and again, but perhaps that should tell you something about how AAP is viewed by a lot of people. If you don't want to hear it, feel free to move along rather than lazily accusing posters of sock puppeting.

Yet again, DCUM does not represent reality.

Even the put-downs ("what on earth are you blabbering about...") are the same-old, same-old. Guessing that PP is very fond of the royal "we" to describe herself, too. Sad.

[Anonymous]

A culture of excellence needs to be inculcated in our children whether in AAP or not.

This is what seems to be almost ignored in most of these discussions. It is also the reason why the US lags many other countries in education.

Parents find every excuse under the sun why this is not good for the kids or end up blaming the teachers, the lack of funding, etc. What they will not do is to accept responsibility for their own role in their kids not doing well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, our DD had the same attitude. However, she's the classic underachiever--unlike her non-AAP siblings, who are very self-motivated. She did complain all the time about being bored in class, and we got a few calls from the teacher about her distracting other students. I could care less about the "status" of AAP, but I did think she needed a more challenging environment.

We ended up telling her to do her best on the test (as we do with everything) and that we'd talk about AAP if she even became eligible. She did, and we still kept open minds until the orientation. She warmed up that night--they did some critical-thinking exercises that she found fun, and I think she realized it really could be a good place for her.

She is now at the center, and we all feel we made the best choice. She's very happy at school, and I have yet to get a call about her goofing off.

I wouldn't push, but I wouldn't close that door, either. In the end, DD wanted to go to AAP, but had she not, we would have insisted on her trying it for a year, for everyone's sake. I'm super-permissive on my kids making their own decisions, but I would not allow a 7- or 8-year-old (who has not even tried the program) to take charge of her education.

OP's child may not be a good ft for AAP, though. That can make all the difference in a terrible experience, even if Just for a year.

Sure, but maybe she would. We didn't know, either. Unless you (the parents) are opposed to AAP, and I can respect that, I can't see why a family would not at least try it out if the child qualified.