Why do parents go through great lengths to get their children into AAP?
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Anonymous
The same reason parents send their kids to private schools, really. Otherwise, what's free and convenient would be good enough. |
Anonymous
If I’m following correctly, I believe I agree. It seems more difficult to get in the older the child becomes. Also, when they join later they will be behind because they are a grade level ahead when it comes to math. Definitely not a troll post IMO. |
Anonymous
| It’s interesting that people assume the worst when a question is asked and attack people based off of assumptions on motive. I’m very appreciative of the helpful responses. |
Anonymous
You put the hockey sticks in your question. No one else did. That was you. |
Anonymous
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So their student can view themselves as smarter than others
and for some it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy The is why "tracking" was thought to be evil |
Anonymous
I don't know that it is more difficult to get in as kids get older. I know of a bunch of people who applied after second grade and the kids were accepted. Parent's have to refer, there is no pool that leads to automatic referral, but that is about it. And a good number of parents are referring in second grade anyway. I am sympathetic to kids with LDs and ADHD, I happen to have both. I was the straggler in the class when I was in ES. I think that having a program for kids who are ahead is just as important as having resource Teachers and folks to help kids with LDs and ADHD. Kids who are ahead should be challenged, it keeps them engaged in school. It gives the kids who are ahead work to do that helps them develop good study habits and focused at school. Otherwise, they learn that they can skate by because the regular curriculum is too easy for them. It also means that Teachers have to differentiate for kids who are grade levels behind, kids who are struggling, kids who are on grade level, and kids who are ahead. That is a crazy amount of work for the teacher. There are 100% Parents who are assholes and who want to avoid the kids in Gen Ed and act like Gen Ed is beneath them and their kids.There are parents who move into less expensive houses in Title 1 school boundaries who are counting on AAP to move their kids away from kids who are behind and ESOL kids. The attitudes of some of those parents is, to be frank, gross. I would like an environment for my kid who is ahead where he is challenged and he feels like school is not easy. I want him to be engaged and learning. We choose a language immersion program for just that reason, we liked the idea that he would be challenged to learn another language and to use that language for some of his classes. It was an active choice that we made and the program has been great for him. I would like a similar challenge for him when he is in MS and HS. So we will move him into the AAP program in MS because I understand that the AAP classes are supposed to be more challenging than the honors classes. And we will encourage him to take AP/IB classes in HS because he is capable of doing that work and we think it is important for him to be challenged. Do I want him to take 14 AP exams by the time he graduates HS? I have no clue, we'll handle those choices when we get there. Essentially, I want him in an environment that is appropriate for his learning ability. The Gen Ed classroom is not that environment. Not because of disruptive kids or because of SPED kids but because the pace of the class is too slow for where he is. I fully expect that he will be in classes with many of his friends in Gen Ed in HS and that they will potentially do better then him in some subjects. Different kids have different strengths and mature at different rates. But for now, my concern is that he is challenged in school and developing good habits. |
Anonymous
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When my daughter was in first grade, she used to come home crying, because she felt that her brain was rusting (her words, not mine; yes, she can be melodramatic). She wanted to know why she wasn't learning anything. I suggested to her that she show the teacher that she can do the assigned work and more, and she would come home with work where she completed what was assigned, and then spent the rest of her time making up complex math problems (for instance), and solving them. She was doing what I asked her to do, but her teacher, who was busy with kids who didn't know their numbers or letters or shapes, had no time to deal with giving her more challenging work. It is understandable. So, we pulled her and put her in a private where she was appropriately challenged, and she was absolutely thrilled to be there.
That was not long-term sustainable for us, so when the opportunity arose to refer her to AAP, we did, and she got in. I don't think we would have been doing our jobs as parents if we had left her in an environment where she was miserable, and let her fend for herself, possibly losing any motivation she had to learn. The environment in her class is more appropriate for her now. She is not as challenged as she could be, but at least she has a decent peer group, and isn't miserable. |
Anonymous
| Do that many people really go to great lengths, or is it a DCUM thing? |
Anonymous
DCUM. Multiple neighbors came to me (teacher) with their kids' test scores asking what the point of the COGAT was, or why they'd want to parent refer. Most people aren't nearly as focused as DCUM is. |
Anonymous
I think it could depend on the area. Some parents are more competitive than others. I had a neighbor pass me down a huge stack of worksheets and workbooks she used to prepare her child. I have a friend who is older and she stressed the importance. She said to fight it if my child didn’t get in. I also have talked to numerous parents who have gotten tutors for their children while in elementary school ( and their students were already performing well). I also know numerous parents that can care less. In my current neighborhood people move here specifically for the schools. We have the top schools in the state. However, I’ve found it really depends on the teacher. My daughter had a new teacher that was horrible. She even told the parents that she applied and got the job so here she is. She didn’t seem to have a real interest in teaching. She would come to school and tell the kids she was too tired to teach today and would pop on a movie or let them play games. I was in a similar program. The schools weren’t that great. I was able to thrive by being with like minded students. |
Anonymous
Totally a DCUM thing. And a small percentage of DCUM. I would guess that it is the same 20 or so posters in the TJ threads. Very few people are focused on AAP. I would guess that the people who are focused on AAP are the people who move to the area for TJ and are very invested in TJ being their kids HS. |
Anonymous
I think it’s the area. Very very competitive for some parents. They are very successful and believe their children need to be in the program to be better positioned so they can be successful as well. |
Anonymous
| I prepared my child for the test format. We did some review (not a lot). |
Anonymous
| I also did some prep. I was concerned that my child wasn’t recommended because he struggled with virtual learning. However, I know I he is an extremely smart student. I didn’t want him to be overlooked because he struggled so much with virtual learning and the teacher didn’t recognize his potential. |
Anonymous
Yeah, my physical therapist opened up about how her son was at TJ and talked about the things people do to get their kids in. She had a neighbor who was neurotic about it and her son ended up not getting in. |