What is the point of AAP? I am getting to the conclusion the only real benefit is to have my child

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One small example from my kid at a LLIV: the AAP classroom taught the kids to write in cursive in 3rd-4th grades, even though it isn't technically required. The GenEd classrooms of the same grade were still focused on basic hand lettering and typing. The AAP teachers just seem to have extra time after getting through the basic curriculum to spend a little time on "extras" like this.

The AAP classroom also held kids to a much higher standard for neatness of written/typed work.

Everyone should be held to these standards not just one "special" subset. It's really horrific how FCPS basically has instilled a caste system into elementary and middle schools.

That too...SO early on.

It is not a caste system. People might mumble and complain about the kids who need pull outs for learning disabilities or delays but we all get it. we want to help kids get to the best place that they can be. We specialists to work with kids who are struggling for a reason. The main gripe I hear from parents in ES about this help is that it is expensive but people seem to intuitively understand that we should be helping all kids succeed.

Very bright kids, to include gifted kids, need specialized instruction as well in order to help them achieve their potential. The education curriculum has specialized classes that discuss kids with special needs and gifted kids in the same class because both groups need to receive material at a level that is appropriate to their needs. AAP is an attempt to meet those kids needs.

The issue with AAP is that FCPS can't decide what it is supposed to be. Should be a program for the demonstrably gifted, with high WISC scores or should be a program for bright kids who are high achieving in the general education classroom. Realistically speaking, both groups of kids need more than they are getting in the gen ed classroom, but their needs are still different.

I was a kid in resource support with learning disabilities, and later identified ADHD. I struggled with grade level math and my grammar still sucks. Foreign languages were a massive struggle for me. My DS is the exact opposite. He picks up concepts quickly, loves math puzzles and games, is a bookworm (ok so that was me as a kid), watches science shows on YouTube for fun, and loves building with anything he can get his hands on. He needs far more than what he can get in the regular classroom. We deferred moving to a center and Level IV placement because he loves his foreign language immersion program and he will be receiving Advanced Math. We will see how this year goes but we might move him in fourth grade.

We both needed different types of services to address our learning needs.

I wish FCPS would figure out AAP so that it works. I think every school should have Level IV in it. If the Local Level IV is not meeting the kids need, then use the centers for the kids who need more advanced work then in the local level IV. The issue that some people will have is that most schools will have one class for Level IV kids per grade, so no real room for changes in peers like at a center. The Pro would be that there would be a system in place to meet the needs of all kids and we could cut down on bussing costs.

It is not a caste system. It is a system that meets the needs of kids where they are and with what they require.

You clearly don't have an average child in GenEd in an AAP center school. It is truly awful how poorly those kids get treated and how subpar their education is. Even the ones whose parents can afford tutors. My average child doesn't need to be in AAP, but she DOES need to be challenged and she does need teachers who care about her instead of just ignoring her because she's doing "just fine". She's not doing just fine, teachers, we have to supplement her education because you're not doing jack shit for her.

I stand by my original statement, and as a Hindu, I know a thing or two about caste systems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that in the non-AAP classes there are kids that are just barely existing. There are kids that the teachers can barely control. AAP is just a way to have what used to be called an actual classroom 40 years ago. I have no idea how we have progressed to students running wild in class, making noise, distractions, disobeying the teacher, etc. In my older son's 2nd grade class right before he split into level IV, there was a girl who would just sit and curse all day and scream at the teacher... IN SECOND GRADE! In my first grader's class this year there was a kid who literally did not participate in the class. He spent the entire running back and forth in the back of the room, throwing paper airplanes, hitting kids, and spitting on the teacher. Jesus christ.

So yeah, thanks for screwing over the rest of our children who are stuck in class with those kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is that in the non-AAP classes there are kids that are just barely existing. There are kids that the teachers can barely control. AAP is just a way to have what used to be called an actual classroom 40 years ago. I have no idea how we have progressed to students running wild in class, making noise, distractions, disobeying the teacher, etc. In my older son's 2nd grade class right before he split into level IV, there was a girl who would just sit and curse all day and scream at the teacher... IN SECOND GRADE! In my first grader's class this year there was a kid who literally did not participate in the class. He spent the entire running back and forth in the back of the room, throwing paper airplanes, hitting kids, and spitting on the teacher. Jesus christ.

just remember that if you choose a school district to avoid that, you're racist

AAP is what keeps me from having to do that, I hope. I'm just waiting for my younger one with a 146 NNAT to get rejected now because "equity."

So you are admitting that you are a racist. You want your kids to be in AAP because that's where the white and asian kids are and not the non-English speaking kids who act out in class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an AAP teacher who also taught gen ed in the same grade level. Honestly my experiences as a teacher have been night and day. I feel I can do so much more in AAP and got my creativity back as a teacher. They content is the same but the way it is taught is different. There is a lot more critical thinking and a lot more flexibility in the schedule to teach grammar, word study and do fun projects. All of the kids are reading on or above grade level so it is easy to do book clubs. I honestly love it!

This was my experience too as an AAP teacher! I was absolutely able to use best practices and do really creative lessons/group work. My kids were motivated, polite, and on the whole well behaved. Parents were very involved. It was fun!

Don't you think this is incredibly unfair to bright kids in a gen ed classroom? My child is motivated, polite, very well behaved, but doesn't test well and is a little bit behind grade level in reading (but not in comprehension), so she's not going to get into LLIV even though I know she would thrive in this type of classroom and because she's quiet and shy, she gets ignored in GenEd and it's going to set her behind everyone. AAP is really unfair to children like her who also deserve the best but don't get it because of some stupid test and biased teachers such as yourselves.

There are bright kids in general ED too. From your own description it doesn't sound like your child is gifted or even advanced. It sounds like she is right where she needs to be.

So she doesn't deserve to be taught creative thinking, grammar, word study, or do fun projects? She doesn't deserve to be in a class where they do book clubs? AAP parents and their entitlement disgust me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My oldest did advanced math and LIII pull outs at the base school. My next child did AAP at the center. I didn't see much of a difference between anything they did academically. The biggest difference is that my oldest child's classroom was a bit rougher, had more behavior issues, and had a decent number of ESOL students, whereas my AAP child didn't have any of that. Both kids had a tremendous amount of free time and read a lot of books during the school day.

This is why parents push for AAP. They don't want their kids distracted by these elements in the classroom. Fairfax had so many ESOL kids dumped in the schools that parents with high performing students need an outlet where that wont hinder their kid's learning experience.

Or one could argue that children in a gen ed classroom are getting a slice of real life where they won't be coddled, and it's beneficial for them to be exposed to children from different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds from their own. That is also learning and growth.

They can get exposed during recess, music, lunch and all the social activities all the kids do together.

LOLOLOL - AAP and non-AAP kids don't do any of this except extracurriculars together. And you KNOW the kids I'm talking about are not doing the social/extracurricular activities that our kids are doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One small example from my kid at a LLIV: the AAP classroom taught the kids to write in cursive in 3rd-4th grades, even though it isn't technically required. The GenEd classrooms of the same grade were still focused on basic hand lettering and typing. The AAP teachers just seem to have extra time after getting through the basic curriculum to spend a little time on "extras" like this.

The AAP classroom also held kids to a much higher standard for neatness of written/typed work.

Everyone should be held to these standards not just one "special" subset. It's really horrific how FCPS basically has instilled a caste system into elementary and middle schools.

That too...SO early on.

It is not a caste system. People might mumble and complain about the kids who need pull outs for learning disabilities or delays but we all get it. we want to help kids get to the best place that they can be. We specialists to work with kids who are struggling for a reason. The main gripe I hear from parents in ES about this help is that it is expensive but people seem to intuitively understand that we should be helping all kids succeed.

Very bright kids, to include gifted kids, need specialized instruction as well in order to help them achieve their potential. The education curriculum has specialized classes that discuss kids with special needs and gifted kids in the same class because both groups need to receive material at a level that is appropriate to their needs. AAP is an attempt to meet those kids needs.

The issue with AAP is that FCPS can't decide what it is supposed to be. Should be a program for the demonstrably gifted, with high WISC scores or should be a program for bright kids who are high achieving in the general education classroom. Realistically speaking, both groups of kids need more than they are getting in the gen ed classroom, but their needs are still different.

I was a kid in resource support with learning disabilities, and later identified ADHD. I struggled with grade level math and my grammar still sucks. Foreign languages were a massive struggle for me. My DS is the exact opposite. He picks up concepts quickly, loves math puzzles and games, is a bookworm (ok so that was me as a kid), watches science shows on YouTube for fun, and loves building with anything he can get his hands on. He needs far more than what he can get in the regular classroom. We deferred moving to a center and Level IV placement because he loves his foreign language immersion program and he will be receiving Advanced Math. We will see how this year goes but we might move him in fourth grade.

We both needed different types of services to address our learning needs.

I wish FCPS would figure out AAP so that it works. I think every school should have Level IV in it. If the Local Level IV is not meeting the kids need, then use the centers for the kids who need more advanced work then in the local level IV. The issue that some people will have is that most schools will have one class for Level IV kids per grade, so no real room for changes in peers like at a center. The Pro would be that there would be a system in place to meet the needs of all kids and we could cut down on bussing costs.

It is not a caste system. It is a system that meets the needs of kids where they are and with what they require.

You clearly don't have an average child in GenEd in an AAP center school. It is truly awful how poorly those kids get treated and how subpar their education is. Even the ones whose parents can afford tutors. My average child doesn't need to be in AAP, but she DOES need to be challenged and she does need teachers who care about her instead of just ignoring her because she's doing "just fine". She's not doing just fine, teachers, we have to supplement her education because you're not doing jack shit for her.

I stand by my original statement, and as a Hindu, I know a thing or two about caste systems.

And I want to clarify that when I say supplement, I mean we need to put her in things to CHALLENGE her, otherwise she's bored in class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an AAP teacher who also taught gen ed in the same grade level. Honestly my experiences as a teacher have been night and day. I feel I can do so much more in AAP and got my creativity back as a teacher. They content is the same but the way it is taught is different. There is a lot more critical thinking and a lot more flexibility in the schedule to teach grammar, word study and do fun projects. All of the kids are reading on or above grade level so it is easy to do book clubs. I honestly love it!

This was my experience too as an AAP teacher! I was absolutely able to use best practices and do really creative lessons/group work. My kids were motivated, polite, and on the whole well behaved. Parents were very involved. It was fun!

Don't you think this is incredibly unfair to bright kids in a gen ed classroom? My child is motivated, polite, very well behaved, but doesn't test well and is a little bit behind grade level in reading (but not in comprehension), so she's not going to get into LLIV even though I know she would thrive in this type of classroom and because she's quiet and shy, she gets ignored in GenEd and it's going to set her behind everyone. AAP is really unfair to children like her who also deserve the best but don't get it because of some stupid test and biased teachers such as yourselves.

Just because a teacher is sharing the reality about Gen Ed versus AAP, doesn’t make them biased. The majority of kids enter AAP in 2nd where there are no AAP teachers. In upper grades, teachers are putting forth many students for testing in the Gen Ed setting. With that being said, there are smart kids in Gen Ed that should be in AAP. There are kids in AAP who shouldn’t be there and struggle. There are also a lot of parents who think their kids are extremely higher than they actually are and belong in AAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an AAP teacher who also taught gen ed in the same grade level. Honestly my experiences as a teacher have been night and day. I feel I can do so much more in AAP and got my creativity back as a teacher. They content is the same but the way it is taught is different. There is a lot more critical thinking and a lot more flexibility in the schedule to teach grammar, word study and do fun projects. All of the kids are reading on or above grade level so it is easy to do book clubs. I honestly love it!

This was my experience too as an AAP teacher! I was absolutely able to use best practices and do really creative lessons/group work. My kids were motivated, polite, and on the whole well behaved. Parents were very involved. It was fun!

Don't you think this is incredibly unfair to bright kids in a gen ed classroom? My child is motivated, polite, very well behaved, but doesn't test well and is a little bit behind grade level in reading (but not in comprehension), so she's not going to get into LLIV even though I know she would thrive in this type of classroom and because she's quiet and shy, she gets ignored in GenEd and it's going to set her behind everyone. AAP is really unfair to children like her who also deserve the best but don't get it because of some stupid test and biased teachers such as yourselves.

There are bright kids in general ED too. From your own description it doesn't sound like your child is gifted or even advanced. It sounds like she is right where she needs to be.

So she doesn't deserve to be taught creative thinking, grammar, word study, or do fun projects? She doesn't deserve to be in a class where they do book clubs? AAP parents and their entitlement disgust me.

Honestly, this is clearly a school issue then. I have two kids. One AAP and the other gen ed. They BOTH did vocab, book clubs and fun projects. They both also had critical and creative thinking lessons. You clearly need to address these concerns with your principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am an AAP teacher who also taught gen ed in the same grade level. Honestly my experiences as a teacher have been night and day. I feel I can do so much more in AAP and got my creativity back as a teacher. They content is the same but the way it is taught is different. There is a lot more critical thinking and a lot more flexibility in the schedule to teach grammar, word study and do fun projects. All of the kids are reading on or above grade level so it is easy to do book clubs. I honestly love it!

This was my experience too as an AAP teacher! I was absolutely able to use best practices and do really creative lessons/group work. My kids were motivated, polite, and on the whole well behaved. Parents were very involved. It was fun!

Don't you think this is incredibly unfair to bright kids in a gen ed classroom? My child is motivated, polite, very well behaved, but doesn't test well and is a little bit behind grade level in reading (but not in comprehension), so she's not going to get into LLIV even though I know she would thrive in this type of classroom and because she's quiet and shy, she gets ignored in GenEd and it's going to set her behind everyone. AAP is really unfair to children like her who also deserve the best but don't get it because of some stupid test and biased teachers such as yourselves.

There are bright kids in general ED too. From your own description it doesn't sound like your child is gifted or even advanced. It sounds like she is right where she needs to be.

So she doesn't deserve to be taught creative thinking, grammar, word study, or do fun projects? She doesn't deserve to be in a class where they do book clubs? AAP parents and their entitlement disgust me.

Honestly, this is clearly a school issue then. I have two kids. One AAP and the other gen ed. They BOTH did vocab, book clubs and fun projects. They both also had critical and creative thinking lessons. You clearly need to address these concerns with your principal.

My older child is in AAP and the younger is still too young to even think about that, but I agree with you that your child ABSOLUTELY deserves all that you have mentioned. Truly, that should be the standard and the norm in every school and grade. Children who can't keep up or are disruptive, the school has to find a solution for THEM, to best serve them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Honestly, this is clearly a school issue then. I have two kids. One AAP and the other gen ed. They BOTH did vocab, book clubs and fun projects. They both also had critical and creative thinking lessons. You clearly need to address these concerns with your principal.

Of course it's a school issue. Schools with low FARMS and low ESOL populations can actually teach in gen ed. Schools with higher ones can't. Unfortunately, thanks to No Child Left Behind, schools are rated based on whether the bottom kids can meet a fairly low benchmark. So they focus all of their efforts on helping the bottom kids pass the SOL rather than doing much of anything for the kids who were already going to pass the SOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Honestly, this is clearly a school issue then. I have two kids. One AAP and the other gen ed. They BOTH did vocab, book clubs and fun projects. They both also had critical and creative thinking lessons. You clearly need to address these concerns with your principal.

Of course it's a school issue. Schools with low FARMS and low ESOL populations can actually teach in gen ed. Schools with higher ones can't. Unfortunately, thanks to No Child Left Behind, schools are rated based on whether the bottom kids can meet a fairly low benchmark. So they focus all of their efforts on helping the bottom kids pass the SOL rather than doing much of anything for the kids who were already going to pass the SOL.

Well this is what you get with open borders. We have such a large population of illegal immigrants who can't read or write in any language settling here it is inevitable that our schools would tank.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Honestly, this is clearly a school issue then. I have two kids. One AAP and the other gen ed. They BOTH did vocab, book clubs and fun projects. They both also had critical and creative thinking lessons. You clearly need to address these concerns with your principal.

Of course it's a school issue. Schools with low FARMS and low ESOL populations can actually teach in gen ed. Schools with higher ones can't. Unfortunately, thanks to No Child Left Behind, schools are rated based on whether the bottom kids can meet a fairly low benchmark. So they focus all of their efforts on helping the bottom kids pass the SOL rather than doing much of anything for the kids who were already going to pass the SOL.

This is exactly right. No Child Left Behind + going too far with inclusion really screwed a lot of schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Honestly, this is clearly a school issue then. I have two kids. One AAP and the other gen ed. They BOTH did vocab, book clubs and fun projects. They both also had critical and creative thinking lessons. You clearly need to address these concerns with your principal.

Of course it's a school issue. Schools with low FARMS and low ESOL populations can actually teach in gen ed. Schools with higher ones can't. Unfortunately, thanks to No Child Left Behind, schools are rated based on whether the bottom kids can meet a fairly low benchmark. So they focus all of their efforts on helping the bottom kids pass the SOL rather than doing much of anything for the kids who were already going to pass the SOL.

This is exactly right. No Child Left Behind + going too far with inclusion really screwed a lot of schools.

It isn’t so much too far with inclusion as too few resources to support kids who are struggling.

And I have 2 kids who are both gifted and dyslexic. None of their needs were met in AAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Honestly, this is clearly a school issue then. I have two kids. One AAP and the other gen ed. They BOTH did vocab, book clubs and fun projects. They both also had critical and creative thinking lessons. You clearly need to address these concerns with your principal.

Of course it's a school issue. Schools with low FARMS and low ESOL populations can actually teach in gen ed. Schools with higher ones can't. Unfortunately, thanks to No Child Left Behind, schools are rated based on whether the bottom kids can meet a fairly low benchmark. So they focus all of their efforts on helping the bottom kids pass the SOL rather than doing much of anything for the kids who were already going to pass the SOL.

This is exactly right. No Child Left Behind + going too far with inclusion really screwed a lot of schools.

It isn’t so much too far with inclusion as too few resources to support kids who are struggling.

And I have 2 kids who are both gifted and dyslexic. None of their needs were met in AAP.

It's both. It takes forever to get kids with severe behavior issues placed out of a Gen Ed classroom, especially if the parents are resistant. In the meantime, there's a lot of disruption and those kids take up a lot of time and resources. Also, it's ridiculous and unfair to expect kids with IQs in the 60s and 70s to pass the SOL, and it's unfair that the rest of the class gets shafted because the teachers are supposed to somehow make this happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Honestly, this is clearly a school issue then. I have two kids. One AAP and the other gen ed. They BOTH did vocab, book clubs and fun projects. They both also had critical and creative thinking lessons. You clearly need to address these concerns with your principal.

Of course it's a school issue. Schools with low FARMS and low ESOL populations can actually teach in gen ed. Schools with higher ones can't. Unfortunately, thanks to No Child Left Behind, schools are rated based on whether the bottom kids can meet a fairly low benchmark. So they focus all of their efforts on helping the bottom kids pass the SOL rather than doing much of anything for the kids who were already going to pass the SOL.

+1 Our situation exactly. Our Title 1 school eliminated anything that had to be done at home - homework, reading, science fairs, etc. The admin said that homework doesn't really help children. I think the real reason is that homework exacerbates the achievement gap. (That's a whole other discussion.)

When my older child qualified for AAP, it was like night and day (school the way I remembered school). You know, expectations? And, the parents and children there were plugged in. I filed an appeal for my younger child just to get "school" for him, too.