Anonymous wrote:It obviously depends on which private school you are talking about. Some are superior to FCPS AAP, some are not.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I'm guessing a lot of your kids' enthusiasm for the 'more fun' school is based on how you've presented everything to them.
No, those are their words and impressions. I know very little about how their current AAP classrooms function and I did not observe the private school classrooms when they were there. The 6th grader now told me that in her current AAP classroom kids are not allowed to speak or will have minutes taken away from recess, but the private classroom are freer, kids can mingle and talk. I suppose the private school tries harder to make classes more fun/entertaining while the AAP classes are more strict and "no-nonsense."
Anonymous wrote:I have 2 kids in AAP, one 6th and one 4th. Both are doing fine (3s & 4s on report cards), but neither are particularly excited about schools. I have them shadowed a private school and they both loved it. Said that teachers at the private school are more enthusiastic and engaging, and kids are crazier and the classrooms are more fun. The 4th grader is happy that there is more attention from the teacher as the class size is significantly smaller. Given my 4th grader has a summer birthday, maturity is always a concern. If he continues in AAP, I imagine he will always be "average" or perhaps "below average" among his AAP classmates, even though I know he is very creative and smarter than what he shows in his school work. The 6th grader will need to change to middle school anyway, and our AAP middle school is new, so I have not idea how that is going to work out. Is finding a school that is more fun and exciting a good enough reason to change?
Anonymous wrote:I’d say pull them out and put them in a private school.
Anonymous wrote:I have 2 kids in AAP, one 6th and one 4th. Both are doing fine (3s & 4s on report cards), but neither are particularly excited about schools. I have them shadowed a private school and they both loved it. Said that teachers at the private school are more enthusiastic and engaging, and kids are crazier and the classrooms are more fun. The 4th grader is happy that there is more attention from the teacher as the class size is significantly smaller. Given my 4th grader has a summer birthday, maturity is always a concern. If he continues in AAP, I imagine he will always be "average" or perhaps "below average" among his AAP classmates, even though I know he is very creative and smarter than what he shows in his school work. The 6th grader will need to change to middle school anyway, and our AAP middle school is new, so I have not idea how that is going to work out. Is finding a school that is more fun and exciting a good enough reason to change?
Anonymous wrote:Certainly at the elementary level, FCPS is below mediocre in teaching the sciences.