If you have kids in both AAP and gen ed, do you see a big difference in curriculum?

[Anonymous]

I think the real difference, and it is truly unfortunate, is in how the teachers treat the kids. Kids in AAP and honors were given more respect and given more enjoyable work, while kids in gen ed seemed to be yelled at a lot, and given work often beneath them and then punished if they were bored. Due to the team structure, these could be the same teachers but due to the labels the kids are treated differently and understandably start to behave differently and think about themselves differently. Kids got in trouble in gen ed and sent to the principal for a small violation that an aap kid would not even be reprimanded for. This is based on what my honors and aap kids have said- I do not have a kid in gen ed but I have observed enough to notice this extremely unfair and negative pattern as well.

[Anonymous]

Yes indeed. Don't believe what multiple posters have said, that in AAP classrooms they take the same curriculum and go deeper and at a faster pace.

The real truth is that they keep the gen ed kids in dank rooms, where raw sewage flows, and waterboard them if they so much as speak out of turn, while the AAP kids are free to have vicious slap fights and curse out the teachers, who reward them with hand-dipped Belgian chocolates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the real difference, and it is truly unfortunate, is in how the teachers treat the kids. Kids in AAP and honors were given more respect and given more enjoyable work, while kids in gen ed seemed to be yelled at a lot, and given work often beneath them and then punished if they were bored. Due to the team structure, these could be the same teachers but due to the labels the kids are treated differently and understandably start to behave differently and think about themselves differently. Kids got in trouble in gen ed and sent to the principal for a small violation that an aap kid would not even be reprimanded for. This is based on what my honors and aap kids have said- I do not have a kid in gen ed but I have observed enough to notice this extremely unfair and negative pattern as well.

Yes and no. I do have a child in Gen Ed. I haven't noticed much of what your kids have told you, but I do think the labeling makes teachers, consciously or not, treat the two groups differently - though I think it's more subtle than what you describe. I volunteer at school a lot and I've certainly seen plenty of AAP kids hauled out into the hallway for misbehaving/disrespect, etc. That group of kids, like any other, definitely has its share of behavior problems.

But the labeling of one group as "Gen Ed" does make that group of kids think less of themselves - how could it not? Especially in centers where they're surrounded by kids labeled "AAP." Somehow, it's become less-than to be working at grade level, which is bizarre. It's a very us-and-them mentality, and not healthy for anyone. I think it's unfortunate (to say the least) that FCPS sees fit to give labels like these to kids, most of whom aren't that different from one another, and who, a decade ago, would have been learning side-by-side in the same classrooms with no issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That really depends on where you are because there is no Caesars or the other items the pp mentioned where we are.

Oh my gosh! Poor you. You know children who don't have Caesar's English can't possibly succeed in life. Who TF cares? Why not worry about something that really matters?

The middle school stuff is definitely true, as I remember from my 2 in Gen Ed vs. 1 in AAP. The English for AAP just went deeper and I think the overall class was more enjoyable. This made me sad for my son who loved to read and really has a talent for writing. But you know what? In HS he pursued that talent and took honors classes and now plans to major in English and creative writing. AAP, not-AAP simply does not matter that much. If I could offer anyone reading these comparative posts advice, I'd say, ignore them. In the long run and really even in the short-run, kids will find their way -- even if they aren't led by the nose by an AAP teacher/curriculum.

Don Rickles, alive and well and posting on DCUM.

It's not every day that you see a Don Rickes reference included in an attempted burn. Are you in your 80s PP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That really depends on where you are because there is no Caesars or the other items the pp mentioned where we are.

Oh my gosh! Poor you. You know children who don't have Caesar's English can't possibly succeed in life. Who TF cares? Why not worry about something that really matters?

The middle school stuff is definitely true, as I remember from my 2 in Gen Ed vs. 1 in AAP. The English for AAP just went deeper and I think the overall class was more enjoyable. This made me sad for my son who loved to read and really has a talent for writing. But you know what? In HS he pursued that talent and took honors classes and now plans to major in English and creative writing. AAP, not-AAP simply does not matter that much. If I could offer anyone reading these comparative posts advice, I'd say, ignore them. In the long run and really even in the short-run, kids will find their way -- even if they aren't led by the nose by an AAP teacher/curriculum.

Don Rickles, alive and well and posting on DCUM.

It's not every day that you see a Don Rickes reference included in an attempted burn. Are you in your 80s PP?

It's "Rickles" you hockey puck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the real difference, and it is truly unfortunate, is in how the teachers treat the kids. Kids in AAP and honors were given more respect and given more enjoyable work, while kids in gen ed seemed to be yelled at a lot, and given work often beneath them and then punished if they were bored. Due to the team structure, these could be the same teachers but due to the labels the kids are treated differently and understandably start to behave differently and think about themselves differently. Kids got in trouble in gen ed and sent to the principal for a small violation that an aap kid would not even be reprimanded for. This is based on what my honors and aap kids have said- I do not have a kid in gen ed but I have observed enough to notice this extremely unfair and negative pattern as well.

Yes and no. I do have a child in Gen Ed. I haven't noticed much of what your kids have told you, but I do think the labeling makes teachers, consciously or not, treat the two groups differently - though I think it's more subtle than what you describe. I volunteer at school a lot and I've certainly seen plenty of AAP kids hauled out into the hallway for misbehaving/disrespect, etc. That group of kids, like any other, definitely has its share of behavior problems.

But the labeling of one group as "Gen Ed" does make that group of kids think less of themselves - how could it not? Especially in centers where they're surrounded by kids labeled "AAP." Somehow, it's become less-than to be working at grade level, which is bizarre. It's a very us-and-them mentality, and not healthy for anyone. I think it's unfortunate (to say the least) that FCPS sees fit to give labels like these to kids, most of whom aren't that different from one another, and who, a decade ago, would have been learning side-by-side in the same classrooms with no issues.

A small, but important correction, AAP and Gen Ed are what the different curriculums are called. The children themselves are not 'labeled' anything. Students are not seen or defined by that one single factor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the real difference, and it is truly unfortunate, is in how the teachers treat the kids. Kids in AAP and honors were given more respect and given more enjoyable work, while kids in gen ed seemed to be yelled at a lot, and given work often beneath them and then punished if they were bored. Due to the team structure, these could be the same teachers but due to the labels the kids are treated differently and understandably start to behave differently and think about themselves differently. Kids got in trouble in gen ed and sent to the principal for a small violation that an aap kid would not even be reprimanded for. This is based on what my honors and aap kids have said- I do not have a kid in gen ed but I have observed enough to notice this extremely unfair and negative pattern as well.

Yes and no. I do have a child in Gen Ed. I haven't noticed much of what your kids have told you, but I do think the labeling makes teachers, consciously or not, treat the two groups differently - though I think it's more subtle than what you describe. I volunteer at school a lot and I've certainly seen plenty of AAP kids hauled out into the hallway for misbehaving/disrespect, etc. That group of kids, like any other, definitely has its share of behavior problems.

But the labeling of one group as "Gen Ed" does make that group of kids think less of themselves - how could it not? Especially in centers where they're surrounded by kids labeled "AAP." Somehow, it's become less-than to be working at grade level, which is bizarre. It's a very us-and-them mentality, and not healthy for anyone. I think it's unfortunate (to say the least) that FCPS sees fit to give labels like these to kids, most of whom aren't that different from one another, and who, a decade ago, would have been learning side-by-side in the same classrooms with no issues.

A small, but important correction, AAP and Gen Ed are what the different curriculums are called. The children themselves are not 'labeled' anything. Students are not seen or defined by that one single factor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the real difference, and it is truly unfortunate, is in how the teachers treat the kids. Kids in AAP and honors were given more respect and given more enjoyable work, while kids in gen ed seemed to be yelled at a lot, and given work often beneath them and then punished if they were bored. Due to the team structure, these could be the same teachers but due to the labels the kids are treated differently and understandably start to behave differently and think about themselves differently. Kids got in trouble in gen ed and sent to the principal for a small violation that an aap kid would not even be reprimanded for. This is based on what my honors and aap kids have said- I do not have a kid in gen ed but I have observed enough to notice this extremely unfair and negative pattern as well.

Yes and no. I do have a child in Gen Ed. I haven't noticed much of what your kids have told you, but I do think the labeling makes teachers, consciously or not, treat the two groups differently - though I think it's more subtle than what you describe. I volunteer at school a lot and I've certainly seen plenty of AAP kids hauled out into the hallway for misbehaving/disrespect, etc. That group of kids, like any other, definitely has its share of behavior problems.

But the labeling of one group as "Gen Ed" does make that group of kids think less of themselves - how could it not? Especially in centers where they're surrounded by kids labeled "AAP." Somehow, it's become less-than to be working at grade level, which is bizarre. It's a very us-and-them mentality, and not healthy for anyone. I think it's unfortunate (to say the least) that FCPS sees fit to give labels like these to kids, most of whom aren't that different from one another, and who, a decade ago, would have been learning side-by-side in the same classrooms with no issues.

A small, but important correction, AAP and Gen Ed are what the different curriculums are called. The children themselves are not 'labeled' anything. Students are not seen or defined by that one single factor.

Unfortunately, this is completely incorrect if we're talking about how the kids perceive one another, particularly at center schools. You can hear the kids referring to one another as such all the time. "Oh, Larla B? She's AAP. Larla S. is Gen Ed. I don't really know her." Or vice versa. For the most part, they are separate groups. Which is really sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the real difference, and it is truly unfortunate, is in how the teachers treat the kids. Kids in AAP and honors were given more respect and given more enjoyable work, while kids in gen ed seemed to be yelled at a lot, and given work often beneath them and then punished if they were bored. Due to the team structure, these could be the same teachers but due to the labels the kids are treated differently and understandably start to behave differently and think about themselves differently. Kids got in trouble in gen ed and sent to the principal for a small violation that an aap kid would not even be reprimanded for. This is based on what my honors and aap kids have said- I do not have a kid in gen ed but I have observed enough to notice this extremely unfair and negative pattern as well.

Yes and no. I do have a child in Gen Ed. I haven't noticed much of what your kids have told you, but I do think the labeling makes teachers, consciously or not, treat the two groups differently - though I think it's more subtle than what you describe. I volunteer at school a lot and I've certainly seen plenty of AAP kids hauled out into the hallway for misbehaving/disrespect, etc. That group of kids, like any other, definitely has its share of behavior problems.

But the labeling of one group as "Gen Ed" does make that group of kids think less of themselves - how could it not? Especially in centers where they're surrounded by kids labeled "AAP." Somehow, it's become less-than to be working at grade level, which is bizarre. It's a very us-and-them mentality, and not healthy for anyone. I think it's unfortunate (to say the least) that FCPS sees fit to give labels like these to kids, most of whom aren't that different from one another, and who, a decade ago, would have been learning side-by-side in the same classrooms with no issues.

A small, but important correction, AAP and Gen Ed are what the different curriculums are called. The children themselves are not 'labeled' anything. Students are not seen or defined by that one single factor.

Unfortunately, this is completely incorrect if we're talking about how the kids perceive one another, particularly at center schools. You can hear the kids referring to one another as such all the time. "Oh, Larla B? She's AAP. Larla S. is Gen Ed. I don't really know her." Or vice versa. For the most part, they are separate groups. Which is really sad.

Will it be really sad when the kids/parents select Gen Ed or Honors in middle school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the real difference, and it is truly unfortunate, is in how the teachers treat the kids. Kids in AAP and honors were given more respect and given more enjoyable work, while kids in gen ed seemed to be yelled at a lot, and given work often beneath them and then punished if they were bored. Due to the team structure, these could be the same teachers but due to the labels the kids are treated differently and understandably start to behave differently and think about themselves differently. Kids got in trouble in gen ed and sent to the principal for a small violation that an aap kid would not even be reprimanded for. This is based on what my honors and aap kids have said- I do not have a kid in gen ed but I have observed enough to notice this extremely unfair and negative pattern as well.

Yes and no. I do have a child in Gen Ed. I haven't noticed much of what your kids have told you, but I do think the labeling makes teachers, consciously or not, treat the two groups differently - though I think it's more subtle than what you describe. I volunteer at school a lot and I've certainly seen plenty of AAP kids hauled out into the hallway for misbehaving/disrespect, etc. That group of kids, like any other, definitely has its share of behavior problems.

But the labeling of one group as "Gen Ed" does make that group of kids think less of themselves - how could it not? Especially in centers where they're surrounded by kids labeled "AAP." Somehow, it's become less-than to be working at grade level, which is bizarre. It's a very us-and-them mentality, and not healthy for anyone. I think it's unfortunate (to say the least) that FCPS sees fit to give labels like these to kids, most of whom aren't that different from one another, and who, a decade ago, would have been learning side-by-side in the same classrooms with no issues.

A small, but important correction, AAP and Gen Ed are what the different curriculums are called. The children themselves are not 'labeled' anything. Students are not seen or defined by that one single factor.

Unfortunately, this is completely incorrect if we're talking about how the kids perceive one another, particularly at center schools. You can hear the kids referring to one another as such all the time. "Oh, Larla B? She's AAP. Larla S. is Gen Ed. I don't really know her." Or vice versa. For the most part, they are separate groups. Which is really sad.

Will it be really sad when the kids/parents select Gen Ed or Honors in middle school?

Well, since the kids/parents can self-select either Gen Ed or Honors in middle school (and AP in high school), no, it will not be sad. Somehow, choosing the most appropriate level for yourself/your child is a lot more liberating than than having a label or level foisted on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the real difference, and it is truly unfortunate, is in how the teachers treat the kids. Kids in AAP and honors were given more respect and given more enjoyable work, while kids in gen ed seemed to be yelled at a lot, and given work often beneath them and then punished if they were bored. Due to the team structure, these could be the same teachers but due to the labels the kids are treated differently and understandably start to behave differently and think about themselves differently. Kids got in trouble in gen ed and sent to the principal for a small violation that an aap kid would not even be reprimanded for. This is based on what my honors and aap kids have said- I do not have a kid in gen ed but I have observed enough to notice this extremely unfair and negative pattern as well.

Yes and no. I do have a child in Gen Ed. I haven't noticed much of what your kids have told you, but I do think the labeling makes teachers, consciously or not, treat the two groups differently - though I think it's more subtle than what you describe. I volunteer at school a lot and I've certainly seen plenty of AAP kids hauled out into the hallway for misbehaving/disrespect, etc. That group of kids, like any other, definitely has its share of behavior problems.

But the labeling of one group as "Gen Ed" does make that group of kids think less of themselves - how could it not? Especially in centers where they're surrounded by kids labeled "AAP." Somehow, it's become less-than to be working at grade level, which is bizarre. It's a very us-and-them mentality, and not healthy for anyone. I think it's unfortunate (to say the least) that FCPS sees fit to give labels like these to kids, most of whom aren't that different from one another, and who, a decade ago, would have been learning side-by-side in the same classrooms with no issues.

A small, but important correction, AAP and Gen Ed are what the different curriculums are called. The children themselves are not 'labeled' anything. Students are not seen or defined by that one single factor.

Unfortunately, this is completely incorrect if we're talking about how the kids perceive one another, particularly at center schools. You can hear the kids referring to one another as such all the time. "Oh, Larla B? She's AAP. Larla S. is Gen Ed. I don't really know her." Or vice versa. For the most part, they are separate groups. Which is really sad.

Will it be really sad when the kids/parents select Gen Ed or Honors in middle school?

Well, since the kids/parents can self-select either Gen Ed or Honors in middle school (and AP in high school), no, it will not be sad. Somehow, choosing the most appropriate level for yourself/your child is a lot more liberating than than having a label or level foisted on you.

So you acknowledge that separating students is not actually a problem with AAP. You're making progress. Now, work on trusting the school system to know a little more about elementary education than yourself. After all, they are the same folks running the middle school program you find so, um, "liberating".