AAP at Every Middle School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:kids in the middle always get screwed - that's what there is so much of a push to get them into level IV (and why the county pretends so many kids are gifted). On the low end, there is pressure to general track kids who (often through no fault of their own) act as anchors in gen ed classes because of either behavior or just an inability to move at the requisite pace. On the other end, there is pressure to pull away gifted kids an let them go at an advanced pace. If you have an above average (or even average kid), your choices are to pressure the school to get them into AAP, let them fall behind where they are capable of being because the teacher spends too much time dealing with kids who don't belong in the class, or going private. The end result is bloated AAP, disgruntled gen ed parents, and privates picking up those who can afford it

was getting long agree with this 100%

again with tracking you handle all of this in the classroom, it's fluid so kids can move in and out, problem solved.

Never have I heard sympathy from a teacher saying how advanced my child was and that they were truly sorry but they didn't have time to teach at that level. All we've ever gotten are guilt trips about how lucky we are and promises to hand out some worksheets to do on your own. If I wasn't able to provide the supplemental knowledge and tutelage at home, who knows what might have happened. Tracking doesn't work because teachers don't care about smart kids - in fact, I've found that the dumbest teachers feel threatened by their lack of acumen on subject matter and put down perceived uppity kids in front of the class for asking acting relevant questions requiring intellectual depth of knowledge. Smart teachers are the ones who say thay they don't know and will get back to them when they find out thte answer.

sorry sounds like you are in a crappy school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:just combine honors and AAP in middle school - its pointless to have three track, two of which are supposed to teach the same content

This x 1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just combine honors and AAP in middle school - its pointless to have three track, two of which are supposed to teach the same content

This x 1000

At Longfellow there is no difference except the kids are still "separated" in classes AAP Honors and just Honors for LA, Science and History/civics. ALL classes are taught as Honors. Same projects, same tests, same papers. Occasionally AAP has a due date that is before Honors but for the most part everything is taught the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just combine honors and AAP in middle school - its pointless to have three track, two of which are supposed to teach the same content

This x 1000

At Longfellow there is no difference except the kids are still "separated" in classes AAP Honors and just Honors for LA, Science and History/civics. ALL classes are taught as Honors. Same projects, same tests, same papers. Occasionally AAP has a due date that is before Honors but for the most part everything is taught the same.

It’s a difference just in name. It makes no sense to have AAP in middle school. Just pupil place in math according to test and have kids pick the other classes. It’s silly and pointless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just combine honors and AAP in middle school - its pointless to have three track, two of which are supposed to teach the same content

This x 1000

At Longfellow there is no difference except the kids are still "separated" in classes AAP Honors and just Honors for LA, Science and History/civics. ALL classes are taught as Honors. Same projects, same tests, same papers. Occasionally AAP has a due date that is before Honors but for the most part everything is taught the same.

It’s a difference just in name. It makes no sense to have AAP in middle school. Just pupil place in math according to test and have kids pick the other classes. It’s silly and pointless.

Differences in LA abilities can be just as pronounced as differences in math skills, and the placements should reflect that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just combine honors and AAP in middle school - its pointless to have three track, two of which are supposed to teach the same content

This x 1000

At Longfellow there is no difference except the kids are still "separated" in classes AAP Honors and just Honors for LA, Science and History/civics. ALL classes are taught as Honors. Same projects, same tests, same papers. Occasionally AAP has a due date that is before Honors but for the most part everything is taught the same.

It’s a difference just in name. It makes no sense to have AAP in middle school. Just pupil place in math according to test and have kids pick the other classes. It’s silly and pointless.

Differences in LA abilities can be just as pronounced as differences in math skills, and the placements should reflect that.

The point is that right now there is no difference between LA AAP and Honors in middle schools. Students who excel in LA should be placed at a higher level. Just call it honors. Students should not be placed in classes in middle school based on their academic status in second grade. It’s stupid. And I say this as parent whose DC are in AAP.

[Anonymous]

Can't any kid of any ability sign up for an honors class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't any kid of any ability sign up for an honors class?

Yes, and that needs to change. People cram their average kids into honors classes to avoid the kids with behavior problems or the kids who are well below grade level in Gen Ed. This slows the pace of honors classes, and doesn't do anyone any favors. By 7th grade, you should have four years' of SOL tests, or maybe three because of last year, plus a bunch of iReady tests, which should give a pretty good idea as to who is capable of actually handling an honors curriculum and who really needs to be in a remedial class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just combine honors and AAP in middle school - its pointless to have three track, two of which are supposed to teach the same content

This x 1000

At Longfellow there is no difference except the kids are still "separated" in classes AAP Honors and just Honors for LA, Science and History/civics. ALL classes are taught as Honors. Same projects, same tests, same papers. Occasionally AAP has a due date that is before Honors but for the most part everything is taught the same.

Not our family's experience at all at Longfellow. Child in AAP had much more homework and read comparatively more challenging books in English class. Both kids at same level of Math, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't any kid of any ability sign up for an honors class?

Yes, and that needs to change. People cram their average kids into honors classes to avoid the kids with behavior problems or the kids who are well below grade level in Gen Ed. This slows the pace of honors classes, and doesn't do anyone any favors. By 7th grade, you should have four years' of SOL tests, or maybe three because of last year, plus a bunch of iReady tests, which should give a pretty good idea as to who is capable of actually handling an honors curriculum and who really needs to be in a remedial class.

if teachers stuck to the curriculum and graded accordingly, it would sort itself out. If you have an average gen ed kid, there is no reason now not to sign them up for honors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just combine honors and AAP in middle school - its pointless to have three track, two of which are supposed to teach the same content

This x 1000

At Longfellow there is no difference except the kids are still "separated" in classes AAP Honors and just Honors for LA, Science and History/civics. ALL classes are taught as Honors. Same projects, same tests, same papers. Occasionally AAP has a due date that is before Honors but for the most part everything is taught the same.

Not our family's experience at all at Longfellow. Child in AAP had much more homework and read comparatively more challenging books in English class. Both kids at same level of Math, though.

the curriculums are supposed to be the same, I would complain to the principal, or the regional superintendent if that doest work since AAP vs gen ed is a hot button

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just combine honors and AAP in middle school - its pointless to have three track, two of which are supposed to teach the same content

This x 1000

At Longfellow there is no difference except the kids are still "separated" in classes AAP Honors and just Honors for LA, Science and History/civics. ALL classes are taught as Honors. Same projects, same tests, same papers. Occasionally AAP has a due date that is before Honors but for the most part everything is taught the same.

Not our family's experience at all at Longfellow. Child in AAP had much more homework and read comparatively more challenging books in English class. Both kids at same level of Math, though.

Our 8th grade local level AAP English classes no longer read full length novels. They are doing readers & writers workshops. I'm not sure what this is, but from what I've read, the objective is simply to get the kids to read anything. Why would a higher level class be doing this? This was done at the school level - a low ranked school by the way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just combine honors and AAP in middle school - its pointless to have three track, two of which are supposed to teach the same content

This x 1000

At Longfellow there is no difference except the kids are still "separated" in classes AAP Honors and just Honors for LA, Science and History/civics. ALL classes are taught as Honors. Same projects, same tests, same papers. Occasionally AAP has a due date that is before Honors but for the most part everything is taught the same.

Not our family's experience at all at Longfellow. Child in AAP had much more homework and read comparatively more challenging books in English class. Both kids at same level of Math, though.

Our 8th grade local level AAP English classes no longer read full length novels. They are doing readers & writers workshops. I'm not sure what this is, but from what I've read, the objective is simply to get the kids to read anything. Why would a higher level class be doing this? This was done at the school level - a low ranked school by the way.

Aap is very focused on math when selection is made. Reading ability is something that is pretty much up to the kid by 8th grade- kids will either be reading on their own and getting better at it or not. Most aap kids are not going to voluntarily sign up for a gen ed class. The end result is a gen ed English class labeled level iv

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:just combine honors and AAP in middle school - its pointless to have three track, two of which are supposed to teach the same content

This x 1000

At Longfellow there is no difference except the kids are still "separated" in classes AAP Honors and just Honors for LA, Science and History/civics. ALL classes are taught as Honors. Same projects, same tests, same papers. Occasionally AAP has a due date that is before Honors but for the most part everything is taught the same.

Not our family's experience at all at Longfellow. Child in AAP had much more homework and read comparatively more challenging books in English class. Both kids at same level of Math, though.

Our 8th grade local level AAP English classes no longer read full length novels. They are doing readers & writers workshops. I'm not sure what this is, but from what I've read, the objective is simply to get the kids to read anything. Why would a higher level class be doing this? This was done at the school level - a low ranked school by the way.

Aap is very focused on math when selection is made. Reading ability is something that is pretty much up to the kid by 8th grade- kids will either be reading on their own and getting better at it or not. Most aap kids are not going to voluntarily sign up for a gen ed class. The end result is a gen ed English class labeled level iv

PP here - my point is that those at Longfellow are saying that their kids in AAP are reading more difficult books than honors and our AAP classes aren't even reading books anymore! As we all know, AAP looks very different at different schools.

Btw, this was a recent change. I was told readers and writers workshops will be in place at every school in the near future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I support this

I also support scrapping the whole AAP insanity. No one has any clue who is gifted vs just smart when kids are 6-7 years old anyway

Just go back to tracking and multiple levels. I remember growing up you would separate the classrooms in each grade for math for high average and remedial. That would also cut down on the insanity of kids taking Algebra I in 6th grade. No one should be doing that. 7th grade is plenty early and you could have at least one section at each middle school. Those classes would form your TJ pipeline and go from there.

Why do these two things have to be mutually exclusive? Gifted kids need to be with other gifted kids for a number of social and intellectual reasons. The idea that some form of blended classrooms are good for everyone equally is a fallacy and only serves to engender the problem of the smarter kids being overlooked/ignored in favor of helping less intelligent or struggling students. The worst thing a teacher can do to an immature, intellectually curious, gifted child is to tell her that her knowledge is good enough to pass already so all she has to do is sit in the corner and twiddle her fingers while less fortunate, more important kids are taught things they should already know. This is why the U.S. is losing in education vs. the rest of the world.

THis was perfectly said.