Reply to Middle school Electives

Forum Index » Advanced Academic Programs (AAP)

Reply to "Middle school Electives"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We've been told many times over the years that the whole point of registering in Jan/ Feb was so that the school could hire staff to accommodate all of the student's requests.  That's why the school has trouble making changes late, because they have already staffed to "what you asked for."  My kids, 10th and 7th, have only ever gotten their top picks so I'm surprised to hear otherwise here.[/quote]
We’ve heard the same, that students’ preferences tend to stay consistent. There’s a group of passionate kids that leans toward advanced subjects like math, science, tech, and languages, while the larger group of diverse kids opt for no-surprise courses like band, orchestra, and similar options. To each their own, of course. But it seems like FCPS is insistent that even students who aren't as academically focused should be included in AAP, perhaps to meet their diversity goals?[/quote]

It probably depends on the school but Orchestra and Band at Carson are no joke. There are a lot of potential after school rehearsals and concerts that kids are required to participate in. If they choose not to then they are not likely to go on the big trip to 6 Flags or Great America or whatever the theme park is. They have to keep a practice log and practice using an app that tells them how accurate they are. We know kids who dropped it because it was too intense, especially for an elective.

Languages seem to be easy to get, I don’t know a kid who started a language in 7th or 8th grade who did not get the language they wanted.

Engineering and Computers can be tough to get in 7th grade because there are kids who want to make sure that they can take the follow on classes, that have fewer sections and can be selective. I know Engineering 3 is invitation only.

I think the home ec class, called something different now, and some of the other classes are considered more fun and seem to be more available.

As for academically focused or not, there are plenty of kids in LIV/AAP who are smart and capable but are not self driven or curious, I would guess that most of the kids at this age are not academically focused. DS is taking a language, not because he loves it or is driven to learn a language, but because he knows that he needs 4 years of a language for a lot of the better colleges. And because the electives in HS are more varied and fun and he wants to have more room for those then take other electives now. [/quote]
My student is highly capable and thrives on challenges, especially in a peer-driven environment. However, understandably they don't foresee the long-term implications of middle school course selections and how those choices will affect high school course pathways. This is where a parent's involvement becomes essential in helping determine the best challenges that align with their abilities. Along with their friends, my student has taken the most advanced math courses and selected STEM electives, and they are now seeing the impact of those decisions at TJ coursework. While a middle school counselor can offer relevant guidance, they can't replace the role of an informed parent who knows the student best and understands their potential, and guide them accordingly.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics