Target: AR Help

[Barbara Wall <BWALL@OUBOCES.ORG>]

Hello, all,

I agree that this is a bigger issue for the whole list.  But I think that
posting AR scores is actually part of larger or at least more diverse
issue.  How many of us have worked in a library where a list of overdues is
printed and sent to the teacher to post in a classroom? Particularly
harmful if there is a reward for the class who has the fewest overdues in a
week, month or year.  How many of us have worked in a library where
overdues are announced to the whole class at some point during a scheduled
class?  Yes, we do need to get overdues, but quietly going around and
handing out slips while everyone is looking for books is much less
obtrusive and embarrassing.  There are many reasons why kids don't bring
books back and not all of them are that the child has forgotten and is
"bad".  Just so with Accelerated Reader, there are many reasons why kids do
not do well on those tests - not the least of which is just plain test
anxiety. Also, the lower reading level, learning disabilities, diagnosed or
undiagnosed, and so on.  Finding another way to reward appropriately (and
in the case of overdues to get books back without making the kid feel like
a loser in front of everyone) is also a part of our job as a teacher and a
librarian.  I applaud the original poster for being sensitive to this.  For
me, it is all part of the "always picked last because you are not quite
good enough" syndrome.   My 2 cents ( or may 3 since this was long!)

Barbara

PS  School begins in most of NYS next week, so to all of you working in
schools (NY or otherwise), have a wonderful, productive year.

Barbara Wall
School Library System Coordinator
Orange-Ulster BOCES
Monroe, NY

bwall@ouboces.org

"Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose."
--Lyndon B. Johnson

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