Seriously, why does you child need AAP?

[Anonymous]

I think it's really to get away from poor kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know this is a troll question but I still need to point out the average score in the FCPS pool is 105 not 119-134. GE would be a bit less with a the 132+ removed...

Not the OP, but why refer to him/her as a troll? Because you don't like the question? I think it's very valid. Extremely valid, in fact.

because its been asked and answered a million times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm really confused as to why people who have children who score under 135 on a NNAT, CogAT, WISC or any other allowed test, think their child needs AAP and would somehow be disadvantaged in a general education classroom in a place like FCPS when the average score in a general education class is probably 119 - 134 anyway. Why does your child need AAP?

Because it’s there.
(And it aint going away).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's really to get away from poor kids.

Poor and brown/black which are not always the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's really to get away from poor kids.

That may be the case in some places, but my child went from a base school of 11% FARMS to a center with 46% FARMS..... so your theory doesn't hold. It's for the academics -- which are superior to the base school. I would like to send my kid to the base school if they would just improve their standards just a little. They are much more prone to excuses and mediocre expectations... I honestly think they don't realize that they COULD be expecting more from these kids (at the base school). I believe there are many there who are capable of doing more. (I have one at the base school as well -- that child is not getting as good of an education, but we missed the boat and for that child's personality, it might not have been right -- hard to say.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's really to get away from poor kids.

Poor and brown/black which are not always the same.

My child's center has a higher minority population than the base school (I'm the one who said it is higher FARMS as well).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's only partially about a more challenging curriculum. It's also about being in class with kids who learn at the same pace and don't need as much repetition, so more of the curriculum can be covered in the same amount of time. Also, it's nice to be with kids who don't make fun of you for being smart and liking to read.

Kids make fun of other kids for all kinds of things. Yes, even in AAP.

Sure, but being made fun of for being smart can have a chilling effect on kids. Being with a peer group makes a big difference, and being able to learn at a faster pace with less repetition makes a huge difference to the kids that need it.

Second, first and kindergarteners made fun of your kid?

Yes. I would say that my DD was on the cusp of being bullied and certainly felt like an outcast. She was reading chapter books and Harry Potter on her own when she started K. In SACC, the older kids didn't want to play with a Kinder and the other Kindergarteners didn't want to play the same games she was interested in playing. So, when she did play when them, she either always won (in strategic games) and they so they started to excluded her or they would make up games to play (everyone draw a picture and one kid is the "judge" - they always told my DD that she had the worst drawing and was horrible at drawing). In class they didn't have anyone to pair her with for math games or LA games, so the asst teacher had to do them with her which made her feel like an outcast.

By 1st grade, the teacher was so frustrated with her that she spent most of the day in the "reading corner."

By 2nd, we were basically just biding time until she went to AAP and were hoping that it would be a better fit for her.

AAP has been a much better fit. She came home telling us that there are kids that don't make fun of her for talking about the things she likes and they like some of the same things. It was a relief for all of us.

So, yes, k, 1st, and 2nd graders can be mean and made fun of my kids.

Sorry, but I think that is a result of your child's personality and/or her behavior. You admit your child didn't want to play the types of games other kids played. She happened to find kids who like what she likes, but she could have found that anywhere, depending on the KIDS themselves - including herself. I have a feeling you helped perpetuate the belief that she probably had (and has) that she didn't have a friendship peer group because she was head and shoulders above the rest.

WHY was her 1st grade teacher frustrated with her? You say nothing about second other than you were biding your time until AAP started. FWIW, my AAP kid is "profoundly gifted" according to her FWIQ, and she always fit in socially. I don't think she "needs" AAP but I think it is great to have a program available to her in which she does well in easily.

Yes, my child didn't want to play typical board games and such that K students typically play. She was reading by 3yrs old, has an incredible memory, and is fascinated by science, math and history. The subjects that she was interested and the games she preferred to play were more in line with much older kids than with kids her own age. So, if that's a personality/behavior issue than okay.

She happened to find kids who like what she likes because she likes to discuss topics that kids her age typically don't like to discuss and at deeper levels than kids her age.

Oh, and so you feel better about it. Her dad and I have certainly been telling her she's a genius since she was a baby and look now she is! You didn't know that's how it works!! Hahaahaha...that's cute, but really? Not sure we could have willed her to max out the NNAT and CoGAT. Kinda thinking she's just a little weirdly smart.

Her 1st grade teacher was frustrated with her because she wanted to keep discussing topics in class in more depth and ask more questions because she already knew the material being presented. She wouldn't finish classroom assignments because she would start drawing or reading instead of doing the work. The teacher assumed she couldn't do the work until the NNAT test came back. Then she realized the work was so beneath her that she was bored to tears. She had basically been sending her to the "reading corner" as punishment or to just get her out of the way. That kind of backfired because she devours books - on the order of 1 to 1 1/2 per night (chapter books).

In 2nd grade, the teacher was much better and kept her engaged by giving her extra assignments and projects that she could do in class and home. She gave DD a 16 on the GBRS, so again, just guessing that it's not just us that recognizes one of our kids is not the norm.

I think she does NEED this program. Gen ed does not provide a sufficient education for her.

Do some research on gifted children before you make assumptions on a topic you know nothing about. Your DD seems to fall somewhere in the type 1 :the successful. My DD does not. If you knew anything about it or had a child like mine, you would realize that it's not easy to parent a child like this. Going to AAP is not a bragging right to us, it's a small step in the right direction when you have a DD like ours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid "needs" AAP because FCPS offers the program and will find my kid eligible for the program. Seriously, no one "needs" AAP, but people always want what they perceive to be the best for their kids. I know I'll get a bunch of "if you don't think some kids 'need' AAP, clearly you don't have a truly gifted child." You know what, I don't think my child is gifted, but the first thing the teacher proactively said in my recent conferences was that AAP was the right place for DC. Does DC "need" it, no, but that doesn't mean it's not the right fit. People will always try to get their child into what they perceive as the best opportunity, regardless of whether someone else thinks they don't "need" it. Basically, people who make the "only those who need it should be in" argument are saying that kids in the 97-99th percentile are disadvantaged by being in a class with the 90-96th percentile, but the 90-96th percentile kids will do just fine with the 1-89th percentile.

Exactly. The hypocrisy just kills me.

I'd prefer if AAP was restricted to the 99th percentile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid "needs" AAP because FCPS offers the program and will find my kid eligible for the program. Seriously, no one "needs" AAP, but people always want what they perceive to be the best for their kids. I know I'll get a bunch of "if you don't think some kids 'need' AAP, clearly you don't have a truly gifted child." You know what, I don't think my child is gifted, but the first thing the teacher proactively said in my recent conferences was that AAP was the right place for DC. Does DC "need" it, no, but that doesn't mean it's not the right fit. People will always try to get their child into what they perceive as the best opportunity, regardless of whether someone else thinks they don't "need" it. Basically, people who make the "only those who need it should be in" argument are saying that kids in the 97-99th percentile are disadvantaged by being in a class with the 90-96th percentile, but the 90-96th percentile kids will do just fine with the 1-89th percentile.

Exactly. The hypocrisy just kills me.

I'd prefer if AAP was restricted to the 99th percentile.

I'd go out to 98%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's only partially about a more challenging curriculum. It's also about being in class with kids who learn at the same pace and don't need as much repetition, so more of the curriculum can be covered in the same amount of time. Also, it's nice to be with kids who don't make fun of you for being smart and liking to read.

Kids make fun of other kids for all kinds of things. Yes, even in AAP.

Sure, but being made fun of for being smart can have a chilling effect on kids. Being with a peer group makes a big difference, and being able to learn at a faster pace with less repetition makes a huge difference to the kids that need it.

Second, first and kindergarteners made fun of your kid?

Yes. I would say that my DD was on the cusp of being bullied and certainly felt like an outcast. She was reading chapter books and Harry Potter on her own when she started K. In SACC, the older kids didn't want to play with a Kinder and the other Kindergarteners didn't want to play the same games she was interested in playing. So, when she did play when them, she either always won (in strategic games) and they so they started to excluded her or they would make up games to play (everyone draw a picture and one kid is the "judge" - they always told my DD that she had the worst drawing and was horrible at drawing). In class they didn't have anyone to pair her with for math games or LA games, so the asst teacher had to do them with her which made her feel like an outcast.

By 1st grade, the teacher was so frustrated with her that she spent most of the day in the "reading corner."

By 2nd, we were basically just biding time until she went to AAP and were hoping that it would be a better fit for her.

AAP has been a much better fit. She came home telling us that there are kids that don't make fun of her for talking about the things she likes and they like some of the same things. It was a relief for all of us.

So, yes, k, 1st, and 2nd graders can be mean and made fun of my kids.

Sorry, but I think that is a result of your child's personality and/or her behavior. You admit your child didn't want to play the types of games other kids played. She happened to find kids who like what she likes, but she could have found that anywhere, depending on the KIDS themselves - including herself. I have a feeling you helped perpetuate the belief that she probably had (and has) that she didn't have a friendship peer group because she was head and shoulders above the rest.

WHY was her 1st grade teacher frustrated with her? You say nothing about second other than you were biding your time until AAP started. FWIW, my AAP kid is "profoundly gifted" according to her FWIQ, and she always fit in socially. I don't think she "needs" AAP but I think it is great to have a program available to her in which she does well in easily.

Yes, my child didn't want to play typical board games and such that K students typically play. She was reading by 3yrs old, has an incredible memory, and is fascinated by science, math and history. The subjects that she was interested and the games she preferred to play were more in line with much older kids than with kids her own age. So, if that's a personality/behavior issue than okay.

She happened to find kids who like what she likes because she likes to discuss topics that kids her age typically don't like to discuss and at deeper levels than kids her age.

Oh, and so you feel better about it. Her dad and I have certainly been telling her she's a genius since she was a baby and look now she is! You didn't know that's how it works!! Hahaahaha...that's cute, but really? Not sure we could have willed her to max out the NNAT and CoGAT. Kinda thinking she's just a little weirdly smart.

Her 1st grade teacher was frustrated with her because she wanted to keep discussing topics in class in more depth and ask more questions because she already knew the material being presented. She wouldn't finish classroom assignments because she would start drawing or reading instead of doing the work. The teacher assumed she couldn't do the work until the NNAT test came back. Then she realized the work was so beneath her that she was bored to tears. She had basically been sending her to the "reading corner" as punishment or to just get her out of the way. That kind of backfired because she devours books - on the order of 1 to 1 1/2 per night (chapter books).

In 2nd grade, the teacher was much better and kept her engaged by giving her extra assignments and projects that she could do in class and home. She gave DD a 16 on the GBRS, so again, just guessing that it's not just us that recognizes one of our kids is not the norm.

I think she does NEED this program. Gen ed does not provide a sufficient education for her.

Do some research on gifted children before you make assumptions on a topic you know nothing about. Your DD seems to fall somewhere in the type 1 :the successful. My DD does not. If you knew anything about it or had a child like mine, you would realize that it's not easy to parent a child like this. Going to AAP is not a bragging right to us, it's a small step in the right direction when you have a DD like ours.

My child is profoundly gifted...but I guess in your world no one compare to your kid. Feel better!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's only partially about a more challenging curriculum. It's also about being in class with kids who learn at the same pace and don't need as much repetition, so more of the curriculum can be covered in the same amount of time. Also, it's nice to be with kids who don't make fun of you for being smart and liking to read.

Kids make fun of other kids for all kinds of things. Yes, even in AAP.

Sure, but being made fun of for being smart can have a chilling effect on kids. Being with a peer group makes a big difference, and being able to learn at a faster pace with less repetition makes a huge difference to the kids that need it.

Second, first and kindergarteners made fun of your kid?

Yes. I would say that my DD was on the cusp of being bullied and certainly felt like an outcast. She was reading chapter books and Harry Potter on her own when she started K. In SACC, the older kids didn't want to play with a Kinder and the other Kindergarteners didn't want to play the same games she was interested in playing. So, when she did play when them, she either always won (in strategic games) and they so they started to excluded her or they would make up games to play (everyone draw a picture and one kid is the "judge" - they always told my DD that she had the worst drawing and was horrible at drawing). In class they didn't have anyone to pair her with for math games or LA games, so the asst teacher had to do them with her which made her feel like an outcast.

By 1st grade, the teacher was so frustrated with her that she spent most of the day in the "reading corner."

By 2nd, we were basically just biding time until she went to AAP and were hoping that it would be a better fit for her.

AAP has been a much better fit. She came home telling us that there are kids that don't make fun of her for talking about the things she likes and they like some of the same things. It was a relief for all of us.

So, yes, k, 1st, and 2nd graders can be mean and made fun of my kids.

Sorry, but I think that is a result of your child's personality and/or her behavior. You admit your child didn't want to play the types of games other kids played. She happened to find kids who like what she likes, but she could have found that anywhere, depending on the KIDS themselves - including herself. I have a feeling you helped perpetuate the belief that she probably had (and has) that she didn't have a friendship peer group because she was head and shoulders above the rest.

WHY was her 1st grade teacher frustrated with her? You say nothing about second other than you were biding your time until AAP started. FWIW, my AAP kid is "profoundly gifted" according to her FWIQ, and she always fit in socially. I don't think she "needs" AAP but I think it is great to have a program available to her in which she does well in easily.

Yes, my child didn't want to play typical board games and such that K students typically play. She was reading by 3yrs old, has an incredible memory, and is fascinated by science, math and history. The subjects that she was interested and the games she preferred to play were more in line with much older kids than with kids her own age. So, if that's a personality/behavior issue than okay.

She happened to find kids who like what she likes because she likes to discuss topics that kids her age typically don't like to discuss and at deeper levels than kids her age.

Oh, and so you feel better about it. Her dad and I have certainly been telling her she's a genius since she was a baby and look now she is! You didn't know that's how it works!! Hahaahaha...that's cute, but really? Not sure we could have willed her to max out the NNAT and CoGAT. Kinda thinking she's just a little weirdly smart.

Her 1st grade teacher was frustrated with her because she wanted to keep discussing topics in class in more depth and ask more questions because she already knew the material being presented. She wouldn't finish classroom assignments because she would start drawing or reading instead of doing the work. The teacher assumed she couldn't do the work until the NNAT test came back. Then she realized the work was so beneath her that she was bored to tears. She had basically been sending her to the "reading corner" as punishment or to just get her out of the way. That kind of backfired because she devours books - on the order of 1 to 1 1/2 per night (chapter books).

In 2nd grade, the teacher was much better and kept her engaged by giving her extra assignments and projects that she could do in class and home. She gave DD a 16 on the GBRS, so again, just guessing that it's not just us that recognizes one of our kids is not the norm.

I think she does NEED this program. Gen ed does not provide a sufficient education for her.

Do some research on gifted children before you make assumptions on a topic you know nothing about. Your DD seems to fall somewhere in the type 1 :the successful. My DD does not. If you knew anything about it or had a child like mine, you would realize that it's not easy to parent a child like this. Going to AAP is not a bragging right to us, it's a small step in the right direction when you have a DD like ours.

My child is profoundly gifted...but I guess in your world no one compare to your kid. Feel better!

That may be true, but it is hard to measure the profoundly gifted at the younger ages. It is much easier as people get older. We know to focus, for example.
Personally, I know my IQ (about 150), but I have scored as low as 118 (middle school when I registered; we were sleeping on the floor of our new house waiting for furniture). So, they placed me in the "average" grouping. And I was bored out of my mind, and underachieved. So, they wanted to put me in a remedial group. When my parents figured this out, they intervened. Private testing put me at 148 IQ; school counselor did not believe it. There was a huge meeting...I was old enough to be there. The teachers -- particularly the math, social studies and science teachers -- said that putting me back is a huge mistake: that my low performance was because I was not doing the homework. I had subject mastery and I was showing intelligence in class.

I was instead moved up. FWIW, my SAT scores were 1300 (790 math, 510 verbal)...GRE's were 800 math, 640 verbal; I had a 4.0 in my freshman year of college and earn a PhD in computational physics.

But, according to my 8th grade guidance counselor, I was average.

[Anonymous]

That may be true, but it is hard to measure the profoundly gifted at the younger ages. It is much easier as people get older. We know to focus, for example.
Personally, I know my IQ (about 150), but I have scored as low as 118 (middle school when I registered; we were sleeping on the floor of our new house waiting for furniture). So, they placed me in the "average" grouping. And I was bored out of my mind, and underachieved. So, they wanted to put me in a remedial group. When my parents figured this out, they intervened. Private testing put me at 148 IQ; school counselor did not believe it. There was a huge meeting...I was old enough to be there. The teachers -- particularly the math, social studies and science teachers -- said that putting me back is a huge mistake: that my low performance was because I was not doing the homework. I had subject mastery and I was showing intelligence in class.

I was instead moved up. FWIW, my SAT scores were 1300 (790 math, 510 verbal)...GRE's were 800 math, 640 verbal; I had a 4.0 in my freshman year of college and earn a PhD in computational physics.

But, according to my 8th grade guidance counselor, I was average.

To be fair to your middle school counselor, it is possible that your lower verbal scores were "hiding" your abilities in math and science. It is also possible that part of the reason you were not doing homework was that the reading and writing involved were not comfortable for you.

More good reasons to place kids in classes according to their strengths and challenges. Some kids are equally strong across the board, some are stronger in some subject areas than others. If we were to place kids appropriately in each subject, they could end up with a stronger education overall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

That may be true, but it is hard to measure the profoundly gifted at the younger ages. It is much easier as people get older. We know to focus, for example.
Personally, I know my IQ (about 150), but I have scored as low as 118 (middle school when I registered; we were sleeping on the floor of our new house waiting for furniture). So, they placed me in the "average" grouping. And I was bored out of my mind, and underachieved. So, they wanted to put me in a remedial group. When my parents figured this out, they intervened. Private testing put me at 148 IQ; school counselor did not believe it. There was a huge meeting...I was old enough to be there. The teachers -- particularly the math, social studies and science teachers -- said that putting me back is a huge mistake: that my low performance was because I was not doing the homework. I had subject mastery and I was showing intelligence in class.

I was instead moved up. FWIW, my SAT scores were 1300 (790 math, 510 verbal)...GRE's were 800 math, 640 verbal; I had a 4.0 in my freshman year of college and earn a PhD in computational physics.

But, according to my 8th grade guidance counselor, I was average.

To be fair to your middle school counselor, it is possible that your lower verbal scores were "hiding" your abilities in math and science. It is also possible that part of the reason you were not doing homework was that the reading and writing involved were not comfortable for you.

More good reasons to place kids in classes according to their strengths and challenges. Some kids are equally strong across the board, some are stronger in some subject areas than others. If we were to place kids appropriately in each subject, they could end up with a stronger education overall.

NP here -- it would be great if FCPS could revolutionize education by having placement tests as part of Kindergarten registration. However, what's the best way to address the tracking issues? Retest all students annually?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My child is profoundly gifted...but I guess in your world no one compare to your kid. Feel better!

Your child may be profoundly gifted, but you are dense. Before you spout off about things you either know nothing about or are in denial about, please do a little homework and open your mind. The majority of gifted kids are like your kid (some estimates say around 90%). However, NOT ALL gifted kids have your kid's personality.

Mine is not a conformist or a pleaser. She learns for herself ONLY and things like grades, teacher/parental praise, rewards are not really motivators. That is not a good mix in a traditional classroom. My kid is considered "the challenging" type, which is found in a much smaller population of kids. So, yeah, I think she is different than the majority of kids, but it's not always in a good or easy way.

Like pp, her IQ is above 150 and while that is great it's not something we run around boasting about because it actually makes her a more difficult child to parent and raise.

But there is no way to have a civil exchange with you because all you hear is "you think your kid is smarter than mine" and you want to foot stomp like a petulant child and say "nah-ah!" so you go right ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's really to get away from poor kids.

Not in our AAP school. In fact there was significantly more low income as well as diversity in our AAP school than our neighborhood school.

Sadly one of our kids is feeling the need to downplay his abilities now that he's in junior high and most of his sports team buddies were/are not in AAP. The urge to fit in for our extrovert has been greater than for our introvert. However, access to AAP was super important for the extrovert. We are thankful every day for AAP.