Anonymous wrote:Anyone else have a problem with the term GenEd kid? It just sounds wrong - it should be kid in the GenEd program.

yep. offensive, but like so much of the labeling that goes on here, ultimately it meaningless.

Anyone else have a problem with the term GenEd kid? It just sounds wrong - it should be kid in the GenEd program.

Anonymous wrote:Agree, PP. There are some jerk kids out there. There's teasing based on sports and many other things.

+1. And there always has been -- clothes, glasses, braces, athletic ability ...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son attends an AAP center and is in 3rd grade. Well, he is a complete tattle tale, who loves to come home and tell us all about who got in trouble in class and what for. He will also tell us when HE gets in trouble, which is pretty handy.

ANYWAY, he came home a few days ago and told me that their teacher had to talk to the class because someone in one of the two AAP classes was teasing a non-AAP 3rd grader on the playground, for not being in the program. I guess the girl got upset and told her teacher and her parents got involved, etc....I don't know why something like this happening never occurred to me, but surely it isn't a common thing in these groups.

All I kept thinking was, "Laugh it up kiddies...One day you all will be the nerds while those other kids are sticking you in a locker!" Okay, so a little dramatic and somewhat dramatic, but still.

I'm a first grade teacher at a center school. These teasing/comments are done all the time by the AAP kids...I can't tell you how many times in more than 3 decades I've heard such comments. They are ugly, frequent, and hurtful.

Sock puppet. Why does a first grade teacher have such frequent experiences with 3-6th graders?

There is not widespread bullying or teasing. This myth has been perpetuated by a small and vocal group. Especially easy to do on an anonymous forum. I feel strongly that these parents are so heartbroken by where their kid is placed that their kids pick up on it and feel bad. Because of their parents' opinions not their peers.

Grouping is a research-supported educational practice for meeting student needs.

Anonymous wrote:It is sad to divide kids at such a young age - especially when there is overlap in skills and strengths. Segregation of students at such a young age is detrimental. Unfortunately, I think the ones who will really suffer in the long run are the elementary kids who are in the AAP program. Reality starts to hit them when they get older and they have to start interacting with "the less gifted" on a more regular basis.

Naw. They can do that in the AAP program right now.

It is sad to divide kids at such a young age - especially when there is overlap in skills and strengths. Segregation of students at such a young age is detrimental. Unfortunately, I think the ones who will really suffer in the long run are the elementary kids who are in the AAP program. Reality starts to hit them when they get older and they have to start interacting with "the less gifted" on a more regular basis.

Go GT kids!

Wow, reading these posts has been enlightening, to say the least. I will now do everything in my power to not move to Fairfax County. I can not believe they segregate students, all this AAP nonsense, the bullying?!?! NO child is gifted in every subject; why on earth would they separate them from the "general" population?!? And, AAP Centers? My son is now in 7th grade, and I have been waiting to hear the bullying horror stories that happen to him or anyone else and I've heard NONE. Most of his friends go to a different middle school and the reports are the same there as well. It seems this whole AAP division thing has a lot to do with it. All the prepping for the tests, and trying to figure out which testing center will score more points for your kid... I'm just in shock, I guess. I never knew this stuff existed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, I was an AAP kid (or whatever it was called back then) and WE were the ones teased by the Gen Ed kids. Times sure have changed.

+1

It depends on the community. When I was in elementary school, we had some competitive kids who were always gunning for the top spots. These were popular kids. The kids who didn't seem to do well in school weren't actively teased, but they were looked down upon. We lived in a wealthy community and our parents pressured us to do well. The students who didn't perform well were disproportionately poor. It was thought that they wouldn't eventually get good jobs when they grew up and would remain poor like their parents. Like in the cheerleader movie where they mock the opposing team as future gas pampers.

The AAP center schools have a large divide between the students in the program and the base students. I think the administration is trying to assist. Many parents used to deny that any teasing occurred. At least now, our center school acknowledges that constant praise of AAP as better leads to the Gen Ed feeling less than. We received another reminder today that kids discussing placement in school this week was inappropriate.

Anonymous wrote:Wow, I was an AAP kid (or whatever it was called back then) and WE were the ones teased by the Gen Ed kids. Times sure have changed.

+1

Anonymous wrote:NP here. What parents are describing is completely inverse to my experience in a GT magnet 25 years ago, so it's surprising to hear. In the 80s, it was the GT kids who were hounded in the hallways and bullied in specials, lunch, and recess by kids not in the magnet program. I wouldn't tolerate that behavior from my kids in either direction and would definitely want to know about it, it's just surprising to me to hear that it goes in the other direction now (or maybe only in some communities).

This. I am shocked to hear it's the other way around. My have times changed. I was in GT back in the day and there was nothing cool or superior about it.

Anonymous wrote:Separate gifted education is evil.

Thank God for AAP. I can't afford private school.

Separate gifted education is evil.

And that is what we are truly hoping for the Lemon Road community. One student body. One school. One family. If the divide wasn't so great at Haycock, they may have felt stronger that the student body should be kept as one. I am hopeful for a wonderful experience, simply because everyone is working so hard to build a joint group, not just add on the AAP students. Kudos to LRES for welcoming us!