Just my two cents worth....
My school was on a list as one of Governor Barnes' Failing Schools. My
entire school got together and decided to target reading as a priority. My
school implemented AR three years ago. The first year the school checked
out less than 4,000 books. Once we implemented AR, my total circulation was
19,000 and this year after being in school only three weeks, we have checked
out over 4,000 books. My school is 100 percent minority and 97% free lunch.
Our comprehension scores went from 56% to 79%. And to top it off, our CRCT
schools have increased by 20% points in the 4th grade.
Each school needs to decided what is best for their students. Do not go on
what ALA (gasp!) or any other group suggests to do. Yes, we are to teach
reference skills and how to locate books, but if the books are displaced in
sections of the library and the children are familiar with the area and the
coding system, then success is just around the corner.
We are all given a mental computer to process information that is relevant
to our situation. Let us not forget how to use it, tweak it, and make it
work for our kids!
By the way, I do let the 5th graders read Arthur and take a test on it. Why
should they be limited to just their "color". After they test successfully,
I assign them a lower classroom to read. You would be surprised at how many
older kids love reading to the "babies".
Like I said, just my two cents :)
Pam Nutt, Ed.S
Media Specialist
Moore Elementary School
Griffin, Georgia
Henry County Board of Education Member
McDonough, Georgia
Professional Standards Commission Member
pnutt@mindspring.com
"If everyone is thinking alike, then someone is not thinking", Unknown
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