Prepping for entry into AAP

[Anonymous]

Oh, it's the person who posts over and over in an attempt to conflate test prep with studying and hard work.

[Anonymous]

+1. I know kids who prepped and prepped to get in, only to struggle in AAP, then followed by tutors and academy centers to keep up. I'm not saying that's your kid. Just saying know your own kid - IMHO there's a difference between getting a little help to get over that entryway threshold vs. putting your kid in where he will struggle and be miserable for a long time.

I've seen this, too, and also with TJ kids. Really, kids in AAP and especially TJ should not need outside help to keep up. It does make a person wonder if they're only there because of test prep.

[Anonymous]

I've seen this, too, and also with TJ kids. Really, kids in AAP and especially TJ should not need outside help to keep up. It does make a person wonder if they're only there because of test prep.

We understand many kids in AAP and TJ kids who prep don't need outside help to keep up. So what's new? Hard work, preparation, and TJ prep is not engaged in by people who only need outside help to keep up.

[Anonymous]

Oh, it's the person who posts over and over in an attempt to conflate test prep with studying and hard work.

No, it's the person who posts over and over in an attempt to conflate test prep with not belonging and not "smart enough".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because AAP is not a gold star you get for having a good kid, or even an enrichment program. It is a special needs program for kids whose innate, unprepped needs cannot be met in the regular classroom.

Or at least that's what it's supposed to be.

Um...no it's not. Citation please.

Citation: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/gifted_ed/gifted_regulations.pdf

Makes no sense, citation does not support your position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Oh, it's the person who posts over and over in an attempt to conflate test prep with studying and hard work.

No, it's the person who posts over and over in an attempt to conflate test prep with not belonging and not "smart enough".

Lots of kids study and work hard and never do test prep. I know plenty of high-achieving students who haven't done test prep for AAP or TJ. And let's face it, a smart kid who works hard is going to go farther than a less intelligent kid who works just as hard, whether test prep is involved or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I've seen this, too, and also with TJ kids. Really, kids in AAP and especially TJ should not need outside help to keep up. It does make a person wonder if they're only there because of test prep.

We understand many kids in AAP and TJ kids who prep don't need outside help to keep up. So what's new? Hard work, preparation, and TJ prep is not engaged in by people who only need outside help to keep up.

Sure, but those kids never really needed the test prep to get in to those programs. Those kids could have been spending the test prep time doing any other worthwhile activity and they still would have been identified for AAP or accepted to TJ. It's the kids who wouldn't have been accepted without the test prep who end up needing outside help to keep up.

And at TJ, if they can't keep up, they are asked to leave. So it really disrupts that child's life to get into TJ but then not be able to handle the work. Kids in my child's class at TJ have been asked to leave and the ones my child knew worked just as hard as anyone else there. The material was just covered too quickly and was too challenging for the kids to keep up, even though they had been prepping all through middle school for TJ. It is difficult and disheartening for the kids and their families when this happens. The children in this situation would have had a healthier and more successful experience at the regular high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Oh, it's the person who posts over and over in an attempt to conflate test prep with studying and hard work.

No, it's the person who posts over and over in an attempt to conflate test prep with not belonging and not "smart enough".

Lots of kids study and work hard and never do test prep. I know plenty of high-achieving students who haven't done test prep for AAP or TJ. And let's face it, a smart kid who works hard is going to go farther than a less intelligent kid who works just as hard, whether test prep is involved or not.

This is where I think the conversation needs to focus. There are high-achievers because they have an average to above average intelligence and work hard - these kids can do well in a traditional classroom with differentiation. There are high-achievers that are highly intelligent that may or may not learn well in a traditional classroom. And then, there are highly intelligent to genius and above which do not do well in a traditional classroom.

The 3rd set of kids NEED a special needs classroom/curriculum, the 2nd set may or may not need a different classroom setting and the 1st set DO NOT NEED a different classroom/curriculum. I do think the bar could be set a little higher across the gen ed curriculum for many students, but that's where differentiation comes in. A special needs gifted class/curriculum is not needed.

I wish they would go back to the actual gifted classes and not open AAP to every high achiever or kid pushed by their parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Oh, it's the person who posts over and over in an attempt to conflate test prep with studying and hard work.

No, it's the person who posts over and over in an attempt to conflate test prep with not belonging and not "smart enough".

Lots of kids study and work hard and never do test prep. I know plenty of high-achieving students who haven't done test prep for AAP or TJ. And let's face it, a smart kid who works hard is going to go farther than a less intelligent kid who works just as hard, whether test prep is involved or not.

This is where I think the conversation needs to focus. There are high-achievers because they have an average to above average intelligence and work hard - these kids can do well in a traditional classroom with differentiation. There are high-achievers that are highly intelligent that may or may not learn well in a traditional classroom. And then, there are highly intelligent to genius and above which do not do well in a traditional classroom.

The 3rd set of kids NEED a special needs classroom/curriculum, the 2nd set may or may not need a different classroom setting and the 1st set DO NOT NEED a different classroom/curriculum. I do think the bar could be set a little higher across the gen ed curriculum for many students, but that's where differentiation comes in. A special needs gifted class/curriculum is not needed.

I wish they would go back to the actual gifted classes and not open AAP to every high achiever or kid pushed by their parents.

So you must be against Local Level IV as well, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Because kids who are prepped: (1) bloat the size of the program, and create a situations where parents argue it is not a true GT program and (2) slow the entire class down Because they cannot perform at the same level in an u prepped setting.

Far better to have bloated GT programs rather than bloated prisons. There is no downside to the habits of mental, intellectual, and academic prepping. If there are any issues, it's certainly not related to prepping but rather the goals, mission, and administration of the GT program. Far better to have a bloat of highly prepared and performing children than a society of poorly performing misfits!

Again, if the GT program is bloated, then why not just make GT the standard program, and have kids removed out of it if they can't keep up? This makes far more sense than all the crazy prepping, pressure, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because kids who are prepped: (1) bloat the size of the program, and create a situations where parents argue it is not a true GT program and (2) slow the entire class down Because they cannot perform at the same level in an u prepped setting.

Far better to have bloated GT programs rather than bloated prisons. There is no downside to the habits of mental, intellectual, and academic prepping. If there are any issues, it's certainly not related to prepping but rather the goals, mission, and administration of the GT program. Far better to have a bloat of highly prepared and performing children than a society of poorly performing misfits!

Again, if the GT program is bloated, then why not just make GT the standard program, and have kids removed out of it if they can't keep up? This makes far more sense than all the crazy prepping, pressure, etc.

If we are going to change to a standard program, then why not just eliminate honors, AP, IB, academy classes, immersion, etc., and have One Program For All? This makes far more sense than all the cray complications.

[Anonymous]

Agree that the Gen Ed standard is way too low, which is why everyone is trying to get into AAP. Make AAP standard Gen Ed, and design Gen Ed for those who truly need General Education. To make it more palatable, make it so students have to "test out" of AAP to get into Gen Ed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Because kids who are prepped: (1) bloat the size of the program, and create a situations where parents argue it is not a true GT program and (2) slow the entire class down Because they cannot perform at the same level in an u prepped setting.

Far better to have bloated GT programs rather than bloated prisons. There is no downside to the habits of mental, intellectual, and academic prepping. If there are any issues, it's certainly not related to prepping but rather the goals, mission, and administration of the GT program. Far better to have a bloat of highly prepared and performing children than a society of poorly performing misfits!

Again, if the GT program is bloated, then why not just make GT the standard program, and have kids removed out of it if they can't keep up? This makes far more sense than all the crazy prepping, pressure, etc.

If we are going to change to a standard program, then why not just eliminate honors, AP, IB, academy classes, immersion, etc., and have One Program For All? This makes far more sense than all the cray complications.

Agree with this. Everyone should be taking AP classes, the way Basis DC operates.

[Anonymous]

If we are going to change to a standard program, then why not just eliminate honors, AP, IB, academy classes, immersion, etc., and have One Program For All? This makes far more sense than all the cray complications.

Is this serious? Just have every kid in every class doing exactly the same thing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

If we are going to change to a standard program, then why not just eliminate honors, AP, IB, academy classes, immersion, etc., and have One Program For All? This makes far more sense than all the cray complications.

Is this serious? Just have every kid in every class doing exactly the same thing?

PP was clearly joking. People on this board seem to think through their solutions only to the point their own desires are met. There is doubtful little discussed here that hasn't already been considered by FCPS. In the end, to quote another comparison, the current AAP system is the worst form of advance/gifted education, except for all the others.