We have used Reading Counts for many years. Reading
COunts advocates setting up your own criteria. You can
turn points on or off. There is no "one" way to use
the program. It is a tool not the only answer. Too
many schools jumped on this other program which
advocates only one way to work with students. Let's
not lump all reading programs because of one. Let's
also not condemn all programs because they have been
misused by others. You can take any program not
necessarily software and misuse it.
Instructional television is great but if all someone
does is have kids watch the TV all day - television is
misused. Worksheets are wonderful and a help to
students but if that is all a teacher does then they
are misused. Computer labs are great but if kids play
on the computer it is a waste of money.
I could go on... My point, a piece of software, a
computer, a 16mm projector for goodness sakes is only
as good as the teachers or media specialists using it.
Reading software is "not" the only answer to motivate
students to read.
Paula
--- S Brisco <sbrisco021@CHARTER.NET> wrote:
> My opinions only...
>
> I've just posted an email on the list regarding book
> selection. The earlier
> question regarding the AR opinion / question, I
> tried to ignore, primarily
> because I knew that I would get on my
> "soapbox"--which I did anyway through
> the book selection question--- but let me kick the
> box over here once more,
> as I step up on this one.
>
> I was one of the writers of the Point-Counterpoint
> articles in April's
> _Teacher-Librarian_. I took the
> "counterpoint"--which would be no surprise
> to some who know what my opinion is about these
> programs. In addition, I am
> currently doing research to write a book on the
> topic, and what I'm finding
> is rather interesting. Luckily, I now feel some
> satisfaction in knowing
> that my position is being evaluated by others
> outside of the library
> profession and they are also questioning the
> program. (I also know the
> position of many on this list who have responded to
> me personally because we
> are considered the "rebels" in this issue.)
>
> As I have stated in the past, I have used this
> program pretty much since the
> beginning (1990) and I've found that regardless of
> the school--average,
> struggling public school students with a variety of
> multicultural,
> disabilities, poor test scores, and economic issues
> or private, elite,
> gifted and talented, well-rounded and
> college-bound---the problems that
> continue to surface remain the same.
>
> Yes, there needs to be guidance if you're using the
> program--but do you have
> the money in your school / program to send your
> teachers to each new
> "update" seminar that these companies provide? Why
> not provide your
> teachers with additional college coursework in
> reading, literature, or
> special education that address some of the deeper
> issues that we miss when
> we place students at a computer and hope for the
> best.
>
> I'm now at a school where I could afford to send my
> teachers to programs
> offered by these companies in order to "re-instruct"
> them as to how the
> program is "supposed to work;" however, I know that
> regardless of the
> ground-rules set by the production company, my
> students, parents, and
> teachers want to "one-up" each other in what is
> happening in the reading
> environment. Eliminating the prizes didn't help
> because the book points
> then became the issue. I have parents who hunt for
> books with only certain
> points and certain reading levels--can't say my
> parents aren't involved in
> the reading process! Now I have teachers requiring
> students to test and
> retest until they pass a test. The students "read"
> the book---or so they
> say but how can we tell if they have?--yet they
> continually fail the test.
> Is there a problem? Obviously. Perhaps the student
> didn't read the book.
> Perhaps the student has a testing problem. Perhaps
> the student has a
> reading problem. Or perhaps the student just
> doesn't give a "flip" anymore
> about this program.
>
> When I see my 8th graders who are not using the
> program and who anxiously
> await new titles that they enjoy reading because of
> their personal choice,
> as opposed to my 5th-7th graders who pull excellent
> choices from the shelves
> only to return them immediately because they are
> written at a 4.6 reading
> level and that's not acceptable by the standards of
> either the parent or the
> teacher, I know there's a problem.
>
> I'm not spending any more money on this program. I
> would much rather direct
> my teachers in alternative methods of instruction to
> reach a variety of
> learning styles and tastes, than try to stick that
> square peg in the round
> hole.
>
> There's an alternative out there but it will require
> work on the part of
> teachers, librarians and administrators. Much like
> trying to lose weight by
> ONLY swallowing a diet pill, it's going to take some
> "action" to make it
> work. It's time to start exercising our alternative
> reading programs and
> end this madness.
>
> Stepping off the soapbox...but not putting it away.
>
> ~Shonda Brisco
> Trinity Valley MS / US Librarian
> Fort Worth, TX
> sbrisco021@charter.net
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "irismedia" <irismedia@PRODIGY.NET>
> To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
> Sent: Saturday, March 29, 2003 11:37 AM
> Subject: Re: Accelerated Reader opinion/question
>
>
> > Janet wrote about her thoughts on AR. I am going
> to answer some of her
> > concerns that she listed:
> > (Also, please read the magazine Teacher-Librarian,
> April issue---it also
> > discusses AR.)
> >
> > I am going to apologize if this sounds like a
> flame. It is not. IT is
> > directed at all of those librarians who have
> chosen to support their
> school
> > by being a force behind AR. Although I directed
> it to Janet, it is not
> > primarily solely for her.
> >
> > *Denying a child a book because it is not in
> reading level.
> > When I was in the elementary school and was part
> of the team that started
> > AR, I NEVER denied a child a book. I did check to
> see if ONE of the
> > selections WERE an AR book within their level.
> Whoever said that EVERY
> book
> > checked out had to be an AR tested book?
> Remember, AR is a tool, and you
> > get to be the brain behind it.
> >
> > *The rationale for funning the program as part of
> the library/I am not a
> > reading teacher.
> > I sure HOPE that you are a reading teacher. As
> the librarian you get to
> > help students find books that they are interested
> in, and you probably
> take
> > fairly good guesses at what LEVEL to steer the
> students to books (even
> > without the AR level). Why would you NOT steer
> them to great books that
> are
> > beneath their reading level??? Do you always read
> at your level? I don't.
> > Right now I am enjoying a lovely little book that
> is probably written at
> the
> > 5th grade level---it is a total treat of fun. As
> the librarian---I
> > encouraged students to read, I help them to learn
> how to find books that
> > were "right" for them, and I read books that I
> thought would encourage
> them
> > to try books outside of their niche.
> >
> > As I stated---AR is a tool. It is great for
> helping students increase
> their
> > reading ability by practicing in their reading
> level. But it is only a
> > tool. You are the brain that gets to select HOW
> and WHEN to use it. If
> you
> > decide that a child can only read in the AR
> range--then you are the one
> > making that choice--not the AR program. But if
> you choose to support the
> > teachers by marking books so that students can
> easily find them (do you
>
=== message truncated ===
=====
Paula Yohe
Director Of Technology/Library Media Center
Dillon School District Two
405 West Washington Street
Dillon, SC 29536
Phone: 843-841-3604 Fax:843-774-1214
paula_yohe@yahoo.com
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