Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:A lot of the center kids I've known just understand higher level ideas at a younger age. It's not a matter of memorizing, it's that they can grasp a concept more quickly. When kids like this are together, it's just cool seeing how they work and learn in a group setting.
I totally agree. This has been our child's experience with AAP too--when kids like this are together, they feed off each other. I volunteer and help with Junior Great Books (my own kid's not even in the small groups I've led) and it's amazing to hear the connections these kids can make and the way they can have mature discussions with each other. I'm sorry others' kids are having these bad experiences with AAP at their particular centers or schools but that doesn't mean the entire model is some awful failure. I only can speak to my kid's experiences which have been very positive, with challenging and interesting work and peers who like being at school together. Not every teacher was a total gem in every subject but each teacher had strengths and some have been outstanding. I think some parents on here believe that AAP and its teachers must be perfect -- however they define perfect -- or it's worthless. Sad.
What you are describing, the kids talking and feeding off each other in discussion is what I would love to see, but it isn't happening. I know alot is because of discipline problems in the class, but whenever the kids are supposed to be working in groups and talking/discussing, the projects get shut down because certain kids get too loud and are not staying on task. My DC and a friends DC have come home in TEARS because they were not able to finish things or the class got into trouble as a whole for being too loud.
I AM in the classroom to see what goes on - at least once a week I am (stuffing weekly folders) so I do see first hand alot of the issues. I KNOW that the school is good, the program is great, but this year and this class is seriously lacking. I worry because these are the kids my DC will be with the next few years.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:A lot of the center kids I've known just understand higher level ideas at a younger age. It's not a matter of memorizing, it's that they can grasp a concept more quickly. When kids like this are together, it's just cool seeing how they work and learn in a group setting.
I totally agree. This has been our child's experience with AAP too--when kids like this are together, they feed off each other. I volunteer and help with Junior Great Books (my own kid's not even in the small groups I've led) and it's amazing to hear the connections these kids can make and the way they can have mature discussions with each other. I'm sorry others' kids are having these bad experiences with AAP at their particular centers or schools but that doesn't mean the entire model is some awful failure. I only can speak to my kid's experiences which have been very positive, with challenging and interesting work and peers who like being at school together. Not every teacher was a total gem in every subject but each teacher had strengths and some have been outstanding. I think some parents on here believe that AAP and its teachers must be perfect -- however they define perfect -- or it's worthless. Sad.
What you are describing, the kids talking and feeding off each other in discussion is what I would love to see, but it isn't happening. I know alot is because of discipline problems in the class, but whenever the kids are supposed to be working in groups and talking/discussing, the projects get shut down because certain kids get too loud and are not staying on task. My DC and a friends DC have come home in TEARS because they were not able to finish things or the class got into trouble as a whole for being too loud.
I AM in the classroom to see what goes on - at least once a week I am (stuffing weekly folders) so I do see first hand alot of the issues. I KNOW that the school is good, the program is great, but this year and this class is seriously lacking. I worry because these are the kids my DC will be with the next few years.
We don't have AAP at my county- we have GT pull outs specific to subjects, e.g., kid may be GT math, but not reading, etc. I love this concept--but I agree with the above poster. 3 of the 5 boys in the pull out with my son are so incredibly ill-behaved, really bad social issues, very disruptive. My kid doesn't want to be in pull-out with these kids.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:A lot of the center kids I've known just understand higher level ideas at a younger age. It's not a matter of memorizing, it's that they can grasp a concept more quickly. When kids like this are together, it's just cool seeing how they work and learn in a group setting.
I totally agree. This has been our child's experience with AAP too--when kids like this are together, they feed off each other. I volunteer and help with Junior Great Books (my own kid's not even in the small groups I've led) and it's amazing to hear the connections these kids can make and the way they can have mature discussions with each other. I'm sorry others' kids are having these bad experiences with AAP at their particular centers or schools but that doesn't mean the entire model is some awful failure. I only can speak to my kid's experiences which have been very positive, with challenging and interesting work and peers who like being at school together. Not every teacher was a total gem in every subject but each teacher had strengths and some have been outstanding. I think some parents on here believe that AAP and its teachers must be perfect -- however they define perfect -- or it's worthless. Sad.
What you are describing, the kids talking and feeding off each other in discussion is what I would love to see, but it isn't happening. I know alot is because of discipline problems in the class, but whenever the kids are supposed to be working in groups and talking/discussing, the projects get shut down because certain kids get too loud and are not staying on task. My DC and a friends DC have come home in TEARS because they were not able to finish things or the class got into trouble as a whole for being too loud.
I AM in the classroom to see what goes on - at least once a week I am (stuffing weekly folders) so I do see first hand alot of the issues. I KNOW that the school is good, the program is great, but this year and this class is seriously lacking. I worry because these are the kids my DC will be with the next few years.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:A lot of the center kids I've known just understand higher level ideas at a younger age. It's not a matter of memorizing, it's that they can grasp a concept more quickly. When kids like this are together, it's just cool seeing how they work and learn in a group setting.
I totally agree. This has been our child's experience with AAP too--when kids like this are together, they feed off each other. I volunteer and help with Junior Great Books (my own kid's not even in the small groups I've led) and it's amazing to hear the connections these kids can make and the way they can have mature discussions with each other. I'm sorry others' kids are having these bad experiences with AAP at their particular centers or schools but that doesn't mean the entire model is some awful failure. I only can speak to my kid's experiences which have been very positive, with challenging and interesting work and peers who like being at school together. Not every teacher was a total gem in every subject but each teacher had strengths and some have been outstanding. I think some parents on here believe that AAP and its teachers must be perfect -- however they define perfect -- or it's worthless. Sad.
Anonymous wrote:A lot of the center kids I've known just understand higher level ideas at a younger age. It's not a matter of memorizing, it's that they can grasp a concept more quickly. When kids like this are together, it's just cool seeing how they work and learn in a group setting.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Some of the vocab and math homework they give is so tedious and repetetive and meaningless, it contributes nothing to their knowledge. It reminds me of kumon.
Haha, good point!
Anonymous wrote:Usually there may be one out of 100 who is really gifted.