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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We found the homework in 3rd grade to be much more than it was in 4th or 5th, and then it picked back up again in 6th. In our AAP center, the AAP kids have science every day, and spelling work is an occasional thing. There are a lot of projects and writing that are done at school only, mainly so the work is genuinely that of the kids and not of the parents. The kids were expected to do short answer (paragraph) type answers on tests and short essays on tests starting in 5th. Wordmasters and math contests are given as part of the curriculum. The curriculum has seemed a lot more challenging than what my other ds recieved in general ed. There is a distinct lack of busy work in AAP, and the assignments given often have requirements that allow the kids to capitalize on their strengths, but require them to push themselves in areas that aren't.[/quote]

This is very close to our experience too (have a 6th grade AAP student). There is a lot of creative discussion too -- my child tells me in detail about some very interesting talks the kids have in class with each other and their teachers on a lot of topics related to what they're doing in classes. I think the teachers at our center in this grade go into depth and also know when to let the kids discuss and even go off a bit on tangents, if it shows they are thinking. We are also fortunate to have a daily writing rotation -- just writing, and reading/language arts is another rotation of its own. Good prep for increased writing in middle school.So I think the AAP curriculum experience depends a lot on what center or school, what grade and what the teachers are like.

The curriculum [i]topics[/i] are the same but the level and style of what's done in the classroom can (and really should) be very different in AAP.

I was at a presentation at our middle school for next year where the science and history teachers gave examples of the differences. This is a very basic summary, but for instance, in middle school general ed history, the kids might be expected to write a biography paper of (example only) three pages, with X number of sources. Honors MS kids would be expected to do a longer paper, more sources, maybe get into different aspects of the person's life etc. AAP MS would do a much longer paper, many more sources, and be expected to speak to questions such as "How do you think your subject would respond to one of today's major international issues" (for instance, what would Teddy Roosevelt do and how would he react regarding some specific crisis today). I am not doing a detailed job of remember it, but it was a good look at some specific differences in handling the same curriculum for different groups.

For elementary the differences have depended on the teachers -- some years the teachers are more motivated and more creative with the curriculum for the AAP students. But we have had an overall good experience. Clearly some parents on here haven't had that. If not -- demand that your kids get that science fair if you're at a "science and arts school" and so on. Push for your kids to get challenged or teachers won't know that you're paying attention and that you care.[/quote]

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