Anonymous
Post 06/05/2024 20:19     Subject: ATS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So APS doesn't do small group work? How does that work for gifted, ELL and SPED students?


Do you mean ATS? They have something called “star block” where they dedicate time to small groups and push in instruction. Not sure if ESL and special ed students do. But generally the teacher teaches the whole class together. Teacher teaches and kids listen like back in the day Other thing that’s different is they have a longer block for ELA than other schools. I think 90 minutes


Does ATS have students who speak NO English at all? I understand they have many students for whom English is not their first language, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t proficient in it.

Or maybe all of their English learners arrive in PK, giving them time to learn the language before K starts?

How many kids are showing up the first day of K knowing no English at all?


Not sure. The school report card is here. http://schoolquality.virginia.gov/schools/arlington-traditional#

Unfortunately I can’t click on anything on my phone and don’t have access to a laptop. Not sure what stats are collected by the VDOE regarding ESL students but if any are collected they should be in the report card. There are definitely foreign born students in the class and I know a couple of moms who can’t speak English properly.
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2024 19:59     Subject: ATS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So APS doesn't do small group work? How does that work for gifted, ELL and SPED students?


Do you mean ATS? They have something called “star block” where they dedicate time to small groups and push in instruction. Not sure if ESL and special ed students do. But generally the teacher teaches the whole class together. Teacher teaches and kids listen like back in the day Other thing that’s different is they have a longer block for ELA than other schools. I think 90 minutes


Does ATS have students who speak NO English at all? I understand they have many students for whom English is not their first language, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t proficient in it.

Or maybe all of their English learners arrive in PK, giving them time to learn the language before K starts?

How many kids are showing up the first day of K knowing no English at all?


I don’t know the answer for ATS but my daughter has classmates at Campbell who are not proficient in English in first grade, and they were in her class in kindergarten as well. I don’t know whether they did pre-k. So I’m guessing yes, at all of the schools.
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2024 19:39     Subject: ATS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So APS doesn't do small group work? How does that work for gifted, ELL and SPED students?


Do you mean ATS? They have something called “star block” where they dedicate time to small groups and push in instruction. Not sure if ESL and special ed students do. But generally the teacher teaches the whole class together. Teacher teaches and kids listen like back in the day Other thing that’s different is they have a longer block for ELA than other schools. I think 90 minutes


Does ATS have students who speak NO English at all? I understand they have many students for whom English is not their first language, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t proficient in it.

Or maybe all of their English learners arrive in PK, giving them time to learn the language before K starts?

How many kids are showing up the first day of K knowing no English at all?


Unsure but there are many ESL teachers at the school.
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2024 19:38     Subject: ATS
Anonymous wrote:Guys, once these kids get to high school, you CANNOT TELL who went to ATS and who didn’t. I know their standardized tests scores are good, but any advantage these kids have in elementary levels out completely by the time they reach high school.

What a sad state we find ourselves in when people are arguing over some mediocre public elementary school.

Get a grip.


It's the middle school experience that evens everythig out. Thank Goodness for APS's focus on equity. All the middle schools suck.
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2024 18:46     Subject: ATS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So APS doesn't do small group work? How does that work for gifted, ELL and SPED students?


Do you mean ATS? They have something called “star block” where they dedicate time to small groups and push in instruction. Not sure if ESL and special ed students do. But generally the teacher teaches the whole class together. Teacher teaches and kids listen like back in the day Other thing that’s different is they have a longer block for ELA than other schools. I think 90 minutes


Does ATS have students who speak NO English at all? I understand they have many students for whom English is not their first language, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t proficient in it.

Or maybe all of their English learners arrive in PK, giving them time to learn the language before K starts?

How many kids are showing up the first day of K knowing no English at all?


Few probably because the parents have to be able to navigate the lottery process that opens the March before the school year begins. They also have to know about it in pre-k or K.
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2024 18:38     Subject: ATS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So APS doesn't do small group work? How does that work for gifted, ELL and SPED students?


Do you mean ATS? They have something called “star block” where they dedicate time to small groups and push in instruction. Not sure if ESL and special ed students do. But generally the teacher teaches the whole class together. Teacher teaches and kids listen like back in the day Other thing that’s different is they have a longer block for ELA than other schools. I think 90 minutes


Does ATS have students who speak NO English at all? I understand they have many students for whom English is not their first language, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t proficient in it.

Or maybe all of their English learners arrive in PK, giving them time to learn the language before K starts?

How many kids are showing up the first day of K knowing no English at all?
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2024 17:11     Subject: ATS
Anonymous wrote:Guys, once these kids get to high school, you CANNOT TELL who went to ATS and who didn’t. I know their standardized tests scores are good, but any advantage these kids have in elementary levels out completely by the time they reach high school.

What a sad state we find ourselves in when people are arguing over some mediocre public elementary school.

Get a grip.


This x a million. People are ridiculous. I get arguing over some prestigious private school with really small class sizes. But ATS? Lollllllllllll

It’s still an Arlington public school. A polished turd is still a turd.
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2024 17:09     Subject: ATS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:[mastodon]
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What is so special about ATS and how it it different from other neighborhood schools? All I’ve heard about are the homework and the uniforms? How does it promote academic achievement?


Countless chains on that topic. Suffice it to say, ATS sets high standards and expects its students to meet them. That's the difference.


It’s the teaching pedagogy. They use direct instruction which is old school (though it’s catching on again) while other schools mostly use small group instruction. There are different opinions on which is better but it’s a whole different method of teaching.


Direct instruction is not mutually exclusive to small groups. One is an instructional delivery, the other is a management.


Direct teacher lead instruction. It is different from small groups inquiry based learning.


Direct instruction can happen in large or small groups. It involves explicit modeling (teacher does problem on the board then students practice). This could happen with one child or two hundred of them. You sitting with your kid practicing math problems is direct instruction. The opposite of direct is inquiry based/ or project based learning and students are supposed to think like researchers about the topic and are supposed to learn through the process.

There's a big difference between whole group direct instruction and small group direct instruction. With small groups, students are not being instructed while they wait for the teacher to rotate to their group; most often they are parked on a device while they wait for their turn. Thus, the amount of direct instruction delivered in a small group setting is far less than with whole class instruction.
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2024 15:59     Subject: ATS
Anonymous wrote:[mastodon]
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What is so special about ATS and how it it different from other neighborhood schools? All I’ve heard about are the homework and the uniforms? How does it promote academic achievement?


Countless chains on that topic. Suffice it to say, ATS sets high standards and expects its students to meet them. That's the difference.


It’s the teaching pedagogy. They use direct instruction which is old school (though it’s catching on again) while other schools mostly use small group instruction. There are different opinions on which is better but it’s a whole different method of teaching.


Direct instruction is not mutually exclusive to small groups. One is an instructional delivery, the other is a management.


Direct teacher lead instruction. It is different from small groups inquiry based learning.


Direct instruction can happen in large or small groups. It involves explicit modeling (teacher does problem on the board then students practice). This could happen with one child or two hundred of them. You sitting with your kid practicing math problems is direct instruction. The opposite of direct is inquiry based/ or project based learning and students are supposed to think like researchers about the topic and are supposed to learn through the process.
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2024 15:00     Subject: ATS
Anonymous wrote:So APS doesn't do small group work? How does that work for gifted, ELL and SPED students?


Do you mean ATS? They have something called “star block” where they dedicate time to small groups and push in instruction. Not sure if ESL and special ed students do. But generally the teacher teaches the whole class together. Teacher teaches and kids listen like back in the day Other thing that’s different is they have a longer block for ELA than other schools. I think 90 minutes
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2024 14:08     Subject: ATS
So APS doesn't do small group work? How does that work for gifted, ELL and SPED students?
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2024 13:57     Subject: ATS
[mastodon]
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What is so special about ATS and how it it different from other neighborhood schools? All I’ve heard about are the homework and the uniforms? How does it promote academic achievement?


Countless chains on that topic. Suffice it to say, ATS sets high standards and expects its students to meet them. That's the difference.


It’s the teaching pedagogy. They use direct instruction which is old school (though it’s catching on again) while other schools mostly use small group instruction. There are different opinions on which is better but it’s a whole different method of teaching.


Direct instruction is not mutually exclusive to small groups. One is an instructional delivery, the other is a management.


Direct teacher lead instruction. It is different from small groups inquiry based learning.
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2024 13:18     Subject: ATS
Guys, once these kids get to high school, you CANNOT TELL who went to ATS and who didn’t. I know their standardized tests scores are good, but any advantage these kids have in elementary levels out completely by the time they reach high school.

What a sad state we find ourselves in when people are arguing over some mediocre public elementary school.

Get a grip.
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2024 13:15     Subject: ATS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What is so special about ATS and how it it different from other neighborhood schools? All I’ve heard about are the homework and the uniforms? How does it promote academic achievement?


Countless chains on that topic. Suffice it to say, ATS sets high standards and expects its students to meet them. That's the difference.


It’s the teaching pedagogy. They use direct instruction which is old school (though it’s catching on again) while other schools mostly use small group instruction. There are different opinions on which is better but it’s a whole different method of teaching.


Direct instruction is not mutually exclusive to small groups. One is an instructional delivery, the other is a management.
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2024 11:23     Subject: ATS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What is so special about ATS and how it it different from other neighborhood schools? All I’ve heard about are the homework and the uniforms? How does it promote academic achievement?


Countless chains on that topic. Suffice it to say, ATS sets high standards and expects its students to meet them. That's the difference.


It’s the teaching pedagogy. They use direct instruction which is old school (though it’s catching on again) while other schools mostly use small group instruction. There are different opinions on which is better but it’s a whole different method of teaching.