Reply to Underwhelmed by AAP

Forum Index » Advanced Academic Programs (AAP)

Reply to "Underwhelmed by AAP"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP here:  I'm questioning my decision to send my child to the AAP center for a number of reasons.  Unfortunately, I don't have a crystal ball to see into the future, but right now I don't see much benefit.  He misses his neighborhood friends and just doesn't seem happy.  He's keeping up with the work, but grumbles a lot.  He's also had to adjust to not being one of the smartest kids in his grade. Now he's just one of many smart kids.  Instead of helping him grow, I think it's done some damage.  To each his/her own, but I don't think AAP is all that parents are told it will be. [/quote]

Have you discussed your child's adjustment with the teacher? The teacher might have some insights from the school side of things.[/quote]

Yes to this -- talk to the teacher, in person, without your son there. The teachers often have excellent thoughts and speak from a lot of experience with a wide range of kids -- if only parents are willing to step back from emotion and listen to them. (No, I'm not a teacher.)

Also, OP, you say that "Instead of helping him grow, I think it's done some damage." You say this right after noting that he now is not the smartest kid in the place. Is he basically feeling a hit to his confidence because things are not coming as easily as they once did? That is typical at the start of anything new and more challenging; the confidence takes a blow and it takes time to work through that -- time you don't seem to want to give him if you're thinking of pulling him out this soon.

The point of AAP is to challenge kids. If he goes back to base, you may have the totally different, but to me worse, issue of "It''s all easy again, and he's the brightest one around, and he's bored stiff."

Ask the teacher. I know she or he has seen this time and again -- the kids who realize they are not the top of the group any more and who grumble about working harder and having more work to do. The teacher can tell you how very normal this adjustment is and how moving him back could be fine...or could produce a bored student very quickly.

As for missing neighborhood friends -- has he made any effort to make new friends at school and have you helped him with that by setting up play dates with kids he has met this year? Is he in activities outside school and does he make friends associated with that activity? Kids do need friendships that aren't based solely on being in class with someone or on living on the same street.[/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