How to improve AAP and General Ed Together

[Anonymous]

OP, let's add an item to get parents out of their bubbles and intermingle more. My kids are not at a base or center, but I suspect that there may not be many parent meetings or events that are integrated. There are people on both sides with their heads in the sand.

[Anonymous]

How are your children not at a base or a center? Are they in private school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Again. The homeroom class should be mixed and that homeroom class should go to lunch and recess together. I don't see any reason why this can't happen. Make it a scheduling priority like so many other schools do.

Not all schools employ home rooms. Our base school only used them for sixth graders.

Exactly. I think this needs to be changed to ensure kids are mixed for lunch and recess. Most schools do use a homeroom class for this reason. There's no reason I see that the other schools can't.

Why should it change?

Adding extra homeroom to run during the hour plus that each grade has for lunch takes away from class time.

In elementary there is no real reason to have homeroom outside the assigned class. All you need is the ten minutes or so of "morning meeting" or whatever the school calls their beginning of the day time.

It should change because there have been complaints about the program for years. So much so that people are asking the school board to get rid of AAP. Instead of getting rid of the program, how about making some changes to both programs so they are more integrated and so the curriculum is improved for both? That's what this thread is about.

The person before said their 6th grade had a homeroom and those kids had lunch together. So why not 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade? Our school does it for all grades. Why can't these particular center schools? It would allow more friendships to form. And would allow the base school kids to stay better friends with the kids they met in K-2. I think it's awful a K-2 student attends a base school and then can barely ever see their friends in school because of an AAP or general ed label.

I'm not even going to respond to the person who blames where someone bought a house. Boundaries move all the time and all schools should be good enough for our students to attend at any intelligence level.

Re: the bolded - this also goes for kids whose base school is the center. My son was best friends with another boy from K-2. In 3rd, his friend went into AAP and my son stayed in Gen Ed. They're now in 6th grade and barely friends anymore, simply because they never see one another - even at the same school. Their homerooms are never the same (segregated AAP/GE) and they've rarely shared the same specials. Had classes been mixed, they would probably have continued their close friendship. There's just no opportunity to see one another during the school day due to the division of AAP and Gen Ed.

My daughter's best friend in K-2 started AAP together in the 3rd grade, but since the 3rd gr have never happened to be in the same class - just random class assignments. They are not close anymore because of this. It happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, let's add an item to get parents out of their bubbles and intermingle more. My kids are not at a base or center, but I suspect that there may not be many parent meetings or events that are integrated. There are people on both sides with their heads in the sand.

All of the PTA meetings, all of the school events (international night, talent shows, concerts, fun fair, 5Ks, after school activities, etc) are integrated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, let's add an item to get parents out of their bubbles and intermingle more. My kids are not at a base or center, but I suspect that there may not be many parent meetings or events that are integrated. There are people on both sides with their heads in the sand.

All of the PTA meetings, all of the school events (international night, talent shows, concerts, fun fair, 5Ks, after school activities, etc) are integrated.

Field trips too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How are your children not at a base or a center? Are they in private school?

Sorry, meant to say not at a base with LLIV or AAP. Title I.

[Anonymous]

Glad to hear that parent meetings are integrated, but from the outside, it sure doesn't sound like it, and not just in DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: My family's experience does not exist in a vacuum. My family is not so special that we are the only ones with this experience. Many, many parents have similar experiences as mine . I cannot quantify how many, but neither can ANYONE making any claims on this board. What percentage of children feel stigmatized? For all we know it's only anecdotal and it's only the posters here on this board . What percentage of parents feel that their children are not being appropriately challenged in general education? Can you quantify that with evidence? No. It's only anecdotal "evidence" on this board .

It is not anecdotal that there exists issues within AAP. There is enough data showing people make decisions on housing based on the AAP program even which county to buy in. There is enough data showing that many general ed parents are unhappy with the current curriculum offered to their children and the stigma their children receive that they aren't smart. There is enough data showing schools with low numbers of AAP students are not as highly rated.

I find it hard to believe that in all your dealings with people, you've never come across anyone other than on this board who has a general ed student at any school who doesn't like the current setup. I don't think you're trying very hard to find anyone who has a different opinion.

EXACTLY. +100

What I find on this board is that certain arrogant AAP parents will spin things any which way so as to make school appear rosy for all kids. They dismiss those of us with criticisms of the program as "crazies," and desperately avoid acknowledging any problems with AAP implementation, because they are so fearful of any changes being made. There are so, so many dissatisfied parents out there who have never even heard of DCUM - the ones here are only a tiny fraction of those who feel AAP has been detrimental to their schools and community. All one needs to do is ask parents of Gen Ed students, particularly those who have to attend centers as their base school. The parents I respect are the ones who admit that AAP implementation is not a good situation for many kids - namely, those who aren't in AAP and who are largely dismissed by the parents of those who are.

It is not the AAP parents who are desperate and fearful, on the contrary. Is the implementation bad, in your opinion, because of the bad feelings it creates (labels)? or because it is to the detriment of the quality of Gen Ed? Because those are two very different things to address.

When I volunteer at the school for various things, or when I fundraise or attend PTA meetings to talk about how to improve opportunities for our students, it is NEVER only for AAP - it is for all of the students. I have kids in upper elementary grades and I volunteer to help K and 1st grade who are struggling with reading. I help with vision, hearing screening, food banks for students, etc. I care deeply about all of the children in the school. How can I as an AAP parent show you that I am not 'dismissive' of your child other than jumping on the anti-AAP bandwagon?

If this is about improving standards in Gen Ed, I am all for that. How can I help?

If this is about labels/stigma, how should we address that? Is it all about AAP feeder assignments and not making any schools AAP heavy? What is the appropriate ratio in your opinion? Should we call AAP & Gen Ed something different? Should we just mix all the kids together and figure out how to make sure teachers can differentiate for the whole range of kids in one classroom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Again. The homeroom class should be mixed and that homeroom class should go to lunch and recess together. I don't see any reason why this can't happen. Make it a scheduling priority like so many other schools do.

Not all schools employ home rooms. Our base school only used them for sixth graders.

Exactly. I think this needs to be changed to ensure kids are mixed for lunch and recess. Most schools do use a homeroom class for this reason. There's no reason I see that the other schools can't.

Most schools do not employ homerooms during elementary school.

My kids have attended three FCPS elementary schools, and all employed homerooms. They switched classes for every subject, but homeroom was always fixed.

The way that PP is wanting? I doibt it.

She wants a separate class that meets during the lunch hour where the kids are mixed together for the purpose of socialization.

She is not talking about the normal ten minute morning meeting type homeroom that every school has.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Again. The homeroom class should be mixed and that homeroom class should go to lunch and recess together. I don't see any reason why this can't happen. Make it a scheduling priority like so many other schools do.

Not all schools employ home rooms. Our base school only used them for sixth graders.

Exactly. I think this needs to be changed to ensure kids are mixed for lunch and recess. Most schools do use a homeroom class for this reason. There's no reason I see that the other schools can't.

Most schools do not employ homerooms during elementary school.

My kids have attended three FCPS elementary schools, and all employed homerooms. They switched classes for every subject, but homeroom was always fixed.

That's nice. My kids have attended five FCPS elementary schools (three base without LLIV and two centers), and none employed homerooms. They also did not necessarily team teach or switch classes for subjects. FCPS is a large system, and the schools do vary quite a bit, and also change as principals and teachers come and go. We've gone to mostly the poorer elementaries in the county, on the low side in scores, and found the people a lot more low-key and pleasant, whether they're in the AAP center or gen ed. I'd felt a bit sad that we couldn't put our kids in the best elementaries, but considering how bitter, grim, entitled, and status-hungry you lot at the highest SES schools are, I'm glad not to be part of that. We parents hang out as our kids take part in activities, and no one discusses who's in what program. That's considered gauche and divisive. Maybe the biggest problem at some of these AAP centers is you, the parents. ALL of you.

You bring up many good points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, let's add an item to get parents out of their bubbles and intermingle more. My kids are not at a base or center, but I suspect that there may not be many parent meetings or events that are integrated. There are people on both sides with their heads in the sand.

Every fcps elememtary and middle school is either a base or a center.

So your kids do not attend fcps?

Then you are not aware of how this program works, and also not aware that this anti aap angst and fixation represents a very small part of the county and not the schools or provram as a whole.

Most places just do not fixate on AAP the way the dcum crowd does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, let's add an item to get parents out of their bubbles and intermingle more. My kids are not at a base or center, but I suspect that there may not be many parent meetings or events that are integrated. There are people on both sides with their heads in the sand.

Every fcps elememtary and middle school is either a base or a center.

So your kids do not attend fcps?

Then you are not aware of how this program works, and also not aware that this anti aap angst and fixation represents a very small part of the county and not the schools or provram as a whole.

Most places just do not fixate on AAP the way the dcum crowd does.

PP fixed the typo an hour ago.

[Anonymous]

My kids have attended three FCPS elementary schools, and all employed homerooms. They switched classes for every subject, but homeroom was always fixed.

My kids have been in three different FCPS elementary schools and none of them have had a homeroom. I didn't think this was common in FCPS? Heck my oldest is now in HS and they don't even really have homeroom after the first week. Your "homeroom" is just your first period of the day, which varies because of block scheduling.

I think I am the poster who originally mentioned open lunch seating. That was at a center and was done by grade. Everyone in a grade had the same lunch period and then they all went to recess together. It worked fine. This was a center with 1000 kids. I don't understand why this would be so hard to implement?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCAG has been posting about social issues in centers for years too. Here's an excerpt from 2006.

Develop a framework for constructive, two-way communication to aid schools in promoting a positive climate in GT center schools. The framework would provide a menu of options to allow GT center schools to customize their own program to meet the individual needs of the school. The framework should also address barriers that might prevent positive communication, suggest possible solutions to overcome the challenges, and include models of partnerships that may be useful.
Schools that host GT centers often face challenges in managing the expectations and communications between parents, teachers, administrators and students in a respectful, mutually cooperative manner. Although all schools must manage issues of climate, their complexity can be heightened in schools with GT centers. The administrators at GT center schools must address the often distinct needs of GT center and general education teachers and students as well as promote respectful interactions between center and non-center students.
Respect in GT center schools needs to be intentionally built with committed leadership that seeks to improve communication between all parties. Schools should integrate GT students and foster positive language choices and opportunities for interaction between students without teasing or bullying. Schools can also integrate center populations through team building among teachers and increased awareness of the benefits of this team building among parents.
It is suggested that a framework be formulated by consulting with a panel of principals, parents, and teachers from GT center schools that have successfully promoted integrated communities and positive climates. Based on these discussions, a framework of recommendations for creating and fostering a positive school climate would be developed to help manage these diverse expectations. This may include improved communication, affirmation of advanced academic achievement, stronger peer relationships between GT center and non GT center students, and others. Parent Teacher Associations may also serve as a bridge for better communication.

Ha - I had to laugh at this line: "Schools should integrate GT students and foster positive language choices and opportunities for interaction between students without teasing or bullying." Nowadays, it's not the AAP kids who have to be "integrated" into the school - it's the Gen Ed kids. AAP kids are the majority in many centers, for crying out loud.

This is true for our neighborhood school. It's a center and 3rd, 5th, & 6th grades each have 2 GE classes and 3 AAP classes (4th is 3 & 3). AAP is not the minority, GE is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCAG has been posting about social issues in centers for years too. Here's an excerpt from 2006.

Develop a framework for constructive, two-way communication to aid schools in promoting a positive climate in GT center schools. The framework would provide a menu of options to allow GT center schools to customize their own program to meet the individual needs of the school. The framework should also address barriers that might prevent positive communication, suggest possible solutions to overcome the challenges, and include models of partnerships that may be useful.
Schools that host GT centers often face challenges in managing the expectations and communications between parents, teachers, administrators and students in a respectful, mutually cooperative manner. Although all schools must manage issues of climate, their complexity can be heightened in schools with GT centers. The administrators at GT center schools must address the often distinct needs of GT center and general education teachers and students as well as promote respectful interactions between center and non-center students.
Respect in GT center schools needs to be intentionally built with committed leadership that seeks to improve communication between all parties. Schools should integrate GT students and foster positive language choices and opportunities for interaction between students without teasing or bullying. Schools can also integrate center populations through team building among teachers and increased awareness of the benefits of this team building among parents.
It is suggested that a framework be formulated by consulting with a panel of principals, parents, and teachers from GT center schools that have successfully promoted integrated communities and positive climates. Based on these discussions, a framework of recommendations for creating and fostering a positive school climate would be developed to help manage these diverse expectations. This may include improved communication, affirmation of advanced academic achievement, stronger peer relationships between GT center and non GT center students, and others. Parent Teacher Associations may also serve as a bridge for better communication.

Ha - I had to laugh at this line: "Schools should integrate GT students and foster positive language choices and opportunities for interaction between students without teasing or bullying." Nowadays, it's not the AAP kids who have to be "integrated" into the school - it's the Gen Ed kids. AAP kids are the majority in many centers, for crying out loud.

This is true for our neighborhood school. It's a center and 3rd, 5th, & 6th grades each have 2 GE classes and 3 AAP classes (4th is 3 & 3). AAP is not the minority, GE is.

Would you be happy if it were even? Or if Gen Ed was 3 classes and AAP were 2? Would that solve everything?