Why such obvious hate toward AAP parents or hope-to-be in AAP parents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would suggest that music and arts are a core element of being academically talented. (lots of affirmative research on the connection between early advanced music education and early development of math knowledge). Student are gifted differently and this focus leaves those other gifts unattended, to all students detriment.

I agree, and talents in music and the arts are usually nurtured through very specific programs, in music schools, dance academies, theatre programs, and visual art programs. FCPS does provide high caliber programs in music and the arts in many of their schools.

Fairfax County has chosen to focus on academics in the Advanced Academic Program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my view, the AAP hate is caused by a simple fact:

Historically, the program takes about 15-20% of the student population.
Probably only 1 kid per school is truly noticeably more "gifted" than everyone else, and probably the next 50% of the population is smart enough to do the AAP work.

But the kids really aren't that distinguishable... so it leads to a bit of a crap shoot about who gets in and who doesn't. And that breeds animosity.

This. +1000
The notion of pulling out 15-20% of the kids for a program is absurd. Their learning needs can be met in the base elementary school. I know because I've been teaching in FCPS for over 15 years, both at center and non-center schools. There is such a pathetic desperation in so many of these posts---about scores, re-testing, waiting for letters, etc. and yes, I know I'm about to get flamed because parents are "just trying to do what's best for their child." But that's exactly my point: all this energy is to get your kid into an overcrowded class that really isn't that different from a non-AAP classroom. And the sad part is that is that the program isn't meeting every kids' needs. There are truly, truly gifted kids who do need something different. But the AAP classroom really isn't set up for that because there are so many kids in there that are bright, but not at all ready or capable of the pace that those 1% gifted kids need.

Putting on my flame-retardant coat...but the OP asked.

[Anonymous]

I really think those 1% would still be better in an AAP classroom than in a regular classroom with pullouts as necessary. It gets kind of nauseating to say that the 1% deserve something more. You may just get your wish at some point if FCPS decides to get rid of the program. The bottom 1% need their own classroom too, but we mainstream them because of the benefits of having them mingle with other children of different levels. Think, most schools don't do more than 1 pullout a week for their gifted kids, even the 1%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my view, the AAP hate is caused by a simple fact:

Historically, the program takes about 15-20% of the student population.
Probably only 1 kid per school is truly noticeably more "gifted" than everyone else, and probably the next 50% of the population is smart enough to do the AAP work.

But the kids really aren't that distinguishable... so it leads to a bit of a crap shoot about who gets in and who doesn't. And that breeds animosity.

This. +1000
The notion of pulling out 15-20% of the kids for a program is absurd. Their learning needs can be met in the base elementary school. I know because I've been teaching in FCPS for over 15 years, both at center and non-center schools. There is such a pathetic desperation in so many of these posts---about scores, re-testing, waiting for letters, etc. and yes, I know I'm about to get flamed because parents are "just trying to do what's best for their child." But that's exactly my point: all this energy is to get your kid into an overcrowded class that really isn't that different from a non-AAP classroom. And the sad part is that is that the program isn't meeting every kids' needs. There are truly, truly gifted kids who do need something different. But the AAP classroom really isn't set up for that because there are so many kids in there that are bright, but not at all ready or capable of the pace that those 1% gifted kids need.

Putting on my flame-retardant coat...but the OP asked.

I have an AAP kids and I agree that most kids could do the AAP work. In all honesty, my DC probably could have been served in the base school. He's incredibly creative and I don't think the base school would have nurtured that as well (our base school is all worksheets and testing), but he would have gotten a decent education. DC is not at the top of the AAP class, more like the middle to lower half. I really like the education he has gotten at the center and truly believe it's better than our base school, but I think many kids at the base school are capable of doing the AAP program material. I have another child not in AAP. She certainly could do the AAP material and keep up, but her test scores were too low (not even high enough that you could refer with a straight face). I wonder why she doesn't get the chance to learn in fun ways and is stuck with worksheets and memorization. It does seem unfair. The Gen Ed classrooms should be using the same fun methods that the AAP classes use. Maybe then there would be less desperation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my view, the AAP hate is caused by a simple fact:

Historically, the program takes about 15-20% of the student population.
Probably only 1 kid per school is truly noticeably more "gifted" than everyone else, and probably the next 50% of the population is smart enough to do the AAP work.

But the kids really aren't that distinguishable... so it leads to a bit of a crap shoot about who gets in and who doesn't. And that breeds animosity.

This. +1000
The notion of pulling out 15-20% of the kids for a program is absurd. Their learning needs can be met in the base elementary school. I know because I've been teaching in FCPS for over 15 years, both at center and non-center schools. There is such a pathetic desperation in so many of these posts---about scores, re-testing, waiting for letters, etc. and yes, I know I'm about to get flamed because parents are "just trying to do what's best for their child." But that's exactly my point: all this energy is to get your kid into an overcrowded class that really isn't that different from a non-AAP classroom. And the sad part is that is that the program isn't meeting every kids' needs. There are truly, truly gifted kids who do need something different. But the AAP classroom really isn't set up for that because there are so many kids in there that are bright, but not at all ready or capable of the pace that those 1% gifted kids need.

Putting on my flame-retardant coat...but the OP asked.

My two kids were absolutely miserable in their base school. They were picked on, harassed, pointed out as "being weird" and "different" and they spent many nights crying about they were treated at school (especially at recess on the playground). We worked with the principal and the school counselor and the teacher. We got nowhere until 2nd grade when someone finally listened, and by then each of my kids were in-pool and ultimately were found Center eligible.

Now they are in AAP at a Center. They have friends that "get" them. My oldest is in 6th grade and loves his school and his friends. My youngest is in 3rd grade and has had his first year of school where he has been happy.

Maybe the center and non-center schools you have taught at for over 15 years are different from our base school and our center school. But I will tell you as a parent that has seen the difference first-hand for the past several years -- there is a big difference.

[Anonymous]

AAP is over for us, thankfully. We moved in from another state, and were in "base" (what a name!) for awhile. The DCs were repeating work from 2 grades previous. Third, fourth grade, so repeating first,second grade material. For whatever reason (no child left behind/no child gets ahead?) My DCs are not geniuses or gifted --just academic. So I think that the overall dumbing down of the school system (while simultaneous praising itself to the skies) has resulted in a "need" for parents to be in the GT program because the pace is so slow to accommodate everyone. Even in GT the pace can be slow. When the parents see the work that their kids are doing, they get mad, because they know that their kids could do much more. So everyone wants to be in the program. But it only accepts 11%, so 89% do not make it. Every new family that moves in goes through this in our neighborhood (changing neighborhood with new families moving in...). It really makes me wonder about the FCPS system altogether.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it is hate. I think it is more eye rolling that comes out as sarcasm and 'get over yourselves".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What gives? Is DCUM troll central or are there really that many haters/jealous types on DCUM when it comes to AAP questions? To the haters/jealous types: do your kids act the same way towards the AAP kids?

A lot of sour grapes, ignorance, and Tea Party element...

[Anonymous]

Just look at the previous thread postings to see why there's so much eye rolling. A couple of posts down is a mom who doesn't even know if her kid is in AAP, hasn't gone to the orientations at her base school or at the center, but acts as if she has to decide tomorrow and is also complaining about the 3-4 hours out of a week her child might be mixed with base school children for science and social studies at the LLIV school where 99% of the kids are at or above grade level. Those are the kinds of threads that make my eyes roll. Not the ones asking about due dates for submissions.

[Anonymous]

I guees my wanting my DCs in AAP is based upon an earlier comment. The bottom 1% probably do need their class, but we mainstream, and thus pull down the class and reteach last year's material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my view, the AAP hate is caused by a simple fact:

Historically, the program takes about 15-20% of the student population.
Probably only 1 kid per school is truly noticeably more "gifted" than everyone else, and probably the next 50% of the population is smart enough to do the AAP work.

But the kids really aren't that distinguishable... so it leads to a bit of a crap shoot about who gets in and who doesn't. And that breeds animosity.

This. +1000
The notion of pulling out 15-20% of the kids for a program is absurd. Their learning needs can be met in the base elementary school. I know because I've been teaching in FCPS for over 15 years, both at center and non-center schools. There is such a pathetic desperation in so many of these posts---about scores, re-testing, waiting for letters, etc. and yes, I know I'm about to get flamed because parents are "just trying to do what's best for their child." But that's exactly my point: all this energy is to get your kid into an overcrowded class that really isn't that different from a non-AAP classroom. And the sad part is that is that the program isn't meeting every kids' needs. There are truly, truly gifted kids who do need something different. But the AAP classroom really isn't set up for that because there are so many kids in there that are bright, but not at all ready or capable of the pace that those 1% gifted kids need.

Putting on my flame-retardant coat...but the OP asked.

I have an AAP kids and I agree that most kids could do the AAP work. In all honesty, my DC probably could have been served in the base school. He's incredibly creative and I don't think the base school would have nurtured that as well (our base school is all worksheets and testing), but he would have gotten a decent education. DC is not at the top of the AAP class, more like the middle to lower half. I really like the education he has gotten at the center and truly believe it's better than our base school, but I think many kids at the base school are capable of doing the AAP program material. I have another child not in AAP. She certainly could do the AAP material and keep up, but her test scores were too low (not even high enough that you could refer with a straight face). I wonder why she doesn't get the chance to learn in fun ways and is stuck with worksheets and memorization. It does seem unfair. The Gen Ed classrooms should be using the same fun methods that the AAP classes use. Maybe then there would be less desperation.

This. Another +1000. Why should some academic but not "gifted" kids have exposure to a more challenging curriculum, while others who are as just as talented but saddled with less pushy, or less plugged-in parents be denied that because they're in a class with varying abilities? I honestly don't think it matters much at all in grade school, but in middle school you definitely see it.

[Anonymous]

10:59 That simply isn't true. Do you even have kids in the system beyond kindergarten? The bottom 1% get plenty of extra help. I don't know of any school that teaches to last year's standards. Most teach to the current grade or 1 year above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:10:59 That simply isn't true. Do you even have kids in the system beyond kindergarten? The bottom 1% get plenty of extra help. I don't know of any school that teaches to last year's standards. Most teach to the current grade or 1 year above.

I think you misunderstood PP. She moved from another school district and found that the standards being taught here is 2 years behind what her kids were learning in their old school district. She was commenting on the standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AAP is over for us, thankfully. We moved in from another state, and were in "base" (what a name!) for awhile. The DCs were repeating work from 2 grades previous. Third, fourth grade, so repeating first,second grade material. For whatever reason (no child left behind/no child gets ahead?) My DCs are not geniuses or gifted --just academic. So I think that the overall dumbing down of the school system (while simultaneous praising itself to the skies) has resulted in a "need" for parents to be in the GT program because the pace is so slow to accommodate everyone. Even in GT the pace can be slow. When the parents see the work that their kids are doing, they get mad, because they know that their kids could do much more. So everyone wants to be in the program. But it only accepts 11%, so 89% do not make it. Every new family that moves in goes through this in our neighborhood (changing neighborhood with new families moving in...). It really makes me wonder about the FCPS system altogether.

Where did you live before and what was your base school? Without that I have trouble believing that your children were 2-3 years ahead. Were students taking HS level algebra in 5th and 6th grade- routinely? That would be 2-3 years below the math at my DCs base school. The vast majority take Algebra Honors in 7th or 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

I think it's because people generally are fed up with the sense of entitlement that people in the DC area seem to have. And this "my little snowflake needs to get into AAP" chatter just reinforces it.