Is this the beginning of the end for Level IV AAP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with PP who said (sorry, I don't know how to make it show up in blue):
Actually, at our FFX base school, it's already 40% AAP (no one even bothers going to the center anymore because the base is a better school). Yes, 2 full classes out of 5 are AAP. So I do see it as the beginning of the end of the AAP centers. Saves money, still segregates and everyone is happy.

It's no big deal for those who go to a base school that's 40% AAP, but for those kids whose base school only has 8 kids going to AAP in a grade, they currently often opt for the center school. If centers are eliminated, those 8 kids will suffer the most, as they'll be forced back essentially into gen ed, with something like 8 AAP kids with 16 gen ed at their base.

Well in the case of 8 AAP kids, my guess is that the principal/teachers take the 16 next closest in eligibility to AAP, right (and of those 16, some may be AAP-eligible but choose to stay in the base school)? The AAPs are not entirely thrown in with the dregs of gened. They cream can still rise to the top and the county can put the money saved to better use.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:pp, you mean the 20 percent Einsteins. you know, all the ones who did test prep and everything so their tiger parents can feel better about what their loins produced.

You sound very unhappy and bitter. Why not use that energy on your children and stop complaining about gifted children. You obviously don't have a gifted child or you would understand how quickly they learn and how differentiation is necessary for them. The new curriculum for gen ed will be good for them... Maybe your kids too. So whyso much anger?

[Anonymous]

When I first knew that our base school is going to have AAP in the coming sept., I was so happy! However, I started wondering how they are going to do that, though the AA teacher always claimed that they will use the same materials the centers use. Just an example to share, my daughter was selected to be in an advanced reading class, they are supposed to meet once every week. 4 months has gone, they only met with the reading teacher not more than 5 times!!!! Sometimes my kid came back home and told me that the reading teacher was on leave for a week to visit family, sometimes she had meetings.... all sorts of reasons! It made me wonder if the base schools (maybe only my daughter's school) are really ready for the AAP. OR just claim the name but not really doing the thing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I first knew that our base school is going to have AAP in the coming sept., I was so happy! However, I started wondering how they are going to do that, though the AA teacher always claimed that they will use the same materials the centers use. Just an example to share, my daughter was selected to be in an advanced reading class, they are supposed to meet once every week. 4 months has gone, they only met with the reading teacher not more than 5 times!!!! Sometimes my kid came back home and told me that the reading teacher was on leave for a week to visit family, sometimes she had meetings.... all sorts of reasons! It made me wonder if the base schools (maybe only my daughter's school) are really ready for the AAP. OR just claim the name but not really doing the thing?

When the AAP is at your base school, your daughter likely will be in a classroom of AAP kids with a dedicated AAP teacher. Don't worry, your DD will be fine!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:pp, you mean the 20 percent Einsteins. you know, all the ones who did test prep and everything so their tiger parents can feel better about what their loins produced.

You sound very unhappy and bitter. Why not use that energy on your children and stop complaining about gifted children. You obviously don't have a gifted child or you would understand how quickly they learn and how differentiation is necessary for them. The new curriculum for gen ed will be good for them... Maybe your kids too. So whyso much anger?

Actually, my kids are profoundly gifted. The difference between you and me is I see no need to ration resources for them. I know how to give my kids what they need.

You, on the other hand, seem to be insecure about the legitimacy of your own childrens' presence in this space. Your attempt to draw a contrast by putting down someone else's kids is quite telling. I'm sorry you have such insecurity, but please try to control your impulse to be nasty. Besides being rude and offputting, it's extraordinarily transparent and says a lot about you, none of it pleasant.

[Anonymous]

i'm confused.

[Anonymous]

From the little I know about AAP, the curriculum and teaching method would benefit everyone, so this sounds like a good thing. So long as there is still some ability grouping - it really can make a big difference for a 99th percentile child to be surrounded by peers.

[Anonymous]

There is ability grouping in 1st and 2nd grades already for math and reading.

Is this so different? So now the top group (which are mostly AAP candidates anyway) will get AAP teaching at the local school. Even better that the kids don't need to be bussed around, maybe.

There are plenty of other common areas -- recess, PE, art, lunch, where all kids can be together.

Its not a big difference maker either way -- as long as each kid is sufficiently challenged at their appropriate level and making good progress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The thing I care about most is whether they will still place the "Level IV" kids together. Great if they are going to (try to) teach the AAP curriculum to everyone, but hopefully they will continue to attempt to segregate the truly advanced learners from the rest. It's good for nobody for the Einsteins of the class to be placed with everyone else -- the Einsteins get bored, and the other kids in the class don't enjoy learning as much in the Einsteins' shadows. I hope they don't throw out the actual positives from the AAP program.

This is what I am trying to understand. I have kids at the AAP center and I have seen such a change in them since they have been there socially and academically. If they're going to be thrown in with the general population at the center school, they might as well have stayed at our base school.

can you describe concrete examples of the social and academic changes you have seen since they go to the center? I am genuinely interested, my dc is not yet in elementary.

[Anonymous]

Our school does not do ability grouping for 1st and 2nd grade. Why is this at some schools and not others? Seems a bit unfair and also makes it difficult to understand how a new program will work when the current program is so different from school to school. How does it work with the mixing for art and PE also? In our school they go to specials by classroom.

[Anonymous]

There is no way 1 teacher can handle additional differentiation ( especially on the upside) in a class of 25+.

The only reason they cater to those performing on the low end is that they have to meet SOL standards.

But there are no such restrictions on the high end.

I don't see a) FCPS rolling this out to each school and therefore b) this has nothing to do with AAP centers.

I think they are just trying to see if its feasible to better serve the needs of kids who can be challenged more.

But knowing how overloaded teachers already are, I dont see this taking off.

[Anonymous]

Differentiation does not necessarily mean additional load.

In our ES, there are 5 second grade classes.
There are 3 levels of math classes... normal, accelerated, and advanced. Three classes of normal, one accelerated, and one advanced.

The 2nd grade teachers all have math at the same time. So the kids get up and switch classrooms for math.

I think it works very well. And the kids get pre-tests for each math topic... so they may move in-and-out of advanced, accelerated, and normal throughout the year... depending if they are advanced in certain parts of math or not.

[Anonymous]

PP. I would like to see this happening more, but your schools seems to be one of the only ones doing this. If FCPS isn't requiring kids switch classes, how are parents assured that there is ability group learning? I agree your way is easier for the teachers and for students and it allows for kids to move up and down based on monthly pretesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will this decrease farms

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no way 1 teacher can handle additional differentiation ( especially on the upside) in a class of 25+.

The only reason they cater to those performing on the low end is that they have to meet SOL standards.

But there are no such restrictions on the high end.

I don't see a) FCPS rolling this out to each school and therefore b) this has nothing to do with AAP centers.

I think they are just trying to see if its feasible to better serve the needs of kids who can be challenged more.

But knowing how overloaded teachers already are, I dont see this taking off.

Does your FFX school have only 25 students per grade? It's really not hard to differentiate. Schools have been doing it for decades. Lets stop all the extra bus costs and teach your kid at the local school.