Reply to If DC got 95% or higher, did you prep?

Forum Index » Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)

Reply to "If DC got 95% or higher, did you prep?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The world needs ditch digger too.[/quote]

You're delusional if you really think it makes or breaks your child's future to be in AAP. You have to know your child.  For some, it would be devastating to always be at the bottom in AAP.  Also, the AAP kids are constantly told how smart they are in school (I have one and I've seen it).  I think some of them tend to rest a bit on their laurels.  For some kids, being at the top of the class in Gen Ed will be better for them and they can end up on the same place.  Math in MS is determined by test ability, so they can take Algebra in 7th grade if they are ready, just like an AAP student can (and not all AAP students will qualify).  In high school, it's all open AP classes and kids take different paths to get there.

It's really an individual choice based on your particular child.  I happen to think for my DC, who would really have to stretch to get into AAP, it's not worth it.  My particular child would be better served in Gen Ed.[/quote]

Really?  It is like saying its ok for my kid to play club soccer because in the long run they will end up in the same place as all those other kids who are practicing 4 days a week on the travel team.  If they combined the teams after 7 years do you really think they would be in the same place?

After 7 years of AAP kids who arrive in high school will have worked with brighter kids, in a more challenging academic environment, with better teachers (yes, on the whole they are better and don't tell me about that one great teacher in general ed who is the messiah),  and in a program geared to prepare kids for AP classes.  They will understand hard work and know what to do to be successful in difficult classes.   They will ON AVERAGE be way ahead of even the best kids in the general ed program.  A high tide raises all boats.  Even the kid who is last in the class is exposed to a more challenging and beneficial track in an environment that does not emphasize grades.  Rather than explaining why your kid is not a fit, make a commitment to do you best to get them in, then make a commitment to help them succeed (that may entail an hour of so a night of work on your part).  If that does not work out, then pull him back to General Ed.

Regarding the future and success, it all builds.  Habits are developed early and knowledge grows upon itself.  Success in life, ON THE AVERAGE, is achieved by each opportunity that is capitalized on along the way.  New opportunities arise from earlier ones.   You are limiting your DC if he could make the program with a little help from his parent.[/quote]

Yikes!  If you really think that the only kids who succeed are those from the AAP program, then you need to take a look around at the high schools.  Every high school has stories of the prior AAP students who do not gain acceptance to the more prestigious schools (UVA, W&M) while some of the prior elementary general education students do.  AAP is a great program, [b]but it really starts to lose its advantage in middle school. [/b] There is no academic advantage to AAP vs. Honors in middle school.  Some children are very bright in elementary and AAP serves its purpose.  At the better elmentary schools, general education has differentiated learning and compacted math.  Both of these programs have general education students working one grade level ahead and with more in depth assignments.  If your base school is underperforming, high FARMs, high ESOL, then AAP probably is a huge advantage.  At the higher performing, high SES elementaries, the difference is not comparable to the soccer example above.  We did not prep, and our DC received high scores (90%) on NNAT and CogAT.  We are not parent referring, as I think DC will still be challenged in general education.

You also discount the effect of child burnout.  Many students who are pushed by their parents at a young age develop depression, anxiety, and stress.  I cannot imagine that a child that is prepped and driven by their parents wouldn't feel pressure to perform.  I don't want that type of life for my 8 year old.

[/quote]

I have to very strongly disagree with this. I never saw the advantage of DC being in AAP until middle school. Now I do. It starts getting harder, more rigorous, more challenging.
The elementary school curriculum didn't seem that advanced. The MS curiiculum does. And as someone said, it builds.  You need Algebra I to get into Geometry I to get into Algebra II etc. [/quote]

I also strongly disagree with the above.  It never ceases to amaze me how parents will try and rationalize their decisions as best for their kids when the statistics do not support them.  The AAP class, for the most part is comprised of those kids who scored highly on standardized IQ based testing.   Those will always be the smartest and best students from the grade.  Hoping that the base school will advance the remainders with one or two Level IV classes versus the AAP program as a whole is wishful thinking.  In no event will those at the base schools magically raise their IQ's.    Yes, there are a few that will succeed from the General Ed on the level with others from AAP, but on the average and over the large number, those coming out of AAP are intrinsically the smartest and by 9th grade will have a rigorous, fast paced curriculum in all subjects completed, and better base of knowledge in all subjects and superior study habits.  Here are some terms to think about:  On the average, the law of large numbers, per capita, etc.  Try and refrain from disagreeing on the basis that your child will buck the system like a few others have in the past, and come to grips with the big picture.  It is all about giving your DC the best chance of success, not putting him on an uphill road when others are off and running in a more favorable program.[/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