Reply to Pros and cons for kids at FCPS stand-alone "middle schools" vs. 7th and 8th at an FCPS secondary sch

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Reply to "Pros and cons for kids at FCPS stand-alone "middle schools" vs. 7th and 8th at an FCPS secondary sch"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Middle schools that don't have AAP will tell parents that honors and AAP are the same. Middle schools that are AAP centers will show parents the difference in the curriculum for each. The schools will have meetings in the spring and will explain the differences.[/quote]

When my DCs were in MS (they are in HS now), the MS said to group of parents, mostly of AAP students, that the two curriculums were the same.  This was an AAP MS.  A parent then made the comment that the student cohort was what made the difference.  [/quote]

Do not confuse "the [i]curriculum [/i]is the same" with "honors classes in MS are the same as AAP." They are quite different and the cohort of students is not the only difference between them.

Yes, ALL students have the same curriculum -- meaning they must cover the same overall topics. But the [i]way[/i] AAP is taught can be very different from honors, honors can be very different from general ed, and so on -- IF the teachers are doing their jobs well.

When my DD (now in an FCPS middle school AAP center) was in sixth grade, we went to a very good presentation at her MS about how AAP works in middle school. The teachers gave a very specific couple of examples showing how the same curriculum could be taught differently in general ed, honors and AAP. The difference was the depth and level of interpretation expected both from teachers and students. One example: On a history paper about a significant 20th century American figure, general ed might have to do certain research using certain types of materials and would have a specific word count to reach; honors would be expected to discuss things in more depth, use more sources and write more; and AAP would be expected to do even more, discussing how they believe that this figure might have handled a specific modern-day issue. That's just one example.

OP, I would go talk with the student services office at your child's future middle school and, if it's not an AAP center school and you have a possible AAP option, I'd also go see student services at the AAP center school as well. Explain before you go that you want this kind of info - specifics on what is different among general ed, honors and AAP. This can be a big help in deciding, if you have the "AAP here versus honors there" choice.

Beware of schools that trumpet how they have "all students" taking certain honors classes in middle school. That waters down honors, if every single student is taking it, but some schools do put everyone into honors  -- whether the kids opt for it or not and whether they want to be there and do the work or not. I have to wonder how teachers can make that work well for the students who are ready to do more challenging material -- I've never yet seen "We'll differentiate in the classroom" do anything positive for kids who need and want more challenges. [b]I am just saying to investigate further if you see that the school is saying it's "all honors" in some subjects[/b].[/quote]

In what middle schools are some classes "all honors"?  At my child's middle school, the students decide (with parental input) which honors classes to take.  I've never heard of any classes being touted as "all honors," regardless of whether a student wanted to be there or not.  Could you provide some examples of schools that do this?[/quote]

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