Underwhelmed by AAP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not to mention we don't all pay the same in property taxes-at our center, kids attend that live in an area with lower home values and therefore lower taxes-so if anything, AAP is providing them with the opportunity to attend a stronger educational program than what they would otherwise get at their base school.

Oh geez. It's a Haycock parent.
Ousting Shrevewood, Lemon Road, and Westgate wasn't enough? You want Timberlane out now too?

[Anonymous]

I think anyone who reads this forum knows by now that it's an advanced academics program not a gifted program. I personally am fine with an advanced academics program. I think the gifted label has more negative than positive impact, even for truly gifted kids. I think a lot of people on this board use the "it's not a gifted program" argument to slam the program. I think having an advanced academics program is more inclusive and so view it as a positive. I think having the top 15 or so percent of kids work at a faster, more in-depth pace it a good idea. I also agree that gen ed needs to be beefed up, but spending a bunch of energy on bashing AAP is a waste of time. All that energy should be spent on getting improvements in gen ed. Signed parent of one gen ed and one AAP child.

Excellent post on many points!

[Anonymous]

OP here: I'm questioning my decision to send my child to the AAP center for a number of reasons. Unfortunately, I don't have a crystal ball to see into the future, but right now I don't see much benefit. He misses his neighborhood friends and just doesn't seem happy. He's keeping up with the work, but grumbles a lot. He's also had to adjust to not being one of the smartest kids in his grade. Now he's just one of many smart kids. Instead of helping him grow, I think it's done some damage. To each his/her own, but I don't think AAP is all that parents are told it will be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I'm questioning my decision to send my child to the AAP center for a number of reasons. Unfortunately, I don't have a crystal ball to see into the future, but right now I don't see much benefit. He misses his neighborhood friends and just doesn't seem happy. He's keeping up with the work, but grumbles a lot. He's also had to adjust to not being one of the smartest kids in his grade. Now he's just one of many smart kids. Instead of helping him grow, I think it's done some damage. To each his/her own, but I don't think AAP is all that parents are told it will be.

DOes your school have LLIV?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I'm questioning my decision to send my child to the AAP center for a number of reasons. Unfortunately, I don't have a crystal ball to see into the future, but right now I don't see much benefit. He misses his neighborhood friends and just doesn't seem happy. He's keeping up with the work, but grumbles a lot. He's also had to adjust to not being one of the smartest kids in his grade. Now he's just one of many smart kids. Instead of helping him grow, I think it's done some damage. To each his/her own, but I don't think AAP is all that parents are told it will be.

Then do what you have to. All kids are different. You perceive a driven environment doing damage to your kid. Others see it differently. You know best for your child. All the best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I'm questioning my decision to send my child to the AAP center for a number of reasons. Unfortunately, I don't have a crystal ball to see into the future, but right now I don't see much benefit. He misses his neighborhood friends and just doesn't seem happy. He's keeping up with the work, but grumbles a lot. He's also had to adjust to not being one of the smartest kids in his grade. Now he's just one of many smart kids. Instead of helping him grow, I think it's done some damage. To each his/her own, but I don't think AAP is all that parents are told it will be.

Then do what you have to. All kids are different. You perceive a driven environment doing damage to your kid. Others see it differently. You know best for your child. All the best.

agree completely with this but the pp is lamenting her Dc has to adjust to not being the smartest kid in the class. poor dear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I'm questioning my decision to send my child to the AAP center for a number of reasons. Unfortunately, I don't have a crystal ball to see into the future, but right now I don't see much benefit. He misses his neighborhood friends and just doesn't seem happy. He's keeping up with the work, but grumbles a lot. He's also had to adjust to not being one of the smartest kids in his grade. Now he's just one of many smart kids. Instead of helping him grow, I think it's done some damage. To each his/her own, but I don't think AAP is all that parents are told it will be.

each kid is different. Perhaps your kid barely made the cut off? or did you appeal? If that is the case then your kid was not meant to be in AAP in the first place. Some kids have difficulty adjusting to change others don't. Gen ED can be a perfectly good fit for many kids and those kids are just as successful academically if not more then AAP kids.

best of luck

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I'm questioning my decision to send my child to the AAP center for a number of reasons. Unfortunately, I don't have a crystal ball to see into the future, but right now I don't see much benefit. He misses his neighborhood friends and just doesn't seem happy. He's keeping up with the work, but grumbles a lot. He's also had to adjust to not being one of the smartest kids in his grade. Now he's just one of many smart kids. Instead of helping him grow, I think it's done some damage. To each his/her own, but I don't think AAP is all that parents are told it will be.

Have you discussed your child's adjustment with the teacher? The teacher might have some insights from the school side of things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I'm questioning my decision to send my child to the AAP center for a number of reasons. Unfortunately, I don't have a crystal ball to see into the future, but right now I don't see much benefit. He misses his neighborhood friends and just doesn't seem happy. He's keeping up with the work, but grumbles a lot. He's also had to adjust to not being one of the smartest kids in his grade. Now he's just one of many smart kids. Instead of helping him grow, I think it's done some damage. To each his/her own, but I don't think AAP is all that parents are told it will be.

If your child is not struggling academically, but is only complaining about too much work, I wouldn't necessarily move him back to base school. Also, I think it's good for kids not to be one of the smartest kids. It prepares them for higher grade levels and for real life. It also helps to build work ethic if they have to work a little harder to get good grades. If he's feeling that he's not smart because he can't keep up with the work, that will have a negative impact on his self esteem and in that case I would move him back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, I think it's good for kids not to be one of the smartest kids. It prepares them for higher grade levels and for real life. It also helps to build work ethic if they have to work a little harder to get good grades.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here: I'm questioning my decision to send my child to the AAP center for a number of reasons. Unfortunately, I don't have a crystal ball to see into the future, but right now I don't see much benefit. He misses his neighborhood friends and just doesn't seem happy. He's keeping up with the work, but grumbles a lot. He's also had to adjust to not being one of the smartest kids in his grade. Now he's just one of many smart kids. Instead of helping him grow, I think it's done some damage. To each his/her own, but I don't think AAP is all that parents are told it will be.

Have you discussed your child's adjustment with the teacher? The teacher might have some insights from the school side of things.

Yes to this -- talk to the teacher, in person, without your son there. The teachers often have excellent thoughts and speak from a lot of experience with a wide range of kids -- if only parents are willing to step back from emotion and listen to them. (No, I'm not a teacher.)

Also, OP, you say that "Instead of helping him grow, I think it's done some damage." You say this right after noting that he now is not the smartest kid in the place. Is he basically feeling a hit to his confidence because things are not coming as easily as they once did? That is typical at the start of anything new and more challenging; the confidence takes a blow and it takes time to work through that -- time you don't seem to want to give him if you're thinking of pulling him out this soon.

The point of AAP is to challenge kids. If he goes back to base, you may have the totally different, but to me worse, issue of "It''s all easy again, and he's the brightest one around, and he's bored stiff."

Ask the teacher. I know she or he has seen this time and again -- the kids who realize they are not the top of the group any more and who grumble about working harder and having more work to do. The teacher can tell you how very normal this adjustment is and how moving him back could be fine...or could produce a bored student very quickly.

As for missing neighborhood friends -- has he made any effort to make new friends at school and have you helped him with that by setting up play dates with kids he has met this year? Is he in activities outside school and does he make friends associated with that activity? Kids do need friendships that aren't based solely on being in class with someone or on living on the same street.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all of the input. I should have added that my son also has an IEP for a disability, so although he is very bright he has issues that make his situation unique. His disability makes finding the right classroom placement tricky. Now that I think about it, my dissatisfaction may be due to the lack of special ed support at the AAP center. I know for sure that he got more assistance at his base school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for all of the input. I should have added that my son also has an IEP for a disability, so although he is very bright he has issues that make his situation unique. His disability makes finding the right classroom placement tricky. Now that I think about it, my dissatisfaction may be due to the lack of special ed support at the AAP center. I know for sure that he got more assistance at his base school.

My AAP DS doesn't have an IEP but he does have a 504. We have found far more support for him at the AAP Center than we did at the base school.

Have you spoken with the counselor at all? Counselors, especially those at AAP Centers, are often well versed on 2E students and how to best support them.

[Anonymous]

OP, good luck with your decision. A dear friend has child who is 2e and in our child's aap class. She *almost* took him out of aap, but decided to do the 4th grade year in aap. He's now in 6th grade and well-liked. The 1st 2 years were hard for him due to social issues. The special ed team worked with her and her son and implemented some changes. Success in the end.

[Anonymous]

Being the smartest isn't always all that it is cracked up to be. Our DD excels in all subject area and doesn't enjoy being at the top of her aap class. Tomorrow is the Iowa test, she's dreading it (she thinks it is silly to make students test into Algebra, she suggested making it open enrollment - no, she would opt not to enroll), but will probably ace it. She has already told us TJ is out of the question and she only wants to write or be an English teacher. We have asked that she reconsider this, as Math is her strong subject, as are puzzles and so too is writing. In the end, aap offers her a more well-rounded education when compared to Gen. ed. Point is let your child do what makes him/her happy, but still offer guidance. Don't live your life over through your children. Best of luck in your decision.