I think we should congratulate the developmentally disabled for getting an IEP.

Being assigned to AAP is not equivalent to winning a contest or being on a varsity team. The Advanced Academic Program is there to provide the appropriate educational environment for children who need it. It is about placing children in the most suitable classroom situation for their learning needs.
Everyone needs to learn. Everyone doesn't need to do music or sports. Schools are there to provide the best learning situations for all children wherever on the spectrum their ability to learn falls. Children who learn and grasp new concepts easily will find the AAP classroom a better fit for their learning styles and will be less likely to fall through the cracks as they might if left in a regular classroom. It's about providing a good fit for a child's learning needs.

Yup if a kid has musical or artistic talent and wins something in a contest or something, you would congratulate him/her.
If a kid is athletic/fast and make strack and field team, you would congratulate him/her.
If a kid is smart and makes AAP, I would congratulate him/her.

Anonymous wrote:A better way to look at it is every has strengths and weaknesses. Some people are musically gifted, some people are wonderful athletes, and some people are brilliant.

The schools have programs for the athletes (Football, Basketball, Baseball for boys). They also have programs for the smart kids (AAP).

Being smart does not make the kid better or more valuable.

In the same way you congratulate your child for making the basketball team or cheer squad I congratulated my child for AAP. If it wasn't worthy of a congratulations and excitement you all wouldn't spend hours discussing it on this forum.

A better way to look at it is every has strengths and weaknesses. Some people are musically gifted, some people are wonderful athletes, and some people are brilliant.

The schools have programs for the athletes (Football, Basketball, Baseball for boys). They also have programs for the smart kids (AAP).

Being smart does not make the kid better or more valuable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whatever. I still believe children should be rewarded for academic excellence. However "easy" it may be or if "they worked their butts off." It sends a message that academic achievement is a high priority at all levels. I'm sorry you guys have a problem with that but yes, I congratulated my son for getting into AAP. He was not coached so don't start. He got 150's and 140's on the subtests. He has attention issues and works hard to stay focused so yes, he works is butt off. I am proud to have a child that applies himself.

But I don't think of AAP as being a reward for academic excellence. I see it as providing educational services for children whose needs are not met in the regular classroom, as helping children to learn to their best of their ability. The process is meant to identify children in need of special services and to provide the education that best suits their needs.

I have a friend who is a special education teacher in Fairfax, and she says that Giftedness is something like a learning disability. The kids just learn differently. That is what my son's teacher told them the first day of class in third grade too. They aren't smarter than General Ed, they just learn in a different way. He has been in the program three years, and still will tell anyone that, if someone says he must be very smart.

I don't think so. Then what's WISC for?
At the end of the day, they look at WISC score which is IQ test.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whatever. I still believe children should be rewarded for academic excellence. However "easy" it may be or if "they worked their butts off." It sends a message that academic achievement is a high priority at all levels. I'm sorry you guys have a problem with that but yes, I congratulated my son for getting into AAP. He was not coached so don't start. He got 150's and 140's on the subtests. He has attention issues and works hard to stay focused so yes, he works is butt off. I am proud to have a child that applies himself.

But I don't think of AAP as being a reward for academic excellence. I see it as providing educational services for children whose needs are not met in the regular classroom, as helping children to learn to their best of their ability. The process is meant to identify children in need of special services and to provide the education that best suits their needs.

I have a friend who is a special education teacher in Fairfax, and she says that Giftedness is something like a learning disability. The kids just learn differently. That is what my son's teacher told them the first day of class in third grade too. They aren't smarter than General Ed, they just learn in a different way. He has been in the program three years, and still will tell anyone that, if someone says he must be very smart.

Anonymous wrote:Actually, identification is based on test scores plus teacher observations of gifted behaviors exhibited by the students. Grades are not mentioned as being considered in the identification process. Kids who need the services provided by an AAP classroom don't always necessarily have across the board high grades.

This is my child. I don't know why, but her grades are MUCH better since she got into the program. I figured that she didn't stand a chance in second grade with her report cards, but she got in with no need to appeal. Been in three years and her grades are far better.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whatever. I still believe children should be rewarded for academic excellence. However "easy" it may be or if "they worked their butts off." It sends a message that academic achievement is a high priority at all levels. I'm sorry you guys have a problem with that but yes, I congratulated my son for getting into AAP. He was not coached so don't start. He got 150's and 140's on the subtests. He has attention issues and works hard to stay focused so yes, he works is butt off. I am proud to have a child that applies himself.

But I don't think of AAP as being a reward for academic excellence. I see it as providing educational services for children whose needs are not met in the regular classroom, as helping children to learn to their best of their ability. The process is meant to identify children in need of special services and to provide the education that best suits their needs.

This.

Anonymous wrote:Whatever. I still believe children should be rewarded for academic excellence. However "easy" it may be or if "they worked their butts off." It sends a message that academic achievement is a high priority at all levels. I'm sorry you guys have a problem with that but yes, I congratulated my son for getting into AAP. He was not coached so don't start. He got 150's and 140's on the subtests. He has attention issues and works hard to stay focused so yes, he works is butt off. I am proud to have a child that applies himself.

But I don't think of AAP as being a reward for academic excellence. I see it as providing educational services for children whose needs are not met in the regular classroom, as helping children to learn to their best of their ability. The process is meant to identify children in need of special services and to provide the education that best suits their needs.

Anonymous wrote:

I think the point is that 20% of Fairfax County kids scored in th top 2% nationally. I think statistically it seems odd.

Fairfax has perhaps the best public school system in the country. And there are a lot of bright kids. And... they prep

Whatever. I still believe children should be rewarded for academic excellence. However "easy" it may be or if "they worked their butts off." It sends a message that academic achievement is a high priority at all levels. I'm sorry you guys have a problem with that but yes, I congratulated my son for getting into AAP. He was not coached so don't start. He got 150's and 140's on the subtests. He has attention issues and works hard to stay focused so yes, he works is butt off. I am proud to have a child that applies himself.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AAP eligibility is not an accomplishment. It is not something worthy of a congratulations or a pat on the back. It is more worthy of a "that's great. I'm sure your kid will do well there."

Kids who are truly "gifted" didn't accquire the ability through hard work. They were just born wired that way. It makes no more sense to congratulate someone on having a gifted kid than it does to congratulate them for having blonde hair.

If people would stop looking at AAP eligibility like TJ admissions or college admissions, all the madness might end.

Sorry, you're wrong. Many AAP eligible kids have worked their butts of in school and have the grades to back it up. I would agree with you if admissions were solely based on a WISC score like some school districts. Then it truly is out of everyone's hands, including the child. But Fairfax goes as much on achievement as ability therefore I have to disagree with you, these students deserve congratulations.

What 2nd graders have "worked their butts off?"
My AAP eligible kid does about 5 minutes of homework (a math worksheet and a spelling assignment) each night and has the rest of his time free to ride his bike, dig in the dirt, play with his friends, etc.
Report cards are included in the file, but you can see from the admission results that grades have nothing to do with eligibility/ineligibility. Perhaps the committee is looking more at the work habits/behavior section of the report card.

They worked their butts off because they are not exactly AAP material, yet their parents are trying to turn them into it. I have a friend doing that with her kid. Poor kid is pushed to the limit. All the while, mom is running around telling anyone and everyone how the school can't meet her kid's needs. Clearly, the mom is paving the way for future AAP by teaching her kid everything at home so her kid looks gifted, then putting the bug in the teacher's ear that school's too easy. I know the child's scores do not meet the AAP benchmark because the parent mentioned it in passing once. So if that kid gets into AAP, he'll earn it, but at what price?

I assume if your child is truly gifted, they are probably not working their butt off in first and second grade.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AAP eligibility is not an accomplishment. It is not something worthy of a congratulations or a pat on the back. It is more worthy of a "that's great. I'm sure your kid will do well there."

Kids who are truly "gifted" didn't accquire the ability through hard work. They were just born wired that way. It makes no more sense to congratulate someone on having a gifted kid than it does to congratulate them for having blonde hair.

If people would stop looking at AAP eligibility like TJ admissions or college admissions, all the madness might end.

Sorry, you're wrong. Many AAP eligible kids have worked their butts of in school and have the grades to back it up. I would agree with you if admissions were solely based on a WISC score like some school districts. Then it truly is out of everyone's hands, including the child. But Fairfax goes as much on achievement as ability therefore I have to disagree with you, these students deserve congratulations.

What 2nd graders have "worked their butts off?"
My AAP eligible kid does about 5 minutes of homework (a math worksheet and a spelling assignment) each night and has the rest of his time free to ride his bike, dig in the dirt, play with his friends, etc.
Report cards are included in the file, but you can see from the admission results that grades have nothing to do with eligibility/ineligibility. Perhaps the committee is looking more at the work habits/behavior section of the report card.

Actually, identification is based on test scores plus teacher observations of gifted behaviors exhibited by the students. Grades are not mentioned as being considered in the identification process. Kids who need the services provided by an AAP classroom don't always necessarily have across the board high grades.