This fifth and final installment of our series on the Irvine Unified School District's (IUSD's) Alternative Program for Academically Accelerated Students (APAAS) will take a look at who is most—and least—likely to be satisfied with the APAAS program.
Given the shortcomings we've discussed, you may be wondering whether any parent would be happy with this contentious program. The answer is yes—in fact, many parents continue to believe that APAAS, even with its deficiencies, is a worthwhile and enriching educational experience for their children.
So what sort of parent will be satisfied with APAAS? One who:
- Sees value in large quantities of homework, regardless of its content;
- Appreciates the usefulness of rote memorization and fact-based worksheets;
- Has the time and energy to shepherd the student through the program and assist with homework planning and execution;
- Won't mind that the child will have little, if any, time for playdates or socializing with friends outside of school, nor for any other time-intensive activities such as music lessons or sports;
- Believes that competition in upper elementary school is important and that the child will be helped by having his or her work posted on a board so that all students in the class can compare themselves with each other;
- Approves of—or at least doesn't object to—punitive discipline, such as, after receiving three "pink slips" for forgetting homework, having to do a "sit" (sitting inside during lunch, writing an apology letter to the APAAS teacher and one's parents, and then staring at the wall until lunch is over);
- Likes that this discipline extends to nonacademic matters—for example, when students are told that the APAAS teacher only gets new desks and chairs approximately every 20 years and that the teacher will inspect each student's desk and chair at the end of the year; if the teacher sees any water-bottle marks, pencil marks, or marks of any other kind, the student will have to pay for a new desk or chair.
Which parents will be least satisfied with the APAAS program? Those who:
- Want their children to love learning and be excited by school;
- Believe that the quality of homework is more important than the quantity;
- Prefer more of a "whole child" approach to upper elementary education, one that helps foster well-balanced personal development and allows time for friendships, sports, and other nonacademic activities;
- Feel that the continued growth of independence in dealing with school and homework is an important goal in the upper elementary grades;
- Do not want to hear their children say that what they like most about APAAS is recess or that maybe they won't have to be in it next year;
- Object to overly strict and inappropriate discipline of children who are already mature and well-behaved;
- Think independently and will not worry about their children "falling behind" in a regular program or be concerned with the judgments of APAAS teachers or other APAAS parents.
Ultimately, parents must choose for themselves, and because there are major differences between the APAAS sites, a child who might be miserable at one could well be content in another. Thinking carefully about your goals for your child's education and personal development is key, as is understanding what sorts of environments your student will flourish in and what kinds will be oppressive, intimidating, or even traumatic. For many students, the effects of their time spent in APAAS are far-reaching—sometimes for the better, but often for the worse. One final note: When I decided to pull my son out of APAAS after fourth grade and told a parent whose child had completed the three-year program but with much unhappiness, she congratulated me on the decision and said, "It is almost like you saved a child's childhood freedom."
