Question is: is the parent laid back? If not, you might get frustrated with your "laid back" kid in AAP!

I am sure your child with THRIVE in AAP. They all seem to.

Anonymous wrote:yes, it is going to be a good fit, because he may meet a lot of kids just like him -- smart, laid back, curious and funny. and he may get motivated to do something better and better. AAP is not about competitiveness, it is about competence, capabilities, curiosity and fostering the little minds to want to learn more. it is aboat your peers, the atmosphere and hopefully the skillful teaching staff. I wouldn't give a second thought if he gets selected!

Huh? She didn't say her child was curious or funny.

Anonymous wrote:Clearly AAP is best for all kids. Why not do away with the base schools and just have AAP programs?

Absolutely! All the kids in the area have FSIQs of at least 140.

Clearly AAP is best for all kids. Why not do away with the base schools and just have AAP programs?

Yes, I second what all the others say. Our DD is non competitive and thrived. DS is laid back but high energy and thrived as well.

my son, a very laid back kid, is much happier in AAP when he is challenged, than when he was at his base school. Then, he was bored and running around helping the classmates and the teacher for their math problems. laid back kids could be laid back physically, but they could also have very active and curious mind. they know when they should act upon after amassing all that much energy.

A kid does NOT have to be competitive (or have competitive parents, despite what you see on these boards!) to thrive in AAP. While my own daughter is very much a go-getter and not laid back, I know many of her friends well and have seen them over the years (they are sixth graders now, all AAP). Her friends, both boys and girls, who are laid back, or quirky, or artistic and creative, all are being challenged and doing well academically and socially in AAP. A good AAP program will encourage the creative and quirky kids, and they will meet other kids like themselves -- bright, interested in a lot of different things, and yes, laid-back.

In my opinion, yes -- AAP will be a good fit for a laid back kid who is also bright.

The amount of coursework that AAP kids are assigned varies by teacher. Some teachers pile on the homework and others hardly give any. It is probably not any different than general ed.

Some of the AAP parents are very competitive but I have not seen anything to indicate that their kids are the same way. AAP students are not going around waving their test scores into each others faces after each test saying things like, "Ha, you got a score of two. A two? How are you going to get in TJ now?" - it just does not happen. If some AAP kids are competitive they are competing aginst themselves or their parent's excpections but not against their friends at school.

At my son's, AAP center there is a lot of focus by the teachers on non-linear creative type projects (see the, "Why does Finland have the best school system?" thread) and less focus on getting the good grades although that has changed some in the last few weeks -- Thank you. Stupid SOLs!

yes, it is going to be a good fit, because he may meet a lot of kids just like him -- smart, laid back, curious and funny. and he may get motivated to do something better and better. AAP is not about competitiveness, it is about competence, capabilities, curiosity and fostering the little minds to want to learn more. it is aboat your peers, the atmosphere and hopefully the skillful teaching staff. I wouldn't give a second thought if he gets selected!

I'm curious as I see all the AAP hoopla on this board. Oldest DC is in first grade and NNAT scores are very high. Obviously we have no CoGAT or GBRS and whatever else is needed so we don't even know yet if he'd be a candidate. But I'm wondering even if he is, if it's a good fit. He is extremely laid back and not at all competitive (in fact shies away from competition). And FWIW it doesn't make a difference to us if he's in it or not - just want what is the best fit.