questions about FCPS curriculum

[Anonymous]

Is gen ed traditional worksheet drill and AAP more creative, project-based? Do either take student interests into account?

[Anonymous]

I think it really depends on the school.

[Anonymous]

I think that it depends on the school and the teacher.

[Anonymous]

I teach in what you refer to as a gen ed classroom, and what we do is far from traditional worksheet drill.

[Anonymous]

I have a child in Gen Ed and one in AAP. The Gen Ed child is in drill and kill and the AAP is doing cool stuff. The difference is that they are 2 different schools. If the Gen Ed child were at the AAP center school in Gen Ed, I think he'd be doing the same cool stuff (maybe not in as much depth) as his AAP brother.

[Anonymous]

Pp you can move the GE child to the sibling's AAP school can't you?

[Anonymous]

Not if it's closed to transfer.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the teacher more then the school. My child's teacher's approach in delivering the material is much more interesting then his teacher last year. They still have to conform to the teaching guidelines

[Anonymous]

Gen Ed is not worksheet hell at all. In fact, I wish there were more worksheets. But everything these days is "be creative" and "do the assignment at your own level." The down side is that kids don't have a sense of accomplishment or a sense of ever getting things wrong.

Regular classes get a bad rap on this board, but that is unwarranted in my opinion. I wish there was more of a traditional teaching style, but that's just the way teaching is these days. The teachers put a lot of effort into making school interesting AND having to teach every subject at 5 different levels. As far as the subject matter of the curriculum, I am amazed at what they cover at young ages -- 3rd grade class is studying ancient Egypt and China! I never did that in 3rd grade! They are charting the moon phases too. Yes, there are worksheets in math -- as there should be. (I'm describing the regular curriculum).

This board is skewed too far in the direction of the demanding few for whom nothing is good enough in the public schools.

[Anonymous]

A good teacher is a good teacher, and good teachers can do wonders with any child at any level. Speaking from loads of experience here - a good teacher can make even the blandest material interesting, can reach out to even the hardest to reach child, and can help their minds grow in amazing ways.

[Anonymous]

We were pressured into placing out AAP DD in general. Akward. But the teacher took an amazing amount of time working with her. Really it was more intensive than the AAP class. Its the teacher that counts.

[Anonymous]

Why were you pressure to pull DD from AAP and I to Gen Ed? that is awkward.

[Anonymous]

Don't feel awkward. The principal (well respected) at our center told us there are some kids who tested well but may not be emotionally mature enough yet for the environment. She said there's nothing wrong with taking them out if you don't see them thriving. You can always re-enroll them later when you think they are more ready.

[Anonymous]

AAP is wate of time with the so called creativity projects.
The only advantage i see are after school activities, spelling bee etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AAP is wate of time with the so called creativity projects.
The only advantage i see are after school activities, spelling bee etc.

Obviously spoken by an Einstein .... LOL