LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Here is the list of suggestions that I received regarding Accelerated
Reader. I apologize for the length but I don't have time to go through and
edit it.
Thanks to all of you who responded. I'm sure we will use some of them. I
knew this was the group to ask!
Have a good summer!
1. Students take the STAR reading test 3 times a year, to determine their
reading level, and document their growth. Each school has a "Reading Wall
of Fame" with our students' points. The programs are available in the
Library Media Centers, and in the classrooms. Reports are sent home in the
report cards so Parents can monitor their child's progress. We have been
using these programs for almost 10 years, and our students continue to
benefit. Our Reading scores have improved, and our circulation of books has
nearly doubled!!! Once a month I reward every student during class who has
earned 5 points (3 points for second grade) with a Jolly Rancher ( we
celebrate "how sweet it is" to read!!) We have a reading wall of fame ....
however I added a 10 point club ... so almost everyone can make the wall!!!
At the end of the year I reward the top ten in each grade at our awards
assembly! This year I got a button maker, and gave buttons for the 100
point club and above!!!
2. My kids love field trips. I take the top three readers of each class to
the movies, park, fun places. They also love pizza parties. Every six weeks
I schedule something different for them.
3. Kids always like food prizes. theatre tickets, video/game rentals,
electronic items, and sports game tickets. We contact local pro or semi pro
sports teams and ask them to donate items to our prize cart. Usually we
get a good response.
4. Our school has a point goal for each grade level for the year. At the
end of each quarter, there are rewards for those who have met the quarter
goals. They do things like popsicles, popcorn and pizza. For the end of
the year goal, those who meet the goal go to a local pizza place for dinner
and then to a movie. They are brought back to school around 6:00 and picked
up by parents.
I've heard of others doing a store where items where available for points
they earn. I think this would be great to motivate some of the students
that
aren't motivated otherwise. The store could replace the quarter activities
and then just have the big end of the year party for those who meet the year
goal.
5. I am in a middle school so I'm not sure this would work for you--I offer
$100 in CASH at the end of the year to the top reader/points! The kids work
so hard to get this and at the awards I count it out in many different
bills---they really love it! During the 9 weeks I do a
"Terrific 21 Club" that I reward the top 21 point earners with pizza and
ice-cream. I also give out $25.00 Barnes and Noble gift certificates
plus a school t-shirt to the top point earner in each grade level for
the nine weeks--easier than you since I only deal with 3 grades. Also
we do "Book-It" sponsored by Pizza Hut where 6th graders get free pizza
coupons for reaching a goal each 9 weeks. We also got a sponsor from Coke
to donate a $350.00 bike at the end of the year to whoever gets drawn out of
the "Terrific 21" drawing. All of this has motivated students to READ a lot
of AR books--I would say the $100 Cash award is the top motivator though!
A friend of mine at an elementary school had the female principal dress
up like a little girl and ride a small tricycle around the school as an
incentive, dress in PJ's and rollers and great everyone in the morning
etc...
6. I don't have AR at my school but my son's media specialist had a really
great program in her elementary school. She starts the year by setting
goals with each student's teacher. Then she printed these up and had a
meeting with each class about the program and their goals. With each point
they earned they could spend them in an AR store once a week. She bought
little things at the dollar store and had books that she got from book
fairs. She did primary grades on Tues. for 2 hours and intermediate grades
on Thurs for 2 hours. To keep them on track, she held quarterly
celebrations for all students that had 25%, 50%, and 75% of their goal. She
did different things like have a teddy bear camp set up in the media.
Parents loaned and set up tents. Kids brought their teddy bears and books
and read in the tents and were treated with s'mores and a certificate
printed off with the name and
their percentage of their goal. Other things were a magician brought in, a
puppeteer, a Florida panther and alligator. At the end of the year, she
held a formal assembly and gave trophies to everyone that met their goals.
Every year, more and more kids meet their goal because they want to
participate.
She also had a wall of fame in the media and ran the kids names and points
on a slide show on the TV news program. She pays for it with some out of
her budget, some from PTA money that is given to the media and some small
grants. She also has a great assistant and several wonderful parent
volunteers that help.
7. I do a fishbowl raffle and my students. When they pass test, I fill out
a
raffle tickets and place it in a fishbowl and at the end of the week I pull
a
name or two and the winners win a small treat. I do this during morning
announcements.
8. Maybe you can contact the front office of an area sports team and ask if
they could have an
athlete come out to read his favorite children's book to your winning class.
Another option might be to come up with a really neat end-of-year prize for
the winning classroom of each grade level, or the whole school--like maybe
an outdoor cook-out/field day. Just get a few parents to volunteer to come,
bring grills & cook, buy a bunch of hot dogs, or even check into having it
catered. Or maybe a special field trip to somewhere.
9. At our elementary school we have an AR store and once every two weeks or
whatever time frame you decide we have volunteers open for business. I have
prizes that I
either get donated or buy. CD players, boom boxes, and a Razor scooter are
the top prizes and they
have to bank their points for over a year to get those...about 350 points.
Then I have varying degree of other prizes, usually purchased from discount
places and catalogs, but also from "sales" I hit. I found that after
a stores inventory they have many 75% off sales where I get barrettes and
the like. Candy is also
another favorite along with canned drinks and small bags of chips. Last
year was my first in media and I was teaching out of field so I hope next
year to learn more. Oh, every nine weeks (our grading period) the students
who have passed with 80% or better 8 appropriate level books gets to
participate in an ice-cream party.
10. How about taking the child's picture, blow it up with a color Xerox and
put it on a poster to be displayed in the classroom or the library or the
hallway.
11. In our school we give rewards that do not cost money. Teachers at each
grade level decide on the rewards offered to that grade, so second grade
rewards are different than fifth grade rewards. Some of our rewards are as
simple as getting to have lunch with a friend in another classroom, an extra
recess, an extra music time, extra library reading time in the loft, lunch
with the counselor or a favorite teacher, a free homework
assignment, and the top prize is principal for the day where students sit at
the principal's desk, make morning announcements on the intercom, and
preside over an assembly program.
12. ... at the end of the year the kids have an "auction" and use their AR
points to bid for items. The reading dept was allotted an amount of money
from the principal for this and they go out and buy the items (we've even
had bikes go at 275 points) and then the kids come down to the cafeteria and
attend the auction with the reading teachers as the auctioneers.
13. Some prizes we used this year (they increased in value
to the students as they earned more points):
lunch with a staff member
no homework pass
fast food coupons
video rental coupons
help in another class
extra time on the classroom computer
paperback book
pop/popcorn
bag of chips to eat in class (to torment/encourage other
students)
credit at the school store run by student council
14. One thing I do is have
an entire wall as a bulletin board. This past year the theme was a "Race
for Reading". Each grade level had a color and a lane on the giant race
track. The classes were mounted before the starting line. Each week I
printed the class record, cut it out and mounted it with the class's car.
There was a flag for specific mile markers on the track which was long.
I had a marker for 10 miles, 25 miles, 35 miles, 50 miles, 75 miles, 100,
150, 200, 250 and all the way to 500. When a 5th grade student earned 100
points, she/he got their own car with their name on it which was then moved
on the track. The magic number for 4th grade was 75 points. A third grader
had to have 50 points to get their own car, while a 2nd grader needed 25.
For a first grader, it took 10 points, and for a K student, it took 2
points. Individual cars were moved every week. (ESE teachers were able to
chose a "goal" for individual students. We had several who had to make the
same as the others. We also had students who had difficulty with reading
and were able to achieve goals set by the teacher to achieve notoriety.)
We had previously had the principal and assistant principal kiss a pig when
the school reached a specific goal. Another year the principal did the
"Chicken Dance" for the students. That didn't seem to get the involvement
that the racing did.
Our theme for the year before was "Hop to It. Read. Frogs of various
colors and lily pads on a giant pond were used. This coming year we will
have rockets and the theme will be "Reading is a Blast".
We have an AR store every Friday afternoon. I had
two parents who manned it. I used money earned at book fair and a small
donation from our PTA to purchase pencils, erasers, pads, bookmarks, and
other things.
Gail Hutchison
Media Assistant/Graduate Student
Taylorsville Elementary
Taylorsville NC
ghutchison@charter.net
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