Reply to Why is the GT program in APS so anemic?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It leaves my child, who is 2e (needs support in one area and significant advancement in another) - at a loss with respect to both subjects. APS cannot seem to get it right for either support or acceleration. The “challenge” math is what my kiddo did two years ago.

This is elementary. They refuse to budge or expand on the math. Why is it so anemic? It’s giving me so much panic. This child was previously so far ahead and now is bored and just…depressed. We moved here from out of state and I am aghast. How can they fail to differentiate at all? What was the point of the beginning of year tests? If we move again, this kid will be so behind. Are all APS schools so stubborn? Maybe we could transfer? If your elementary differentiates well, can you plug them? [/quote]

As someone with a kid in college and one about to enter, let me just advise you to stop stressing so much about GT in elementary school. At the margins, it doesn’t really do much except exist to assuage the egos and sooth the anxiety of parents who think their children are “advanced.”

[b]The real differentiation won’t really happen until high school[/b] when they can plot a course. This GT stuff in elementary is pointless and it’s not worth wringing your hands over.[/quote]

That's the problem.  If you have a 2nd grader reading at a 5th grade level and not getting differentiation to read and explore more advanced books or deeper discussions that's a problem.  If you've got a 4th grader ready for 6th grade math concepts and APS isn't giving them access, that's a problem.  It's the equity conundrum.  APS claims that every child should be met where they are and get a year's worth of academic growth.  Reality is, for kids ahead on the curve they usually don't.

They shouldn't have to wait until high school to actually be challenged.
[/quote]

There are no ramifications for the school system if every kid passes SOLs and goes to NOVA. There is no benefit if many kids are challenged and head to Ivy League schools; that is not being measured in anyway. The only performance the administration cares about is passing SOLs. That’s the bar; once your kid is above that bar they are an after thought so teachers can focus on the non passers which do impact school funding etc.  gifted services was watered down because the mediocre kids were even more bored when the gifted kids left to their GT club and the teacher focuses on underperforming kids. [/quote]

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