How to improve AAP and General Ed Together

[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.

What on earth are you talking about? The only meetings/events would be either class specific (Back to School Night or Parent/Teacher Conferences) OR school related (a 5k, a movie night, a PTA meeting.) It isn't as if there are unrelated events for just this or that grouping in the school. For example, the meeting about the AAP process is school related, and all are invited to attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Every cafeteria is different.

Both of my kids schools have to stagger lunch times in ten minute intervals.

[Anonymous]

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

From the outside? Where besides DCUM? This why people throw around the word "crazies" - bc the AAP haters exaggerate and twist everything to sound so outrageous. So outrageous that 'outsiders' believe that there are separate parent meetings This is so far from reality for so much of FCPS.

[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.

I'm the PP and I'm not sure how you've come to any conclusion about what part of the county I live in or what the SES of my children's school is. I was simply stating that all of the elementary schools my kids have attended have had homerooms - and all are segregated by AAP or Gen Ed. My point is that these homerooms could certainly be mixed.

[Anonymous]

Integrating lunches, etc is once again just another way to improve AAP not GenEd.

As the lady on the first page noted, her super IQ kid benefits from being socialized with the normal kids. So that exposure to normal kids helps AAP kids, doesn't do anything for the Gen Ed kids.

When stating that Level IV curriculum should be used in every classroom, the AAP parents say that GenEd kids couldn't handle it. Evidence for that? None. But no way do they want that done because then what would make it special for their kids. What would the point of separate AAP be?

They don't want Level IV touched or changed in any way. They are trying to come up with "solutions'' to improvement in any other way possible so long as it does not change Level IV from what it is now.

We see right through the BS thats coming from the likes of this thread and from your lobbying group- FCAG. You refuse to admit the major flaws with the Level IV center system, the fact that it is a bloated waste of Fairfax County taxpayer funds and that your kid is really not so special that they need to be bussed to special centers to be provided a good and decent education.

Complete overhaul IS the only solution.

[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.

OMG, you must be joking. How would you know anything about AAP "angst" if your kids are in the program? It's those of us whose kids are NOT in the program who are pointing out what the reality actually is. And it is absolutely not limited to a "very small part of the county" or just DCUM.

[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.

Same here, and this isn't the way school should be. AAP should be the exception, not the rule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Integrating lunches, etc is once again just another way to improve AAP not GenEd.

As the lady on the first page noted, her super IQ kid benefits from being socialized with the normal kids. So that exposure to normal kids helps AAP kids, doesn't do anything for the Gen Ed kids.

When stating that Level IV curriculum should be used in every classroom, the AAP parents say that GenEd kids couldn't handle it. Evidence for that? None. But no way do they want that done because then what would make it special for their kids. What would the point of separate AAP be?

They don't want Level IV touched or changed in any way. They are trying to come up with "solutions'' to improvement in any other way possible so long as it does not change Level IV from what it is now.

We see right through the BS thats coming from the likes of this thread and from your lobbying group- FCAG. You refuse to admit the major flaws with the Level IV center system, the fact that it is a bloated waste of Fairfax County taxpayer funds and that your kid is really not so special that they need to be bussed to special centers to be provided a good and decent education.

Complete overhaul IS the only solution.

Evidence for that are the students struggling with the pace of the Gen Ed curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I'm the PP and I'm not sure how you've come to any conclusion about what part of the county I live in or what the SES of my children's school is. I was simply stating that all of the elementary schools my kids have attended have had homerooms - and all are segregated by AAP or Gen Ed. My point is that these homerooms could certainly be mixed.

I believe "you lot" implies PP was speaking generally to posters at the overcrowded AAP centers which generate most of the complaints and cries for change. However, if you'd like to share your school, it might help others to respond directly. As PP explained, you don't necessarily need mixed home rooms to have a peaceful school. Adding to that, I suppose we are in a "middle" area of the county and also have neither home rooms nor divisiveness in our center.

[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.

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.

Yes, I realize this. And when I say my kids have always had homerooms, I'm not referring to a "ten minute morning meeting." When the class lists come out every August, the kids are put into a homeroom. If you're in Gen Ed, it's a Gen Ed homeroom, AAP is an AAP homeroom. These are the kids' main classrooms, though they switch throughout the day for the core subjects (or remain, depending on which teacher is teaching which subject). The point is, these homerooms are the actual classes that kids are assigned to, and they stay in for lunch or field trips or recess. They are fixed and there is NO mixing. Many of us are saying there's no reason a homeroom couldn't be mixed; kids switch anyway for core subjects, but they could be in mixed homerooms for all other purposes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Integrating lunches, etc is once again just another way to improve AAP not GenEd.

As the lady on the first page noted, her super IQ kid benefits from being socialized with the normal kids. So that exposure to normal kids helps AAP kids, doesn't do anything for the Gen Ed kids.

When stating that Level IV curriculum should be used in every classroom, the AAP parents say that GenEd kids couldn't handle it. Evidence for that? None. But no way do they want that done because then what would make it special for their kids. What would the point of separate AAP be?

They don't want Level IV touched or changed in any way. They are trying to come up with "solutions'' to improvement in any other way possible so long as it does not change Level IV from what it is now.

We see right through the BS thats coming from the likes of this thread and from your lobbying group- FCAG. You refuse to admit the major flaws with the Level IV center system, the fact that it is a bloated waste of Fairfax County taxpayer funds and that your kid is really not so special that they need to be bussed to special centers to be provided a good and decent education.

Complete overhaul IS the only solution.

Glad you can admit this thread is a farce.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Integrating lunches, etc is once again just another way to improve AAP not GenEd.

As the lady on the first page noted, her super IQ kid benefits from being socialized with the normal kids. So that exposure to normal kids helps AAP kids, doesn't do anything for the Gen Ed kids.

When stating that Level IV curriculum should be used in every classroom, the AAP parents say that GenEd kids couldn't handle it. Evidence for that? None. But no way do they want that done because then what would make it special for their kids. What would the point of separate AAP be?

They don't want Level IV touched or changed in any way. They are trying to come up with "solutions'' to improvement in any other way possible so long as it does not change Level IV from what it is now.

We see right through the BS thats coming from the likes of this thread and from your lobbying group- FCAG. You refuse to admit the major flaws with the Level IV center system, the fact that it is a bloated waste of Fairfax County taxpayer funds and that your kid is really not so special that they need to be bussed to special centers to be provided a good and decent education.

Complete overhaul IS the only solution.

You are so right. Thank you for summing this up so accurately. Predictably, of course, you'll probably be called a "crazy" simply for speaking the truth.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I realize this. And when I say my kids have always had homerooms, I'm not referring to a "ten minute morning meeting." When the class lists come out every August, the kids are put into a homeroom. If you're in Gen Ed, it's a Gen Ed homeroom, AAP is an AAP homeroom. These are the kids' main classrooms, though they switch throughout the day for the core subjects (or remain, depending on which teacher is teaching which subject). The point is, these homerooms are the actual classes that kids are assigned to, and they stay in for lunch or field trips or recess. They are fixed and there is NO mixing. Many of us are saying there's no reason a homeroom couldn't be mixed; kids switch anyway for core subjects, but they could be in mixed homerooms for all other purposes.

Can you give some examples of "other purposes" other than lunch, field trips and recess?

[Anonymous]

OP here. Integrating lunch and recess was just one idea. From looking at the comments, there doesn't seem to be any immediate reason not to integrate them. It's been done at schools with 1000 students showing that it can be done likely at any school, and most people think it would help facilitate friendships between AAP and general ed students.

So now, lets move onto idea #2. How to better standardize level 2 and level 3 instruction in FCPS. FCAG and the Advanced Academics Advisory Committee have some research on this which is worth reading before making suggestions.

http://www2.fcps.edu/is/aap/aapac.shtml
http://www.fcag.org/testimony.shtml
http://www.fcag.org/fcag.data.shtml
http://www.fcag.org/newsletters.shtml
http://www.fcag.org/nonfcagreports.shtml

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Integrating lunches, etc is once again just another way to improve AAP not GenEd.

As the lady on the first page noted, her super IQ kid benefits from being socialized with the normal kids. So that exposure to normal kids helps AAP kids, doesn't do anything for the Gen Ed kids.

When stating that Level IV curriculum should be used in every classroom, the AAP parents say that GenEd kids couldn't handle it. Evidence for that? None. But no way do they want that done because then what would make it special for their kids. What would the point of separate AAP be?

They don't want Level IV touched or changed in any way. They are trying to come up with "solutions'' to improvement in any other way possible so long as it does not change Level IV from what it is now.

We see right through the BS thats coming from the likes of this thread and from your lobbying group- FCAG. You refuse to admit the major flaws with the Level IV center system, the fact that it is a bloated waste of Fairfax County taxpayer funds and that your kid is really not so special that they need to be bussed to special centers to be provided a good and decent education.

Complete overhaul IS the only solution.

Evidence for that are the students struggling with the pace of the Gen Ed curriculum.

And there are none in AAP?

Surely you are on the FCAG list serve that very often has parents searching for writing and math tutors to help their struggling AAP child.

There are struggling students in every classroom, they should be given additional help and differentiated obviously. I'm not aware of any Gen Ed classrooms where the majority are failing. The MAJORITY do fine and the curriculum in ANY classroom targets the majority.