Some parents need to cool it.

[Anonymous]

do they no longer do ability grouping in elementary classes? We weren't "tracked" in elementary, but we certainly were put into reading groups with kids of our level and I remember shuttling between classrooms for higher level math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's nothing compared to the pressure of making the travel teams in sports.

It's part of growing up. Other kids & their parents have different priorities. Raise your kid, others will raise theirs, time will tell who wins.

Quit worrying about what other people do and focus on your own priorities...that's a life lesson really.

I agree with your last paragraph, but unfortunately FCPS has made it difficult to do this with the over - emphasis on AAP. Kids who would otherwise not give it a second thought are being inundated with constant discussion of test scores and "who's in, who's out," coming from parents and peers alike. It's really become a huge circus and I can't wait until my kids are out of this environment.

Parents need to blame themselves for their kids making such a big deal out of AAP vs. non AAP. My husband and I were always very careful to discuss anything AAP related behind closed doors. When my child was found eligible for the program I was insistent that he discuss it with no one in class because not everyone is found eligible and you wouldn't want to make anyone feel excluded. I also told him that it doesn't make him smarter than anyone else because everyone has their own strengths. I then threw in a couple of examples of areas that he is weak in for good measure to put things into perspective. Parents need to watch themselves. The very ones complaining are part of the problem.

[Anonymous]

I actually don't think FCPS over emphasizes AAP. Parents do though and probably the Internet and this board is to blame for the over awareness of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP: New to this particular index (AAP) as my DCs are now in HS and I'm visiting DCUM for some other school related topic, and I'm surprised how much chatters there are regarding AAP at FCPS!

Both of my DCs started AAP in 3rd grade and I was always under the impression that one can't prepare for these testings but apparently I stand corrected. From my own reference with two separate kids, I'd seen children that were borderline getting into AAP (ie parents persistently lobbing etc) usually had a little harder time than kids that made it into the program outright. Now if you feel it's more important for your DC to be in the company to be challenged and you will be okay with Bs or 3s, then go for it! There's nothing wrong with that at all. But if you or your DC have to work pretty hard just to get accepted into the program, and you're expecting nothing but excellent grades, you might want to think twice about pushing DC into the AAP. AAP move at a lot faster pace immediately starting third grade, and throughout.

I do find that kids that have done well in AAP have one thing in common, and that's their ability to focus and follow instructions. They might be "smart", but it's "focus" that drives them to succeed at that age. These kids usually can finished their assignments quickly and retain the information well. Example I can give you is that one of my DC's mom asked me once how long it took my DC to finished a particular assignment, and I said about 30 min and on his own. She then told me it took her child over two hours and that's with her sitting next to him "making" him finished the project timely! Apparently that's their ritual every night.

The teachers are teaching the "majority" of the students and will move right along. So for those with kids that are on the fence of the cut, just keep that in mind. As long as you are willing and ready to do some home interventions when needed, than I believe your DC will do just fine in AAP.

. Not true for us. My DS has significant ADHD. He is the kid who used to get in trouble in ES when he would get caught reading, when he was supposed to be listening. When the psychologist at the table during his 504 asked if he knew the answers when called on, his teacher said "always, I'm not sure how he does it". When I asked if they thought pulling him would help with focus, they all said " no way!". It's not one size fits all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP: New to this particular index (AAP) as my DCs are now in HS and I'm visiting DCUM for some other school related topic, and I'm surprised how much chatters there are regarding AAP at FCPS!

Both of my DCs started AAP in 3rd grade and I was always under the impression that one can't prepare for these testings but apparently I stand corrected. From my own reference with two separate kids, I'd seen children that were borderline getting into AAP (ie parents persistently lobbing etc) usually had a little harder time than kids that made it into the program outright. Now if you feel it's more important for your DC to be in the company to be challenged and you will be okay with Bs or 3s, then go for it! There's nothing wrong with that at all. But if you or your DC have to work pretty hard just to get accepted into the program, and you're expecting nothing but excellent grades, you might want to think twice about pushing DC into the AAP. AAP move at a lot faster pace immediately starting third grade, and throughout.

I do find that kids that have done well in AAP have one thing in common, and that's their ability to focus and follow instructions. They might be "smart", but it's "focus" that drives them to succeed at that age. These kids usually can finished their assignments quickly and retain the information well. Example I can give you is that one of my DC's mom asked me once how long it took my DC to finished a particular assignment, and I said about 30 min and on his own. She then told me it took her child over two hours and that's with her sitting next to him "making" him finished the project timely! Apparently that's their ritual every night.

The teachers are teaching the "majority" of the students and will move right along. So for those with kids that are on the fence of the cut, just keep that in mind. As long as you are willing and ready to do some home interventions when needed, than I believe your DC will do just fine in AAP.

. Not true for us. My DS has significant ADHD. He is the kid who used to get in trouble in ES when he would get caught reading, when he was supposed to be listening. When the psychologist at the table during his 504 asked if he knew the answers when called on, his teacher said "always, I'm not sure how he does it". When I asked if they thought pulling him would help with focus, they all said " no way!". It's not one size fits all.

+1 My son has extremely slow processing speed and low working memory scores and always takes longer to finish tests than anyone else. He always knows the answers and then some, but it just takes him a long time to get it on paper or to remember what the multi-part question was, so he wastes time having to re=read the question every few minutes. We haven't gone through the process yet to get him labeled 2E so he can officially have more time for tests, but we are thinking about it before Jr. High. His elementary school is good about giving him the extra time right now. A lot of the 2E kids are actually quite brilliant, you just don't know it b/c you think they take so much time to finish tests and assignments that they don't know the answers. They do - it's just harder to get it down on paper.

[Anonymous]

I had a mother "warn" me that they do not teach math in AAP and after hours of working with her daughter, she moved her back to the base school...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a mother "warn" me that they do not teach math in AAP and after hours of working with her daughter, she moved her back to the base school...

I don't even understand this comment. Perhaps this mother didn't understand what was supposed to happen. If you have a child who is weak in math at all, that's true, they won't "teach her" the basics to get it...they need to move on to keep on track for what has to be covered. Or did SHE have a bad teacher? OR was the child just weak in math. This is far from a true blanket statement. No question math moves fast. No question I am guessing most have no problem with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That is just wrong. Yes, the parents really need to chill and just let the process go on quietly.

It is the area parents, in general. Nothing form nothing leaves nothing, but they are too stupid to realize. They are too worried about their children being their "retirement plan". So that tells you something.

You should see them at sporting events. Their team is up by ten or more, and they are screaming like uncivilized, uneducated banshees, instead of teaching their children sportsmanship, grace and humility.

Overcompetitive parents are trying to live vicariously, for the wins they never attained in life, and should be embarrassed at the antics they resort to; they make spectacles of themselves but dying to spit on the next guy. Losers.