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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Our base is a center school. Probably not too common of a problem on this board, but my kid has had a lot more trouble making connections in the AAP classroom than in the earlier grades when it was mixed ability. It appears most of the kids go together to test prep places/native language schools on the weekend, while my kid is more into sports and the like. I've actually been thinking about pulling him out of AAP since there's not much difference in curriculum these days and math is his weakest subject; he doesn't need algebra in 6th. Plus, all of his social invites this year have come from gen ed kids he only somewhat knows from whatever special once a week. I was thinking he could probably make stronger friendships if he saw those kids on a more routine basis. [/quote]

It is so individual and so many families miss this fact. What works great for one kid is awful for another. Different schools have very different peer groups.

We had kids go to the center and return to the base the next year because of exactly what you were describing. There are AAP programs where the families are so focused on school that there is little to no socialization that happens in the class. The kids are going to after school academic programs and music lessons and language classes. The people I know invited kids over for play dates and birthday parties and the answer was always no. The parents claimed the kids were doing fine in class but the socialization was nil.

We also know people whose kids went to the Center and loved it. They were more comfortable with the kids who were more academic focused and less worried about sports and clothes and the like. It really depends on the kid. We have neighbors who moved to the Center because of bullying in their daughter’s class, the Center was great for them. They got along better with the kids in the class and did really well.  We know a decent number of kids who were in the regular class, we were LI, where the teacher at the end of 3 and 4 grade told the parents to apply for AAP the next year because the kid needed a different peer group. The kids were happier at the Center with more kids who were on their academic level. They are not geniuses but smart kids who enjoy learning and they needed a different environment.

I know kids who were miserable at both schools and the parents are trying to figure out why and not seeing that the kids behavior has a lot to do with it. There was one kid in my kids class who annouced he was moving to the Center and how smart he was for about 2 months, no one was sad to see him go. I ran into his Mom and a birthday party and she was commenting that he had only found one kid at the Center to hang out with and she just didn’t understand why. I kept my mouth shut. [/quote]

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