Enrichment to keep up with AAP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a family having a kid at AAP in ES, and their child does enrichment at home on math and reading throughout the school year & summer time. Parents work from home, so they get a lot of workbooks for her to work on. She does not do any sports, music/art class, summer camp but academic only. Parents tell me that they prepare her a year ahead to get through AAP easier.

What is the purpose of AAP if kids have to be enriched this way to keep up? Does most AAP kids in ES have to do enrichment to keep up or else struggling or falling behind? I though AAP is designed for kids that are naturally born smart.

I'm a parent of borderline AAP student in the IV program. I can't tell you the relief I have with my kid in that classroom. YMMV in every scenario, but this is my experience. I would - and did exert a lot of effort (at home enrichment in math, prep) to ensure my child was admitted. We've since scaled back the at-home work now that I see DC actually being taught... The predominant reason for this is that borderline children will be lost in the general ed classroom. Achieving grade level means they don't get any teacher attention, who will be diverted to ensure that other students catch up with remedial materials. Your child will be doing computer work and will largely be on their own (as I saw in 2nd grade, as well as from other close family children). Contrast to the AAP classroom, where the student will get a dis-proportionate amount of attention from the teacher in their favor to bring up the entire classroom. Heck, the less enrichment I give at home now, the more the school does to keep DC up...

I honestly think the borderline students left in the Gen-ed classroom get the rawest deal. Did I take advantgage of the system? Were there other equally competent children who could have taken my child's place? Maybe... but I'd do it again in a heartbeat for the advantages gained!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to understand the course sequencing in high school.
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/graduation-requirements-and-course-planning/high-school-course-sequencing/mathematics

For example, for math, high school gen ed start with Algebra on 9th grade, and finishes at 12 grade at Pre-Calculus.

Advanced high school math would require starting Algebra sometime in middle school as honor class, and finish Calculus at grade 12.

AAP student would start Algebra at 7th grade, and finish Calculus at grade 11.

For certain students exhibit advance math ability, they can start Algebra at 6th grade (emphasis: Algebra is a high school class!) and that student would finish calculus at grade 10, and have two more years to take more advanced math or physics classes. It looks impressive on college application. That's the goal.

So that family could be shooting for more advanced math than AAP, and shooting for MIT or CalTech. They don't need enrichment to "keep up" in AAP.

There are plenty of non AAP students that take Algebra 1 in 8th grade. A good majority of kids at Longfellow do. Thereby taking Geometry in 9th, Algebra 2 in 10th, PreCalc, then Calc. And a lot of those on that tract take HN 9th and 10th then AP for the 11th,12th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a family having a kid at AAP in ES, and their child does enrichment at home on math and reading throughout the school year & summer time. Parents work from home, so they get a lot of workbooks for her to work on. She does not do any sports, music/art class, summer camp but academic only. Parents tell me that they prepare her a year ahead to get through AAP easier.

What is the purpose of AAP if kids have to be enriched this way to keep up? Does most AAP kids in ES have to do enrichment to keep up or else struggling or falling behind? I though AAP is designed for kids that are naturally born smart.

I'm a parent of borderline AAP student in the IV program. I can't tell you the relief I have with my kid in that classroom. YMMV in every scenario, but this is my experience. I would - and did exert a lot of effort (at home enrichment in math, prep) to ensure my child was admitted. We've since scaled back the at-home work now that I see DC actually being taught... The predominant reason for this is that borderline children will be lost in the general ed classroom. Achieving grade level means they don't get any teacher attention, who will be diverted to ensure that other students catch up with remedial materials. Your child will be doing computer work and will largely be on their own (as I saw in 2nd grade, as well as from other close family children). Contrast to the AAP classroom, where the student will get a dis-proportionate amount of attention from the teacher in their favor to bring up the entire classroom. Heck, the less enrichment I give at home now, the more the school does to keep DC up...

I honestly think the borderline students left in the Gen-ed classroom get the rawest deal. Did I take advantgage of the system? Were there other equally competent children who could have taken my child's place? Maybe... but I'd do it again in a heartbeat for the advantages gained!

But, this is why the AAP classroom is really like a GENED class. The teachers have to slow down for the 80% that are not gifted. The AAP teachers are impeded by the slow kids that must be constantly remediated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a family having a kid at AAP in ES, and their child does enrichment at home on math and reading throughout the school year & summer time. Parents work from home, so they get a lot of workbooks for her to work on. She does not do any sports, music/art class, summer camp but academic only. Parents tell me that they prepare her a year ahead to get through AAP easier.

What is the purpose of AAP if kids have to be enriched this way to keep up? Does most AAP kids in ES have to do enrichment to keep up or else struggling or falling behind? I though AAP is designed for kids that are naturally born smart.

I'm a parent of borderline AAP student in the IV program. I can't tell you the relief I have with my kid in that classroom. YMMV in every scenario, but this is my experience. I would - and did exert a lot of effort (at home enrichment in math, prep) to ensure my child was admitted. We've since scaled back the at-home work now that I see DC actually being taught... The predominant reason for this is that borderline children will be lost in the general ed classroom. Achieving grade level means they don't get any teacher attention, who will be diverted to ensure that other students catch up with remedial materials. Your child will be doing computer work and will largely be on their own (as I saw in 2nd grade, as well as from other close family children). Contrast to the AAP classroom, where the student will get a dis-proportionate amount of attention from the teacher in their favor to bring up the entire classroom. Heck, the less enrichment I give at home now, the more the school does to keep DC up...

I honestly think the borderline students left in the Gen-ed classroom get the rawest deal. Did I take advantgage of the system? Were there other equally competent children who could have taken my child's place? Maybe... but I'd do it again in a heartbeat for the advantages gained!

But, this is why the AAP classroom is really like a GENED class. The teachers have to slow down for the 80% that are not gifted. The AAP teachers are impeded by the slow kids that must be constantly remediated.

DP. No, not at our center school. There are some kids who are struggling in AAP math (the kids who come in for Advanced Math are not struggling). The AAP teachers are not impeded by them. Whether that's better or worse depends on your point of view - and whether your kid is one who is struggling or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a family having a kid at AAP in ES, and their child does enrichment at home on math and reading throughout the school year & summer time. Parents work from home, so they get a lot of workbooks for her to work on. She does not do any sports, music/art class, summer camp but academic only. Parents tell me that they prepare her a year ahead to get through AAP easier.

What is the purpose of AAP if kids have to be enriched this way to keep up? Does most AAP kids in ES have to do enrichment to keep up or else struggling or falling behind? I though AAP is designed for kids that are naturally born smart.

I'm a parent of borderline AAP student in the IV program. I can't tell you the relief I have with my kid in that classroom. YMMV in every scenario, but this is my experience. I would - and did exert a lot of effort (at home enrichment in math, prep) to ensure my child was admitted. We've since scaled back the at-home work now that I see DC actually being taught... The predominant reason for this is that borderline children will be lost in the general ed classroom. Achieving grade level means they don't get any teacher attention, who will be diverted to ensure that other students catch up with remedial materials. Your child will be doing computer work and will largely be on their own (as I saw in 2nd grade, as well as from other close family children). Contrast to the AAP classroom, where the student will get a dis-proportionate amount of attention from the teacher in their favor to bring up the entire classroom. Heck, the less enrichment I give at home now, the more the school does to keep DC up...

I honestly think the borderline students left in the Gen-ed classroom get the rawest deal. Did I take advantgage of the system? Were there other equally competent children who could have taken my child's place? Maybe... but I'd do it again in a heartbeat for the advantages gained!

But, this is why the AAP classroom is really like a GENED class. The teachers have to slow down for the 80% that are not gifted. The AAP teachers are impeded by the slow kids that must be constantly remediated.

Don't disagree with you! If there truly was a gifted program, I wouldn't care much about being in there - my child isn't gifted - most are. Trying to explain to highly educated type A personality parents that their child isn't in the top 20 percentile? Good luck!!

[Anonymous]

The reality is regular classrooms with mainstreaming and ESOL challenges have become disruptive and remedial. People just want a place for their average to above average kids to have a normal school day with some challenge. If they can keep up with artificial supports, great.

Being on grade level in regular FCPS elementary classes can mean zero attention.

[Anonymous]

Posts like this make me happy my kid was rejected from AAP. (We did not parent refer btw - was in pool due to testing results).

There will always be parents like this, forcing their kids to do supplemental hw, test prep and worksheets to get ahead/stay ahead. Just going to let my kid be a kid and see how it works out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hear one mom saying that their daughter takes Mathnasium because she wasn’t keeping up in AAP. Another admitted that they use Kumon 3x a week or they fill that child wasn’t getting it at school. A recent dad rushed his daughter off to RSM for a class. Two other kids we just learned have been attending a half day tutoring class every Saturday. People are doing it all over and we just were completely oblivious.

These students shouldn’t be in AAP. If they need remediation, AAP is not for them. Math is definitely one of those contents where you need a strong foundation and since everything will build from there. Without that foundation, there will be lots of holes… sorry for those kids. Those enrichment places should be used for kids who love math and love the challenge, not for tutoring to be in AAP. I’m sure when those students get to MS their teachers will boot them to Gen Ed Math.

These outside programs *are* the foundation, because school doesn't offer enough, and these parents don't feel comfortable administering at-home education.

Skipping ahead a year, or staying back, doesn't change the amount of immersion the school provides. Schools are afraid to give kids enough to succeed, because then they have to answer to admin when the wrong kids succeed.

What does that even mean?

Outside programs are not the foundation. School is providing the foundation. If a student needs tutoring 3x a week because they’re behind. That’s remediation.

My child was capable of far more instruction in math starting in Kindergarten then he was receiving. His Teacher reported that he was using negative numbers to solve her problem of the day for fun. No offense but Kindergarten math was not coming close to meeting where he was or what he was capable of. And before you suggest that is because of outside enrichment, he didn't attend and enrichment program until his COVID year because math instruction that year was even less useful to him then normal. We read to him, we played games with him, and we taught him things at home that he was interested in.

The first time he was challenged in a math class was when he started taking a math competition class. AoPS and RSM, he switched between the two, were more interesting and he enjoyed them but the regular class did not challenge him. He wasn't bored, like he has always been in school, but he was pushed int hose classes. Math competition class introduce probability theory, number theory, higher level algebra and geometry. He loves that class.

I will agree that a child who requires tutoring to keep up with AAP does not belong in AAP, there are kids who need far more then what the schools are providing them in elementary school. We remind DS that the math at school is excellent practice and he needs to complete his in class assignments and homework because the practice will help him solidify his understanding of the material and will help him recall that information more quickly.

But enrichment is different then tutoring and what the OP is talking about is tutoring to keep up with AAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hear one mom saying that their daughter takes Mathnasium because she wasn’t keeping up in AAP. Another admitted that they use Kumon 3x a week or they fill that child wasn’t getting it at school. A recent dad rushed his daughter off to RSM for a class. Two other kids we just learned have been attending a half day tutoring class every Saturday. People are doing it all over and we just were completely oblivious.

These students shouldn’t be in AAP. If they need remediation, AAP is not for them. Math is definitely one of those contents where you need a strong foundation and since everything will build from there. Without that foundation, there will be lots of holes… sorry for those kids. Those enrichment places should be used for kids who love math and love the challenge, not for tutoring to be in AAP. I’m sure when those students get to MS their teachers will boot them to Gen Ed Math.

These outside programs *are* the foundation, because school doesn't offer enough, and these parents don't feel comfortable administering at-home education.

Skipping ahead a year, or staying back, doesn't change the amount of immersion the school provides. Schools are afraid to give kids enough to succeed, because then they have to answer to admin when the wrong kids succeed.

What does that even mean?

Outside programs are not the foundation. School is providing the foundation. If a student needs tutoring 3x a week because they’re behind. That’s remediation.

The school is *supposed* to be providing the foundation. It was doing a bad job of it when my kid was there. Very little emphasis on the fundamentals, but a lot on fun enrichment projects -- "make a powerpoint presentation" instead of "here's how to construct a sentence", "let's creatively problem solve" instead of "let's learn the multiplication tables", "watch this cool science video" instead of "let's practice writing the letter 'b'".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hear one mom saying that their daughter takes Mathnasium because she wasn’t keeping up in AAP. Another admitted that they use Kumon 3x a week or they fill that child wasn’t getting it at school. A recent dad rushed his daughter off to RSM for a class. Two other kids we just learned have been attending a half day tutoring class every Saturday. People are doing it all over and we just were completely oblivious.

These students shouldn’t be in AAP. If they need remediation, AAP is not for them. Math is definitely one of those contents where you need a strong foundation and since everything will build from there. Without that foundation, there will be lots of holes… sorry for those kids. Those enrichment places should be used for kids who love math and love the challenge, not for tutoring to be in AAP. I’m sure when those students get to MS their teachers will boot them to Gen Ed Math.

These outside programs *are* the foundation, because school doesn't offer enough, and these parents don't feel comfortable administering at-home education.

Skipping ahead a year, or staying back, doesn't change the amount of immersion the school provides. Schools are afraid to give kids enough to succeed, because then they have to answer to admin when the wrong kids succeed.

What does that even mean?

Outside programs are not the foundation. School is providing the foundation. If a student needs tutoring 3x a week because they’re behind. That’s remediation.

The school doesn't provide enough homework and attention. Math class in school is only 45minutes per day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a family having a kid at AAP in ES, and their child does enrichment at home on math and reading throughout the school year & summer time. Parents work from home, so they get a lot of workbooks for her to work on. She does not do any sports, music/art class, summer camp but academic only. Parents tell me that they prepare her a year ahead to get through AAP easier.

What is the purpose of AAP if kids have to be enriched this way to keep up? Does most AAP kids in ES have to do enrichment to keep up or else struggling or falling behind? I though AAP is designed for kids that are naturally born smart.

I'm a parent of borderline AAP student in the IV program. I can't tell you the relief I have with my kid in that classroom. YMMV in every scenario, but this is my experience. I would - and did exert a lot of effort (at home enrichment in math, prep) to ensure my child was admitted. We've since scaled back the at-home work now that I see DC actually being taught... The predominant reason for this is that borderline children will be lost in the general ed classroom. Achieving grade level means they don't get any teacher attention, who will be diverted to ensure that other students catch up with remedial materials. Your child will be doing computer work and will largely be on their own (as I saw in 2nd grade, as well as from other close family children). Contrast to the AAP classroom, where the student will get a dis-proportionate amount of attention from the teacher in their favor to bring up the entire classroom. Heck, the less enrichment I give at home now, the more the school does to keep DC up...

I honestly think the borderline students left in the Gen-ed classroom get the rawest deal. Did I take advantgage of the system? Were there other equally competent children who could have taken my child's place? Maybe... but I'd do it again in a heartbeat for the advantages gained!

This is very sad, but likely all too common!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hear one mom saying that their daughter takes Mathnasium because she wasn’t keeping up in AAP. Another admitted that they use Kumon 3x a week or they fill that child wasn’t getting it at school. A recent dad rushed his daughter off to RSM for a class. Two other kids we just learned have been attending a half day tutoring class every Saturday. People are doing it all over and we just were completely oblivious.

These students shouldn’t be in AAP. If they need remediation, AAP is not for them. Math is definitely one of those contents where you need a strong foundation and since everything will build from there. Without that foundation, there will be lots of holes… sorry for those kids. Those enrichment places should be used for kids who love math and love the challenge, not for tutoring to be in AAP. I’m sure when those students get to MS their teachers will boot them to Gen Ed Math.

These outside programs *are* the foundation, because school doesn't offer enough, and these parents don't feel comfortable administering at-home education.

Skipping ahead a year, or staying back, doesn't change the amount of immersion the school provides. Schools are afraid to give kids enough to succeed, because then they have to answer to admin when the wrong kids succeed.

What does that even mean?

Outside programs are not the foundation. School is providing the foundation. If a student needs tutoring 3x a week because they’re behind. That’s remediation.

The school doesn't provide enough homework and attention. Math class in school is only 45minutes per day.

Most of which is spent on Zearn. Public school is a joke for neurotypical kids now

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to understand the course sequencing in high school.
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/graduation-requirements-and-course-planning/high-school-course-sequencing/mathematics

For example, for math, high school gen ed start with Algebra on 9th grade, and finishes at 12 grade at Pre-Calculus.

Advanced high school math would require starting Algebra sometime in middle school as honor class, and finish Calculus at grade 12.

AAP student would start Algebra at 7th grade, and finish Calculus at grade 11.

For certain students exhibit advance math ability, they can start Algebra at 6th grade (emphasis: Algebra is a high school class!) and that student would finish calculus at grade 10, and have two more years to take more advanced math or physics classes. It looks impressive on college application. That's the goal.

So that family could be shooting for more advanced math than AAP, and shooting for MIT or CalTech. They don't need enrichment to "keep up" in AAP.

There are plenty of non AAP students that take Algebra 1 in 8th grade. A good majority of kids at Longfellow do. Thereby taking Geometry in 9th, Algebra 2 in 10th, PreCalc, then Calc. And a lot of those on that tract take HN 9th and 10th then AP for the 11th,12th.

AAP kids take Algebra at 7, which results in Calculus at 11. Taking Algebra at 8 results in Calculus at 12, unless they accelerate using a summer course. I believe non-AAP kid will get an advanced high school diploma, but they are still 1 year behind AAP kid in math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to understand the course sequencing in high school.
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/graduation-requirements-and-course-planning/high-school-course-sequencing/mathematics

For example, for math, high school gen ed start with Algebra on 9th grade, and finishes at 12 grade at Pre-Calculus.

Advanced high school math would require starting Algebra sometime in middle school as honor class, and finish Calculus at grade 12.

AAP student would start Algebra at 7th grade, and finish Calculus at grade 11.

For certain students exhibit advance math ability, they can start Algebra at 6th grade (emphasis: Algebra is a high school class!) and that student would finish calculus at grade 10, and have two more years to take more advanced math or physics classes. It looks impressive on college application. That's the goal.

So that family could be shooting for more advanced math than AAP, and shooting for MIT or CalTech. They don't need enrichment to "keep up" in AAP.

There are plenty of non AAP students that take Algebra 1 in 8th grade. A good majority of kids at Longfellow do. Thereby taking Geometry in 9th, Algebra 2 in 10th, PreCalc, then Calc. And a lot of those on that tract take HN 9th and 10th then AP for the 11th,12th.

AAP kids take Algebra at 7, which results in Calculus at 11. Taking Algebra at 8 results in Calculus at 12, unless they accelerate using a summer course. I believe non-AAP kid will get an advanced high school diploma, but they are still 1 year behind AAP kid in math.

You're wrong with this. About 20% of the FCPS kids are in AAP. Another 20% are in gen ed advanced math. All of these kids take IAAT and 7th grade math SOL in 6th. Those who meet the benchmarks, whether they're coming from AAP or gen ed advanced math, will be allowed to enroll in Algebra in 7th. About half of the kids in AAP don't qualify and instead take M7H in 7th and Algebra I in 8th. Some fraction of the gen ed advanced math kids will qualify and take Algebra in 7th.

My gen ed advanced math kid qualified for and took algebra in 7th. Many of the AAP kids at her center did not qualify and took Algebra in 8th. My gen ed kid was a year ahead of many of the AAP kids in math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to understand the course sequencing in high school.
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/graduation-requirements-and-course-planning/high-school-course-sequencing/mathematics

For example, for math, high school gen ed start with Algebra on 9th grade, and finishes at 12 grade at Pre-Calculus.

Advanced high school math would require starting Algebra sometime in middle school as honor class, and finish Calculus at grade 12.

AAP student would start Algebra at 7th grade, and finish Calculus at grade 11.

For certain students exhibit advance math ability, they can start Algebra at 6th grade (emphasis: Algebra is a high school class!) and that student would finish calculus at grade 10, and have two more years to take more advanced math or physics classes. It looks impressive on college application. That's the goal.

So that family could be shooting for more advanced math than AAP, and shooting for MIT or CalTech. They don't need enrichment to "keep up" in AAP.

There are plenty of non AAP students that take Algebra 1 in 8th grade. A good majority of kids at Longfellow do. Thereby taking Geometry in 9th, Algebra 2 in 10th, PreCalc, then Calc. And a lot of those on that tract take HN 9th and 10th then AP for the 11th,12th.

AAP kids take Algebra at 7, which results in Calculus at 11. Taking Algebra at 8 results in Calculus at 12, unless they accelerate using a summer course. I believe non-AAP kid will get an advanced high school diploma, but they are still 1 year behind AAP kid in math.

Advanced math has nothing to do with AAP in MS. There are non-AAP in Algebra I in 7th and AAP taking Algebra I in 8th.