AAP.....good or bad? Experience with 2012 process. How is your kid doing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IMHO, this fervor to get your marginally qualified kid into APP does many of them a huge disservice late in life. It's the whole precious little snowflake thing.

this is a crude way to put it, but there are several kids in DC's AAP class that are, ay best, marginally suited to be there. The selection Committe probably gets it right most of the time, but not always. I assume that with 2nd graders they a judging a kid's potential and some just don't live up to their potential. I doubt this really hurts them that much later in life though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMHO, this fervor to get your marginally qualified kid into APP does many of them a huge disservice late in life. It's the whole precious little snowflake thing.

And then also doing Homework and projects for them when they get in lol.

this is funny. One teacher told me some of the writing projects sounded like a dissertation. DC said one student stumbled over so many words in their power point presentation it was obvious the student didn't know what the words meant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMHO, this fervor to get your marginally qualified kid into APP does many of them a huge disservice late in life. It's the whole precious little snowflake thing.

this is a crude way to put it, but there are several kids in DC's AAP class that are, ay best, marginally suited to be there. The selection Committe probably gets it right most of the time, but not always. I assume that with 2nd graders they a judging
a kid's potential and some just don't live up to their potential. I doubt this really hurts them that much later in life though.

This might be true, but it is not our problem or worry. Worry about your own child. It might not seem fair, but the other kid is none of our business. Also, while I think I know who is suited best for AAP, I really don't. I am not a psychologist or a teacher, just a mother looking out for her kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMHO, this fervor to get your marginally qualified kid into APP does many of them a huge disservice late in life. It's the whole precious little snowflake thing.

this is a crude way to put it, but there are several kids in DC's AAP class that are, ay best, marginally suited to be there. The selection Committe probably gets it right most of the time, but not always. I assume that with 2nd graders they a judging
a kid's potential and some just don't live up to their potential. I doubt this really hurts them that much later in life though.

This might be true, but it is not our problem or worry. Worry about your own child. It might not seem fair, but the other kid is none of our business. Also, while I think I know who is suited best for AAP, I really don't. I am not a psychologist or a teacher, just a mother looking out for her kid.

Thanks for the lecture.

[Anonymous]

Not trying to lecture, probably just telling myself to be ok. Sorry to offend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMHO, this fervor to get your marginally qualified kid into APP does many of them a huge disservice late in life. It's the whole precious little snowflake thing.

this is a crude way to put it, but there are several kids in DC's AAP class that are, ay best, marginally suited to be there. The selection Committe probably gets it right most of the time, but not always. I assume that with 2nd graders they a judging a kid's potential and some just don't live up to their potential. I doubt this really hurts them that much later in life though.

Seriously? Are you a teacher? How can you possibly have a clue what kids in your child's class belong there or not? What sort of expert experience do you have, and what work have you done with each child to come to this conclusion? I am the room mom for my DC's AAP class, and I am in the classroom a LOT. That said, I have no clue which kids 'belong' in the class and which don't. I am not interested in what the other kids in the class are doing.

What an odd statement. I've heard variations of this many times on this board, and it always makes me wonder how insecure you have to be as an adult to judge children.

[Anonymous]

Agreed PP - no doubt there are very insecure parents in my kids AAP classroom as well.

My husband and I were astonished during the Back to School Night where several parents would raise their hand during the teacher's presentation and tried to drop info about what advanced books their kids were reading, etc... just so everyone knew how smart their child must be.

It was weird and such a put-off. I was trying hard not to roll my eyes...

[Anonymous]

How do you handle sibling situations where one gets in and the other doesn't? I have 2 DDs, very close in age and am not facing this dilemma yet, and might not, but have wondered what parents tell their kids and how the kids respond. EVEN if you say "it doesn't mean X is smarter than you" - I can imagine there would still be some sense of feeling slighted if you're the sibling that didn't get in. Any parents keep a DC at base school for a sibling?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you handle sibling situations where one gets in and the other doesn't? I have 2 DDs, very close in age and am not facing this dilemma yet, and might not, but have wondered what parents tell their kids and how the kids respond. EVEN if you say "it doesn't mean X is smarter than you" - I can imagine there would still be some sense of feeling slighted if you're the sibling that didn't get in. Any parents keep a DC at base school for a sibling?

Same thing as one gets into a varsity sport team but one doesn't.

[Anonymous]

"This is called the GBRS. And that is why it is considered so strongly in the process. Some kids score very well, but don't display any gifted behaviors in the classroom. Other kids display every gifted behavior imaginable, but don't score well. That is why the committee is provided with the complete picture."

Having read several of the threads on this forum, it seems that the GBRS is actually very subjective. Children with very high scores are getting low GBRS
while others from private school are getting very high GBRS. I don't understand why the principal and the AART in a county school are involved in the GBRS - how much interaction do they have with a second grader? I suppose it is to counterbalance any teacher who is skewed, but I think it can work the other way as well.

[Anonymous]

The whole process is crazy!!! People are going nuts over this, what a shame for us and our children. Mt DD has been devastated, she is one of those on the cusp. I do believe in alot of competition, but not sure how I feel about it based on these test scores. Seems like prepping is the only way to go, if my DD wants a second chance next year. She is the one who insists on prepping so here we go......

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The whole process is crazy!!! People are going nuts over this, what a shame for us and our children. Mt DD has been devastated, she is one of those on the cusp. I do believe in alot of competition, but not sure how I feel about it based on these test scores. Seems like prepping is the only way to go, if my DD wants a second chance next year. She is the one who insists on prepping so here we go......

You know your daughter the best. Do whatever you think is best for her.

[Anonymous]

If your daughter really wants to be in the program and you think she needs and is capable of the challenge, fork out $300-$400 and get a WISC. I have yet to hear of anyone who doesn't seem to do well on it. Then you don't have to waste time with prepping.

[Anonymous]

It seems easier to get in on appeal with a WISC than it is to get in after 2nd grade. You would have a better shot this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems easier to get in on appeal with a WISC than it is to get in after 2nd grade. You would have a better shot this year.

That was not our experience. We were in pool, with a 9 GBRS, and lost on appeal. (could not afford WISC, so obviously were not on equal footing with regard to the many who I am sure submitted WISC on appeal). Since ds had more than met the testing threshold on the FCPS tests (according to our AART, as well as a psychologist we consulted), we parent referred in 3rd, and got in first round with a GBRS of 11 from ds's 3rd grade teacher. We did submit work samples, etc. also. DS is doing great in AAP in 4th.