How much do you know about the academic skills of the other kids in your child's classroom?

[Anonymous]

How much do you know about the academic skills of the other kids in your child's classroom?
Do you know who gets good grades? Who is a good student?

I was talking to 2 AAP moms and both of them were saying they were surprised at some kids who were at the AAP orientation.
How could one be "surprised?" What data would they have had? (and we're talking 2nd graders here)
Am I just not paying attention to other kids? I only know how MY kids are doing.

[Anonymous]

Last year I volunteered a few times in my 2nd grader's classroom. Once I helped a group of kids work on a science project that included researching in books, organizing information and writing. Other times I organized completed class work to send home to parents. There are writing samples on the wall outside classrooms, too. Some kids are clearly more advanced than others in some or most areas. Outside of that, I wouldn't have a clue (or care) how other kids are doing.

[Anonymous]

No idea at all.
I would caution anyone who judges academic potential based on a few interactions with students: you're not getting a complete picture. And the 2AAP mothers who were "surprised" are silly.

[Anonymous]

Very true. Volunteering in the classroom will really enlighten you and make your LO so happy that you are taking an interest in their day. I have gone in once so far this year for a couple hours to work on a geography project with my daughters 2nd grade class. It was good to meet her fellow peers and show them how to make globes of the world.

[Anonymous]

The school's newsletter lists the kids who made the Honor Roll every making period...

[Anonymous]

Tis is why I am glad parents are not allowed to volunteer in the class room. A writing sample or struggling with a concept does not show a kid is not smart. Ten they go and talk about the Kia on their limited experience and intelligence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tis is why I am glad parents are not allowed to volunteer in the class room. A writing sample or struggling with a concept does not show a kid is not smart. Ten they go and talk about the Kia on their limited experience and intelligence.

If someone is volunteering to see how everyone measures up, then that parent should not volunteer. I have not seen this before. Most parents I know that volunteer are genuinely trying to help the teacher and also get to know their child's peers. Don't make volunteering in the classroom out to be some kind of bad thing. There aren't many parents who volunteer anyways. Most parents just don't make that a priority. We just live in an area where people are just go go go and happy to get to the dropoff.

[Anonymous]

I volunteered a few times and I really couldn't tell the difference. At least not to the extent that I could peg who would end up in AAP.

FWIW, other parents who volunteered in DC's class approached me to tell me they thought DC was good at math. I didn't know who half the kids were, and I didn't know most of the parents. It was a pretty awkward conversation. I would have to quiz my kid afterward - who was that? How does she know you? I don't think they meant anything bad, but it's weird. My kid isn't even in AAP now, so I guess they would've thought wrong for my DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I volunteered a few times and I really couldn't tell the difference. At least not to the extent that I could peg who would end up in AAP.

FWIW, other parents who volunteered in DC's class approached me to tell me they thought DC was good at math. I didn't know who half the kids were, and I didn't know most of the parents. It was a pretty awkward conversation. I would have to quiz my kid afterward - who was that? How does she know you? I don't think they meant anything bad, but it's weird. My kid isn't even in AAP now, so I guess they would've thought wrong for my DC

The fact that you can even ask your child about people in her class is major. Most parents have no clue and most kids are not going to share because they figure the parents are not interested, which is true for some.

[Anonymous]

I am sure some parents were surprised that my DC was AAP eligible. He was in reading remediation in 1st and 2nd grade and his handwriting was well below the mark. However, that is because many parents erroneously think reading ability is highly correlated to intelligence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am sure some parents were surprised that my DC was AAP eligible. He was in reading remediation in 1st and 2nd grade and his handwriting was well below the mark. However, that is because many parents erroneously think reading ability is highly correlated to intelligence.

I read once... If you can read you are not smart, if you can't do math you ae just like everybody else.

Signed, dyslexic mathematician (I am sure most volunteeing moms would have pegged me as NOT smart)

[Anonymous]

Not much at all until special assignments were made. For example, I know that all kids who have a certain teacher are a year advanced in math because that's what she teaches. But before assignments I didn't know at all unless someone posted their kids grades on Facebook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am sure some parents were surprised that my DC was AAP eligible. He was in reading remediation in 1st and 2nd grade and his handwriting was well below the mark. However, that is because many parents erroneously think reading ability is highly correlated to intelligence.

The program is called Advanced ACADEMIC program. If you can be behind academically and still be enrolled in AAP then the name of the program should be called intellectually gifted program. After volunteering in my child's AAP class, I think the program should really be for kids who are are working at least 2 to 3 grade levels above their peers. I was surprised to see weak readers in the class who slow down the pace of instruction for the others who are reading at a 6th grade level and above in third grade.

[Anonymous]

When I used to volunteer, I would be given a list of kids who needed help in reading. So, i had a good idea of how much they struggled in reading compared to my own child (whom I never helped at school). My child could tell me who was in her reading group, so I knew at least some of the kids who were at her level (and I knew her DRA was high).... and I knew some of the kids who were at the bottom. I had no idea how they were doing in math or other subjects.

You also get a feel for the behavior of certain kids -- the ones who are always fighting or screwing around when they are supposed to be doing "stations." That gives you some data about their ability to focus or interest in learning. It's not the whole story on any given kid, but it gives you some info. and it's only natural to draw conclusions based on what you see. So, don't be so hard on people who say they are surprised that someone is in AAP/GT.

Different child than the one mentioned above -- he scored really high on one of the AAP-screening tests. His own teacher told me "I wouldn't have expected that based on what I see in class." So, it happens that kids are immature in class or don't show much with their work products, and yet they score really high on certain tests of logic. Which is a situation where the tests may be better than just relying on teacher selection for AAP/GT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tis is why I am glad parents are not allowed to volunteer in the class room. A writing sample or struggling with a concept does not show a kid is not smart. Ten they go and talk about the Kia on their limited experience and intelligence.

I feel this way too. Volunteer? Fine, work in the office, set up the bake sale, organize box tops, etc. In the class room? No. Kids deserve privacy too.