my child was in pool, but I still submitted 3 samples.

one was a copy of his reflections award
one was a letter of recommendation from his Hebrew school teacher
one was a photo of him smiling with his Knex project he had built. he is/was really into building.

I would have given a letter of recommendation from his piano teacher, but he had just changed teachers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would only submit work samples that were clearly NOT done at home. The committee is looking for examples of how the student performs AWAY from home/parents. Remember the school also includes work samples if your child is in the pool or you refer your child. I guarantee the home samples will not be included, unless there is not enough samples. If they are included, it is usually obvious what is completed at home.

The stuff my kids produce at home is actually much better than the stuff produced at school. The school my kids go to actually only submits two work samples per child so if you don't provide additional ones then there are only two in the file.

I guarantee the committee does not look favorably on work samples they even think may have been done at home. These are educators and they know what 2nd grade student work looks like. I am a gifted enforced elementary education teacher from out of state, currently stationed with my husband here. Just because an in class work sample does not "look" as good as a home sample does not mean it is not the perfect sample. Hopefully you all are saving work samples from K grade on and labeling them as such in your child's portfolio with you submit it .

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all so much for the input and suggestions. I appreciate it. We will be traveling out of the country Dec 15 to mid Jan 16 and we will have very short time after our return to prepare for the referral. I am hoping I can hear back on more examples of actual work samples and recommendation letters please[u]. Just what you all may have included in the referral packet. Thank you again.

This is what I don't understand. Would you really now submit your kid's response to "I see math" or the perfect vacation as others have mentioned? Are you planning on doing the precise work with your child? If not, then how does someone else's precise work sample help? If so, how is that showing YOUR child's ability (as clearly you would be guiding him in some way)? For my DD I submitted work samples which I thought were good, but I would never precisely state what they were on here. You are clearly just trying to figure out what worked for others and then copy it which I find incredibly odd as it relates to your own child's individuality.

I think OP can guide her child to answer open-ended questions without dictating the result. That's the point of "open-ended." It's also exactly what the AARTs are doing with groups of kids. The AART has a discussion about a book or invention or idea and then asks the children to respond to that idea/book/invention/concept. I understand your concern that OP not dictate what her child's work products are, but I disagree with your supposition that a parent can't/shouldn't guide a child into making a "work sample" for the purpose of AAP.

I never said that a parent can't guide a child into making A work sample. What I'm finding objectionable is that she is trying to get the specific type of example that came from kids who were admitted and then having her kid presumably do the same project.

You are very cynical. I think OP is just trying to get concrete example so she can know what things to include. I know I had quite a few work samples that I thought were great, but talking to the AART helped me to decide which ones to include. I didn't have DC do additional things, I just selected from the ones that we already had based on the things the AART said she thought would show the traits the committee was looking for. OP, things that show your child's focus and creativity like building complex models or coming up with a unique solution to a problem....

Cynical? Even you say she wants concrete examples so she knows what to conclude. She isn't asking, "what general types of work samples did you include" but rather, "from your practical experience what works and what doesn't for work samples, recommendation letters etc" and then she wanted "more examples of actual work samples and recommendation letters please. Just what you all may have included in the referral packet." Had she simply asked where we thought she could go to have someone consider the selected work samples - and you could have responded you sent to the AART - or had she simply asked for general information about work samples (i.e. did you include math or writing? did you include ones from home or school? etc.) I wouldn't have viewed her post as I did. It is her own words - asking others what their "actual work samples and letters of recommendation were" and what works from our respective experience, is what makes her post seem odd.

Agree with PP. OP is, sadly, part of the problem with AAP. Too many parents engineering their kids into a divisive program that continues to gut neighborhood schools and communities.

Anonymous wrote:I would only submit work samples that were clearly NOT done at home. The committee is looking for examples of how the student performs AWAY from home/parents. Remember the school also includes work samples if your child is in the pool or you refer your child. I guarantee the home samples will not be included, unless there is not enough samples. If they are included, it is usually obvious what is completed at home.

The stuff my kids produce at home is actually much better than the stuff produced at school. The school my kids go to actually only submits two work samples per child so if you don't provide additional ones then there are only two in the file.

I would only submit work samples that were clearly NOT done at home. The committee is looking for examples of how the student performs AWAY from home/parents. Remember the school also includes work samples if your child is in the pool or you refer your child. I guarantee the home samples will not be included, unless there is not enough samples. If they are included, it is usually obvious what is completed at home.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all so much for the input and suggestions. I appreciate it. We will be traveling out of the country Dec 15 to mid Jan 16 and we will have very short time after our return to prepare for the referral. I am hoping I can hear back on more examples of actual work samples and recommendation letters please[u]. Just what you all may have included in the referral packet. Thank you again.

This is what I don't understand. Would you really now submit your kid's response to "I see math" or the perfect vacation as others have mentioned? Are you planning on doing the precise work with your child? If not, then how does someone else's precise work sample help? If so, how is that showing YOUR child's ability (as clearly you would be guiding him in some way)? For my DD I submitted work samples which I thought were good, but I would never precisely state what they were on here. You are clearly just trying to figure out what worked for others and then copy it which I find incredibly odd as it relates to your own child's individuality.

I think OP can guide her child to answer open-ended questions without dictating the result. That's the point of "open-ended." It's also exactly what the AARTs are doing with groups of kids. The AART has a discussion about a book or invention or idea and then asks the children to respond to that idea/book/invention/concept. I understand your concern that OP not dictate what her child's work products are, but I disagree with your supposition that a parent can't/shouldn't guide a child into making a "work sample" for the purpose of AAP.

I never said that a parent can't guide a child into making A work sample. What I'm finding objectionable is that she is trying to get the specific type of example that came from kids who were admitted and then having her kid presumably do the same project.

You are very cynical. I think OP is just trying to get concrete example so she can know what things to include. I know I had quite a few work samples that I thought were great, but talking to the AART helped me to decide which ones to include. I didn't have DC do additional things, I just selected from the ones that we already had based on the things the AART said she thought would show the traits the committee was looking for. OP, things that show your child's focus and creativity like building complex models or coming up with a unique solution to a problem....

Cynical? Even you say she wants concrete examples so she knows what to conclude. She isn't asking, "what general types of work samples did you include" but rather, "from your practical experience what works and what doesn't for work samples, recommendation letters etc" and then she wanted "more examples of actual work samples and recommendation letters please. Just what you all may have included in the referral packet." Had she simply asked where we thought she could go to have someone consider the selected work samples - and you could have responded you sent to the AART - or had she simply asked for general information about work samples (i.e. did you include math or writing? did you include ones from home or school? etc.) I wouldn't have viewed her post as I did. It is her own words - asking others what their "actual work samples and letters of recommendation were" and what works from our respective experience, is what makes her post seem odd.

Anonymous wrote:#tbt the days when the vast majority of new FCPS parents weren't trying to game their child's way into AAP.....

Take a breather, OP. You're way too involved in this, way too early if your kid is truly a fit for AAP.

Let OP be as involved as she wants to in her child's education options. If you chose to "take a breather" re: your child, great. We all handle things our own way. It might turn out that her child aces the CogAT and none of this is necessary, or her child might be right on the line and this is helpful. Maybe OP is just a planner who needs to know what to expect. The point is, do you and let OP do OP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all so much for the input and suggestions. I appreciate it. We will be traveling out of the country Dec 15 to mid Jan 16 and we will have very short time after our return to prepare for the referral. I am hoping I can hear back on more examples of actual work samples and recommendation letters please[u]. Just what you all may have included in the referral packet. Thank you again.

This is what I don't understand. Would you really now submit your kid's response to "I see math" or the perfect vacation as others have mentioned? Are you planning on doing the precise work with your child? If not, then how does someone else's precise work sample help? If so, how is that showing YOUR child's ability (as clearly you would be guiding him in some way)? For my DD I submitted work samples which I thought were good, but I would never precisely state what they were on here. You are clearly just trying to figure out what worked for others and then copy it which I find incredibly odd as it relates to your own child's individuality.

I think OP can guide her child to answer open-ended questions without dictating the result. That's the point of "open-ended." It's also exactly what the AARTs are doing with groups of kids. The AART has a discussion about a book or invention or idea and then asks the children to respond to that idea/book/invention/concept. I understand your concern that OP not dictate what her child's work products are, but I disagree with your supposition that a parent can't/shouldn't guide a child into making a "work sample" for the purpose of AAP.

I never said that a parent can't guide a child into making A work sample. What I'm finding objectionable is that she is trying to get the specific type of example that came from kids who were admitted and then having her kid presumably do the same project.

You are very cynical. I think OP is just trying to get concrete example so she can know what things to include. I know I had quite a few work samples that I thought were great, but talking to the AART helped me to decide which ones to include. I didn't have DC do additional things, I just selected from the ones that we already had based on the things the AART said she thought would show the traits the committee was looking for. OP, things that show your child's focus and creativity like building complex models or coming up with a unique solution to a problem....

#tbt the days when the vast majority of new FCPS parents weren't trying to game their child's way into AAP.....

Take a breather, OP. You're way too involved in this, way too early if your kid is truly a fit for AAP.

It is a good idea to look at the parent questionnaire way ahead of time.
But to the OP- without data, your will have a hard time answering the parent questionnaire, and you won't be able to avoid answering the question of "why do you think your child is a good fit for AAP."

If you are looking this far ahead, you should go ahead and do a WISC- that way you can confirm what you might be seeing. You seem like a very proactive parent and the WISC will help you whether your kid ends up in AAP or not. Once you have the WISC report, you will be able to help your child develop work samples that are based on his strengths and not what someone from DCUM kid's did. Even if your kid is in pool with the CogAT, you can still submit all the other data- the questionnaire, the work samples, etc. Our AART also told us to plan on doing a referral since the timeline was so short. If your kid is in pool, the supplemental data won't hurt. If not in pool, then you'll definitely need it. But this early in the process, you will drive yourself crazy asking what other people did and hoping it will work for your kid- that's not a good way to go.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all so much for the input and suggestions. I appreciate it. We will be traveling out of the country Dec 15 to mid Jan 16 and we will have very short time after our return to prepare for the referral. I am hoping I can hear back on more examples of actual work samples and recommendation letters please[u]. Just what you all may have included in the referral packet. Thank you again.

This is what I don't understand. Would you really now submit your kid's response to "I see math" or the perfect vacation as others have mentioned? Are you planning on doing the precise work with your child? If not, then how does someone else's precise work sample help? If so, how is that showing YOUR child's ability (as clearly you would be guiding him in some way)? For my DD I submitted work samples which I thought were good, but I would never precisely state what they were on here. You are clearly just trying to figure out what worked for others and then copy it which I find incredibly odd as it relates to your own child's individuality.

I think OP can guide her child to answer open-ended questions without dictating the result. That's the point of "open-ended." It's also exactly what the AARTs are doing with groups of kids. The AART has a discussion about a book or invention or idea and then asks the children to respond to that idea/book/invention/concept. I understand your concern that OP not dictate what her child's work products are, but I disagree with your supposition that a parent can't/shouldn't guide a child into making a "work sample" for the purpose of AAP.

I never said that a parent can't guide a child into making A work sample. What I'm finding objectionable is that she is trying to get the specific type of example that came from kids who were admitted and then having her kid presumably do the same project.