Fairfax County General :
Fairfax Underground
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Advanced Academics
Posted by:
chilloutandenjoy
()
Date: April 30, 2011 10:42AM
Well just found out my second kid was selected for level 4 services - that is 2 for 2. Other than caring for them and loving them we did nothing out of the ordinary. We ask that they do their homework but we do not emphasize grades we emphasize effort.
People fighting to push their kids at a young age are working against themselves imho
People fighting to push their kids at a young age are working against themselves imho
Re: Advanced Academics
Posted by:
Olde Farte
()
Date: April 30, 2011 11:16AM
Looks like FCPS has changed the definition of Level IV - used to be something along "Go to a special school" but now just says "Take special courses".
I like that better.
I like that better.
Re: Advanced Academics
Posted by:
Parental Opinion
()
Date: April 30, 2011 11:30AM
I have two neighbors whose kids were selected to go to a Level IV (elementary) school. After a short while (A year? Two years? I forget) they BOTH decided to return to their base schools because the "project" work load wasn't worth it, according to said parents.
Re: Advanced Academics
Posted by:
ophere
()
Date: April 30, 2011 11:46AM
OP here, my son has been the Level IV class for one year - have to say it seems more laid back than mainstream. They do cover some absurdly advanced stuff (e.g. his homework had "what is the name of a 17-sided polygon" - hell if I knew...) but it seems the teachers are not sweating bullets to get everyone over SOL minimum.
The kids seem to be the same as mainstream in terms of their general behavior (possibly a little more mature). The only real difference is the teachers seem much less afraid. I mean that, I think mainstream teachers operate under fear of scuttling the school with low SOL's under no child laws...
The kids seem to be the same as mainstream in terms of their general behavior (possibly a little more mature). The only real difference is the teachers seem much less afraid. I mean that, I think mainstream teachers operate under fear of scuttling the school with low SOL's under no child laws...
Re: Advanced Academics
Posted by:
FCPSparent
()
Date: April 30, 2011 12:45PM
Parental Opinion Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have two neighbors whose kids were selected to
> go to a Level IV (elementary) school. After a
> short while (A year? Two years? I forget) they
> BOTH decided to return to their base schools
> because the "project" work load wasn't worth it,
> according to said parents.
I think it depends on the Center. We're thrilled with ours as the homework is not a "load" and most of the work is done at school anyway. The peer groups at the Center are better for our kids then what was at the base school, too.
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have two neighbors whose kids were selected to
> go to a Level IV (elementary) school. After a
> short while (A year? Two years? I forget) they
> BOTH decided to return to their base schools
> because the "project" work load wasn't worth it,
> according to said parents.
I think it depends on the Center. We're thrilled with ours as the homework is not a "load" and most of the work is done at school anyway. The peer groups at the Center are better for our kids then what was at the base school, too.
Re: Advanced Academics
Posted by:
aapmom
()
Date: April 30, 2011 04:21PM
most people seem happy with their kids' experiences at the center. I have found it only marginally better than the base school. Yes the curriculum and projects are a bit more demanding. But: 1) it's about a 35 minute bus ride instead of being 10 minutes away; 2) there are 30 kids and one teacher in my kid's class,and 3) some of the kids are not well behaved. I have not found it all that it's cracked-up to be, but I know others who disagree with me aabout that.
Re: Advanced Academics
Posted by:
kids do okay
()
Date: April 30, 2011 08:31PM
I know a family whose kid got picked for the GT elementary (I guess it's called Advanced Academics now?). They decided to keep him at the base school (they just didn't believe in special schools). He graduated from Harvard Business School---so I think he did okay despite not having had the elementary program. I don't think they had SOL's back then.
I tend to think the family is the most important factor in a kid's success.
I tend to think the family is the most important factor in a kid's success.
Re: Advanced Academics
Posted by:
Olde Farte
()
Date: May 01, 2011 08:41AM
kids do okay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They decided to keep him at the base
> school (they just didn't believe in special
> schools). He graduated from Harvard Business
> School...
Yeah, I suspect special schools is the wrong way to go about this, too, thus my comment way up there near the top of the thread. I've also asked around a bit to see if anyone has tracked TJ students AFTER college to see if they're specially successful in life but apparently THOSE type of stats aren't being kept - only some loose collection of "what colleges TJ students attend" which, IMHO, isn't nearly enough to show REAL worth (other than bragging rights) of TJ attendance.
-------------------------------------------------------
> They decided to keep him at the base
> school (they just didn't believe in special
> schools). He graduated from Harvard Business
> School...
Yeah, I suspect special schools is the wrong way to go about this, too, thus my comment way up there near the top of the thread. I've also asked around a bit to see if anyone has tracked TJ students AFTER college to see if they're specially successful in life but apparently THOSE type of stats aren't being kept - only some loose collection of "what colleges TJ students attend" which, IMHO, isn't nearly enough to show REAL worth (other than bragging rights) of TJ attendance.
Re: Advanced Academics
Posted by:
another story
()
Date: May 01, 2011 11:38AM
I have to agree with Olde Farte. I also tend to think that success in life has to do with a lot more than going to TJ. I think lots of people get this, but apparently not the ones who are trying so hard to get into TJ.
My thinking is that if you are trying hard to get into TJ because you think it will get you some kind of life success, you are ill advised. If you are trying to get into TJ because you love math and science and you really want to pursue a career in one of those areas, then you are headed the right direction. What I wonder is how many students fall into each of those categories at TJ. I'm not sure that the tests to get into TJ can measure those sorts of motivations.
I also know a person who went to TJ and went on to get a PhD in a science area (parents were Asians who really pushed hard). He got out of school and has now decided that he really wants to be a journalist (not kidding). He has moved far away from his parents (the other coast) and is now pursuing his real dream. He is an only child as well so I think he got uber pressure from his parents.
My thinking is that if you are trying hard to get into TJ because you think it will get you some kind of life success, you are ill advised. If you are trying to get into TJ because you love math and science and you really want to pursue a career in one of those areas, then you are headed the right direction. What I wonder is how many students fall into each of those categories at TJ. I'm not sure that the tests to get into TJ can measure those sorts of motivations.
I also know a person who went to TJ and went on to get a PhD in a science area (parents were Asians who really pushed hard). He got out of school and has now decided that he really wants to be a journalist (not kidding). He has moved far away from his parents (the other coast) and is now pursuing his real dream. He is an only child as well so I think he got uber pressure from his parents.
Re: Advanced Academics
Posted by:
whocares
()
Date: May 01, 2011 02:50PM
It does not have much to do with anything .Parents should not take credit for smart kids... is just how you are born.... You can push a normal kids but they will not test into the program unless they are born with high IQ. It aslo does not mean your kids are better then anyone else .It is what it is. and deserve to be with like minded peers. I have one with a cogat score with a 9 and one with a 5 . They are both nice kids who both seem bright to me. the one wiht the cogat of 5 is a harder worker and will probably have an easier road .
Re: Advanced Academics
Posted by:
Ophere
()
Date: May 01, 2011 04:56PM
whocares Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It does not have much to do with anything .Parents
> should not take credit for smart kids... is just
> how you are born.... You can push a normal kids
> but they will not test into the program unless
> they are born with high IQ. It aslo does not mean
> your kids are better then anyone else .It is what
> it is. and deserve to be with like minded peers. I
> have one with a cogat score with a 9 and one with
> a 5 . They are both nice kids who both seem bright
> to me. the one wiht the cogat of 5 is a harder
> worker and will probably have an easier road .
OP here - I generally agree. My 2 that got in have high scores on the test thingy but one has to work at school the other not much at all. Anyway it really does not mean a darn thing about them as people or how they will turn out - we want them to be hard working and have good hearts. The rush to TJ and/or Level iv services is misguided...
-------------------------------------------------------
> It does not have much to do with anything .Parents
> should not take credit for smart kids... is just
> how you are born.... You can push a normal kids
> but they will not test into the program unless
> they are born with high IQ. It aslo does not mean
> your kids are better then anyone else .It is what
> it is. and deserve to be with like minded peers. I
> have one with a cogat score with a 9 and one with
> a 5 . They are both nice kids who both seem bright
> to me. the one wiht the cogat of 5 is a harder
> worker and will probably have an easier road .
OP here - I generally agree. My 2 that got in have high scores on the test thingy but one has to work at school the other not much at all. Anyway it really does not mean a darn thing about them as people or how they will turn out - we want them to be hard working and have good hearts. The rush to TJ and/or Level iv services is misguided...