One compelling reason centers need to go
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Anonymous
You should disqualify a lot of the anti-AAP comments? Because you fancy yourself the arbiter of what is and isn't acceptable on these forums? Umm... I think not. 
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Anonymous
+1. 9:59 and 22:56 are Exhibits A and B in cringe-inducing behavior. |
Anonymous
Umm no. I think I should now disqualify a lot of the anti-AAP comments, because I've realized a lot of the anti-AAP comments are coming from 3 Colvin Run moms who are projecting their own issues with AAP at their specific school toward the entire county's AAP program. It's already realized by the school board that the McLean and Langley pyramids have many more AAP students than any other part of the county and they are already coming up with their own way of dealing with AAP at those elementary feeder schools. Why is this action not enough for the Colvin Run moms? It's been in the works for several years and just needs the impetus from them this year to make it final. I think they live in a bubble though and don't realize that there are many areas of the county that are benefitting from AAP. Colvin Run only has one feeder school other than itself - Great Falls and Great Falls has it's own LLIV program and it's under-enrolled. It's pretty easy to solve Colvin Run's issues without involving the entire county. |
Anonymous
This PP is right. Differentiation is indeed a joke. Teachers are too overwhelmed and must focus on their class's overall testing scores. So teachers end up having to teach to the kids who need the most remedial help, not come up with anything that truly interests or challenges kids who could do more in a subject. And this discussion overall misses the point that AAP is about academic aptitude, not achievement at the moment the student enters the AAP center. A kid has to show aptitude for learning, not genius scores and high reading levels etc. DCUM threads about AAP always get mired in test scores and reading grade levels etc. and no one wants to understand that kids are supposed to be placed in it because they have the ability to learn more complex things possibly at a faster pace -- not because they already enter it knowing math three grades ahead and reading at a high school level. It does happen that many kids who qualify do tend to be already advanced in what they know because they've already been learning faster than or differently from other kids, but there is a vocal group on DCUM obsessed with the idea that kids should be bona fide geniuses for any form of AAP, and everyone else should be together in the same classes getting supposed "differentiation" -- it's just ridiculous and leaves out in the cold those bright kids who aren't geniuses but who could rise to challenges well. That could happen in the classroom but in our school it did not, and teachers had to focus on the kids who needed help, not those who could use advancement. That's why parents go for centers so often. |
Anonymous
APPLAUSE Level II (K-2) and Level III (3-6) services are so school AND school YEAR specific because they are not a focus of FCPS, in addition to everything else going on (as detailed by PP). Excellent Level II and Level III services would help negate the demand of Level IV services (and would not require transportation as the services would be at each neighborhood school). |
Anonymous
+ 1 |
Anonymous
All of this is true, and something that parents should be pushing for. The problem is that, unlike level IV services, where all the advanced kids can be taught at the same time, this requires genuine pull out, and one or more extra teachers/ AARTs to teach the kids who are pulled out-- and the smaller the pull out groups/ better the differentiation, the larger the price tag. Saying, "at neighborhood schools" is a red herring. Yes, this can be done at the base school. But, levels II and III probably have a higher per pupil cost to implement PROPERLY (which they often are not right now). But I agree this should be provided. |
Anonymous
| Or Level II and III pull outs get dropped once resources are needed for SOL prep. This happened at our Title 1 neighborhood school. So you never know what your child is going to get. At least with Level IV you will because it's a dedicated classroom. |
Anonymous
You mean like most of the kids still in Gen. Ed? Because I assure you: most of them are very bright and able to rise to challenges just as well as those in AAP. Which is why leaving the dividing line where it is makes no sense. Either offer advanced classes to every child (because like it or not, every child has potential), or create a far smaller program for kids who are highly gifted. |
Anonymous
| You think there are tons of kids in general ed not in level 2 or level 3 classes who could rise to the challenge? What basis do you have for this opinion? First off, all children are already able to access math a grade above for all grades, so level 2 services are available to all who qualify regardless of any AAP level 2,3, or 4 status. Speak to your school board and administration if this is an issue at your school. Also, at most schools, there is differentiation in language arts with reading groups and writing assignments in general ed. If your child isn't in the top general ed group which should be close if not exactly like the level 4 program there is probably a reason. Many schools are implanting level 4 social studies and science programs for all already so general ed children have access to this. The real problem with science and social studies is that the instruction is too short, not the level of teaching. So in conclusion, if your child isn't receiving advanced instruction it is either because of the child's abilities or your specific school, not any policy within FCPS as a whole. |
Anonymous
I don't understand why instruction boils down to "many schools" why aren't all the schools in FCPS doing this? Isn't there supposed to be a county curriculum??? The fact that there is not is part of the issue with why people who's kids are maybe in 90-97th percentile also try to clamor for centers, as a way to ensure their child gets what they need as opposed to hoping a base school does it. Those kids shouldn't be in gen ed classes that barely teach science and social studies, even if they're getting level III Language Arts and Math. |
Anonymous
| Science and Social Studies is 4 hours a week at our school and often it's only 3 because of some event or school delay. This is the bigger issue than the curriculum used. I don't think AAP or general ed is strong in these subjects. |
Anonymous
There is a Program of Studies with approved instructional materials and resources available to address the Program of Studies and each school principal decides how services will be delivered at her/his school. This is site-based management. Link to Program of Studies, Approved Instructional Materials, and Resources: http://www.fcps.edu/is/pos/index.shtml |
Anonymous
| Yes, at our school, the kids have almost no science, but added up, four days of music-related classes a week, and one day a week of "guidance" class. The AAP kids barely even passed the science SOLs. That is insane. |
Anonymous
WT? That is insane!!! Sometimes I really don't understand what FCPS is doing? I thought it would be run more like a franchise where each school must follow guidelines given down from the top, but it seems to be more like individual mom and pop shops where each school can do it's own thing. |