HIT: AR#2 Hints and Advice

[Marilyn Sue Chapman <msuechapman@EXCITE.COM>]

This is part two of the favorite AR title hit. It has many hints and advice
about starting an AR program. Thanks to all who contributed their kind
words.

One problem I have with AR is the kids who like to read are reading AR books
instead of what they want to read. Some of the kids were really happy for
the vacation so they could read what they wanted to. I hope AR doesn't curb
their reading pleasure.

I would suggest that you take the books you have or books/series that are
already popular with your students and then purchase the tests to go with
them. I think you will find that to be the best way to handle the AR books
with the students. The same types of books and authors will still be popular
with AR.

But, just a comment....if you are just starting AR at your school, I would
strongly suggest ordering a customized disk or doing your ordering
ONLINE...choosing the titles that you want. In years previous I have always
order the standard disk that Advantage Learning had listed only to find that
some of the books listed were old; out of print or not available for
ordering from Permabound, etc. By doing a customized disk, you mad pay a
little more, but at least you will be assured of having a book that is
available for ordering also. I loved doing my ordering ONLINE last year.

Please consider using AR's custom disk option and ordering the test disks
for books your students enjoy. This way, you can make sure certain authors
and series are covered.

And, be careful about their nonfiction tests -- the kids almost unanimously
vote those as too difficult. Another caveat is see if your teachers will
agree to the kids taking out one AR and one non-AR. We found that before AR
the nonfiction reading was about 2-1 against fiction and, after AR, that
changed, and I really do think it affected their pleasure reading.

Both of my elementary k-5 buildings use AR extensively. When we first
started we purchased sets of books with tests but after the first 1,000 we
began making a custom disk of tests for books we already had on the shelves
thus saving a lot of money . We have also found out that the most wonderful
books may just sit on the shelf if there is not a test for it. Both of my
schools now number about 5,000-6,000 tests. Of these only about 1,000 are in
the nonfiction. You might want to examine your shelves to see what books are
popular now and just get on to the website for advantage learning and make a
custom disk.

I also leave copies of an AR book without a dot on them. Once you dot the
book, you limit the students that can read it. While that is the premise in
one way to provide books that are at their reading level, many students read
with parents and it is (in my opinion) good to hear books that are higher in
reading ability. Modelling is as important as anything else. I also believe
that if I had to take a test on any book that I wanted to read, I would soon
quit reading from the school library. We are trying to reach a medium road
and gain all the benefits of the AR program but have as little glitches as
possible.

Happy New Year!

Marilyn Sue Chapman
Shaffer Elem School
Litchfield, CA
msuechapman@excite.com






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