Anonymous
Post 05/04/2020 16:01     Subject: 2020 AAP Acceptances
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think GBRS and school submitted samples play a very important role. Dare I say more important than Cogat it seems!


I agree, but I think it's absurd. Good work samples are more likely to show high executive function than high intelligence. Likewise, there are many things that bias GBRS. The system is set up to select upper middle class, above average kids who are somewhat advanced. This is actually a good fit for the program, since AAP itself best serves exactly those kids. It's weird, though, that a program that is supposed to serve gifted kids fails to identify a bunch of them, and then falls far short of serving their needs when they are in the program. It's also odd that the schools keep harping about the achievement gap, but then continue changing AAP admissions in a way that is likely to admit even more already privileged kids.


Problem is that CogAT is not the best measure of identifying gifted child either. None of the measures are perfect anyways. CogAT can be easily prepped and kids in 120's can be easily prepped to get 130's.


Which is why they use the NNAT, CoGAT, GBRSs, and Work Samples. They should give the committee a more complete picture of the kids under review. If you add in the parent questionnaire, parent provided work samples, and awards/letters of recommendation. The process is not perfect. There are different groups of 5 that review packets who have different ideas about what should be weighted and what is important. That is why the appeal can be useful. It is a different group of people looking at the packet and with affirming or changing the original decision.

The program is what it is. Most of the people I know who had kids go through it thought it was a solid program and their kids enjoyed it. The only negative I have heard some people mention is that it is not the greatest social experience at the Center schools. It sounds like at our Center that the kids end up segregating by their base school. But no one has said that the academic portion is too slow or problematic. There is a small group of parents who seem to think that it moves too slowly. I suspect a good number of those parents have had their kids in some type of after school tutoring for a few years. The material feels slow because their kids are ahead due to the tutoring programs. I get that impression from the posts I have seen on this site and talking to some of my friends whose kids are at different schools.


True, I know many kids from AAP go to some sort of after school enrichment. The one my son goes for math is a probably couple of months ahead his AAP in terms of concepts learned, but has more depth and repetition. The program primarily relies on home work packets with very little instruction. He generally finds this after school math challenging and I help him out frequently, but then he finds school math easy - probably because he learned the concepts already. However, if the kid is not in AAP, this program might be too far ahead of the class and might be very difficult for the kids. Personally, I think a strong foundation in math is very important and I would recommend it if the kid can take it.


My DS goes to enrichment, chess club, robotics, coding club, and art club are the after school activities he tend to choose. He loves math games and puzzles so we did ask if he wanted to go for extra math specifically and he said no. He loves doing his logic puzzles though. He is doing Khan Academy right now, but that is because school was out for so long. Not surprisingly, he is more then half way through the 3rd grade math, he is in 2nd. He really likes Khan and will do some of that when the online work he is assigned does not take up enough of his assigned school day at home. But my worry is that he is going to be bored next year because he is going to have gone through the material already.

I think having a solid foundation in all the subjects is necessary. I think that we don't spend enough time on history and civics. Math tends to be one that most people think it is important to not just have a foundation in but really excel in school.
Anonymous
Post 05/04/2020 15:55     Subject: 2020 AAP Acceptances
I think the difficulty varies quite a bit by center. Some have good, solid programs, and others are weak. The quality level for Gen ed program and LLIV programs also depends strongly on the individual school. It's one of the reasons people have such different perspectives on whether AAP is necessary or gen ed is good enough, whether people should choose LLIV vs. center, and whether the center is too slow or too intense.

I'd be fine with open enrollment into AAP, as long as they don't slow the program down for the kids who can't keep up. The problem isn't who they let in. It's the degree to which they slow down the curriculum for the kids struggling in AAP.
Anonymous
Post 05/04/2020 15:13     Subject: 2020 AAP Acceptances
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think GBRS and school submitted samples play a very important role. Dare I say more important than Cogat it seems!


I agree, but I think it's absurd. Good work samples are more likely to show high executive function than high intelligence. Likewise, there are many things that bias GBRS. The system is set up to select upper middle class, above average kids who are somewhat advanced. This is actually a good fit for the program, since AAP itself best serves exactly those kids. It's weird, though, that a program that is supposed to serve gifted kids fails to identify a bunch of them, and then falls far short of serving their needs when they are in the program. It's also odd that the schools keep harping about the achievement gap, but then continue changing AAP admissions in a way that is likely to admit even more already privileged kids.


Problem is that CogAT is not the best measure of identifying gifted child either. None of the measures are perfect anyways. CogAT can be easily prepped and kids in 120's can be easily prepped to get 130's.


Which is why they use the NNAT, CoGAT, GBRSs, and Work Samples. They should give the committee a more complete picture of the kids under review. If you add in the parent questionnaire, parent provided work samples, and awards/letters of recommendation. The process is not perfect. There are different groups of 5 that review packets who have different ideas about what should be weighted and what is important. That is why the appeal can be useful. It is a different group of people looking at the packet and with affirming or changing the original decision.

The program is what it is. Most of the people I know who had kids go through it thought it was a solid program and their kids enjoyed it. The only negative I have heard some people mention is that it is not the greatest social experience at the Center schools. It sounds like at our Center that the kids end up segregating by their base school. But no one has said that the academic portion is too slow or problematic. There is a small group of parents who seem to think that it moves too slowly. I suspect a good number of those parents have had their kids in some type of after school tutoring for a few years. The material feels slow because their kids are ahead due to the tutoring programs. I get that impression from the posts I have seen on this site and talking to some of my friends whose kids are at different schools.


True, I know many kids from AAP go to some sort of after school enrichment. The one my son goes for math is a probably couple of months ahead his AAP in terms of concepts learned, but has more depth and repetition. The program primarily relies on home work packets with very little instruction. He generally finds this after school math challenging and I help him out frequently, but then he finds school math easy - probably because he learned the concepts already. However, if the kid is not in AAP, this program might be too far ahead of the class and might be very difficult for the kids. Personally, I think a strong foundation in math is very important and I would recommend it if the kid can take it.
Anonymous
Post 05/04/2020 14:34     Subject: 2020 AAP Acceptances
Anonymous wrote:The sooner the better


Sooner can't come fast enough
Anonymous
Post 05/04/2020 12:55     Subject: 2020 AAP Acceptances
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think GBRS and school submitted samples play a very important role. Dare I say more important than Cogat it seems!


I agree, but I think it's absurd. Good work samples are more likely to show high executive function than high intelligence. Likewise, there are many things that bias GBRS. The system is set up to select upper middle class, above average kids who are somewhat advanced. This is actually a good fit for the program, since AAP itself best serves exactly those kids. It's weird, though, that a program that is supposed to serve gifted kids fails to identify a bunch of them, and then falls far short of serving their needs when they are in the program. It's also odd that the schools keep harping about the achievement gap, but then continue changing AAP admissions in a way that is likely to admit even more already privileged kids.


Problem is that CogAT is not the best measure of identifying gifted child either. None of the measures are perfect anyways. CogAT can be easily prepped and kids in 120's can be easily prepped to get 130's.


Which is why they use the NNAT, CoGAT, GBRSs, and Work Samples. They should give the committee a more complete picture of the kids under review. If you add in the parent questionnaire, parent provided work samples, and awards/letters of recommendation. The process is not perfect. There are different groups of 5 that review packets who have different ideas about what should be weighted and what is important. That is why the appeal can be useful. It is a different group of people looking at the packet and with affirming or changing the original decision.

The program is what it is. Most of the people I know who had kids go through it thought it was a solid program and their kids enjoyed it. The only negative I have heard some people mention is that it is not the greatest social experience at the Center schools. It sounds like at our Center that the kids end up segregating by their base school. But no one has said that the academic portion is too slow or problematic. There is a small group of parents who seem to think that it moves too slowly. I suspect a good number of those parents have had their kids in some type of after school tutoring for a few years. The material feels slow because their kids are ahead due to the tutoring programs. I get that impression from the posts I have seen on this site and talking to some of my friends whose kids are at different schools.
Anonymous
Post 05/04/2020 11:46     Subject: 2020 AAP Acceptances
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think GBRS and school submitted samples play a very important role. Dare I say more important than Cogat it seems!


I agree, but I think it's absurd. Good work samples are more likely to show high executive function than high intelligence. Likewise, there are many things that bias GBRS. The system is set up to select upper middle class, above average kids who are somewhat advanced. This is actually a good fit for the program, since AAP itself best serves exactly those kids. It's weird, though, that a program that is supposed to serve gifted kids fails to identify a bunch of them, and then falls far short of serving their needs when they are in the program. It's also odd that the schools keep harping about the achievement gap, but then continue changing AAP admissions in a way that is likely to admit even more already privileged kids.


Problem is that CogAT is not the best measure of identifying gifted child either. None of the measures are perfect anyways. CogAT can be easily prepped and kids in 120's can be easily prepped to get 130's.
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2020 20:25     Subject: 2020 AAP Acceptances
The sooner the better
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2020 16:18     Subject: 2020 AAP Acceptances
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Actually, I find the whole AAP system ridiculous. Most of the kids are indistinguishable from bright gen ed kids. Aside from advanced math, AAP is not very different from gen ed. Seems silly to have a special label, busing to a new school, and all of this drama for a very mildly accelerated program.


I agree. We’ve since moved and dc is in a good private school taking geometry in 6th grade. I come to the AAP forum to read the absurd overreactions by parents of “actual gifted kids”. You are in an advanced academic program that looks like the ed in other better districts around the country. If you truly have an “actual gifted kid” you should know you need to advocate for their needs.


I know many people who have either moved to public gifted programs in other states or sent their kids to private, and all of them found the other schools more rigorous than AAP. I have an "actual gifted kid," and I've worked hard to advocate, but doing so within FCPS is like ramming your head repeatedly into a wall. FCPS is incredibly rigid, has more bureaucratic hoops that you're forced to jump through, and the principal is the king or queen of his or her own fiefdom, which means that FCPS will support that principal if the principal doesn't want to provide anything beyond lowest common denominator AAP.

Anyway, congrats on moving out of the area and getting your child into a good private! I'm hoping to do the same for my kids in the near future.
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2020 12:23     Subject: 2020 AAP Acceptances
That was supposed to say “the gen ed in other better school districts around the country.”
Anonymous
Post 05/03/2020 12:22     Subject: 2020 AAP Acceptances
Anonymous wrote:Actually, I find the whole AAP system ridiculous. Most of the kids are indistinguishable from bright gen ed kids. Aside from advanced math, AAP is not very different from gen ed. Seems silly to have a special label, busing to a new school, and all of this drama for a very mildly accelerated program.


I agree. We’ve since moved and dc is in a good private school taking geometry in 6th grade. I come to the AAP forum to read the absurd overreactions by parents of “actual gifted kids”. You are in an advanced academic program that looks like the ed in other better districts around the country. If you truly have an “actual gifted kid” you should know you need to advocate for their needs.
Anonymous
Post 05/02/2020 19:23     Subject: 2020 AAP Acceptances
Actually, I find the whole AAP system ridiculous. Most of the kids are indistinguishable from bright gen ed kids. Aside from advanced math, AAP is not very different from gen ed. Seems silly to have a special label, busing to a new school, and all of this drama for a very mildly accelerated program.
Anonymous
Post 05/02/2020 19:06     Subject: 2020 AAP Acceptances
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
So true. I was talking to a few neighbors and all of their bright kids got in with "low scores" as well. It is an advanced program, after all. My kid is crazy bright and always has been. Not saying my kid belongs in Mensa or anything but I am glad test scores are not the only factor.


You have a bizarre definition of "crazy bright." This thread really illustrates why my gifted kid is so bored in AAP. He's stuck twiddling his thumbs and waiting for all of the "crazy bright kids" to learn the concepts and catch up.


Haha! I absolutely love it. My “crazy bright” kid will be running circles around your “bored kid”!!! And I’ll be smiling the whole time.

Have a great day!


LOL. No. Just no. The teachers have said that they can't extend up for my kid, because they have to focus on the masses rather than the top kids. He gets straight 4s and pass advanced on everything without lifting a finger. I don't begrudge parents of bright kids for getting them into AAP, as it is now mostly filled with bright kids. It's unfortunate that FCPS is meeting the letter of the state gifted mandate law but not at all the spirit of the law.


I feel bad for you, it’s a real first world problem you have there. But in all honesty, you have to be an advocate for your kid. Don’t come here trying to knock down kids who went through the exact same application process as everyone else, and got in. There will always be kids smarter and less smart in any given classroom in Fairfax County. It is a public school system. If your kid needs more than AAP, dish out the cash and make it happen. If that’s not an option, there are always extracurricular activities. We are all parents here, let’s not try to ridicule parents for thinking their kids are smart. It’s lame.
Anonymous
Post 05/02/2020 18:57     Subject: 2020 AAP Acceptances
Why are people so smug about their child’s Cogat scores when we all know it’s not an IQ test and has faults of its own in assessing intelligence! And just a question or two wrong can be a huge difference in scores.

Anonymous
Post 05/02/2020 18:46     Subject: 2020 AAP Acceptances
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
So true. I was talking to a few neighbors and all of their bright kids got in with "low scores" as well. It is an advanced program, after all. My kid is crazy bright and always has been. Not saying my kid belongs in Mensa or anything but I am glad test scores are not the only factor.


You have a bizarre definition of "crazy bright." This thread really illustrates why my gifted kid is so bored in AAP. He's stuck twiddling his thumbs and waiting for all of the "crazy bright kids" to learn the concepts and catch up.


Haha! I absolutely love it. My “crazy bright” kid will be running circles around your “bored kid”!!! And I’ll be smiling the whole time.

Have a great day!


LOL. No. Just no. The teachers have said that they can't extend up for my kid, because they have to focus on the masses rather than the top kids. He gets straight 4s and pass advanced on everything without lifting a finger. I don't begrudge parents of bright kids for getting them into AAP, as it is now mostly filled with bright kids. It's unfortunate that FCPS is meeting the letter of the state gifted mandate law but not at all the spirit of the law.
Anonymous
Post 05/02/2020 18:31     Subject: 2020 AAP Acceptances
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
So true. I was talking to a few neighbors and all of their bright kids got in with "low scores" as well. It is an advanced program, after all. My kid is crazy bright and always has been. Not saying my kid belongs in Mensa or anything but I am glad test scores are not the only factor.


You have a bizarre definition of "crazy bright." This thread really illustrates why my gifted kid is so bored in AAP. He's stuck twiddling his thumbs and waiting for all of the "crazy bright kids" to learn the concepts and catch up.


Haha! I absolutely love it. My “crazy bright” kid will be running circles around your “bored kid”!!! And I’ll be smiling the whole time.

Have a great day!