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We don't use AR to develop a love of reading. We use to help develop competent readers. I do all kinds of other reading promotions to deal with the "love of reading". We have had school-wide Sustained Silent Reading here for six years. We have spent over $200,000 (both state and local money) in that time to get new reading books in the library and another $50-75,000 for classroom libraries. We have a "print-rich" environment with lots of new and interesting books. In the last 5 years the average age of books in the library has decreased by 14 years. Yet our reading scores have barely increased. And we know why. The kids with low scores don't read. They hold up a book for 18 minutes and sit quietly but don't read. Some come into class every day a grab a different book off the shelf and put it back at the end of 18 minutes. We have tried not to "criminalize" not reading. As long as a student does disturb others we don't refer them to the office. We needed another tool to track reading and diagnose problems and AR does that-- if used properly. I it working for us? It is too soon to tell. But the writing on the wall is clear. Test score must rise or the school will penalized. Kids must pass the exit exam or they won't graduate. The kids don't yet believe that last part because they have never been held accountable for their own learning. We are desperate to increase reading scores. We know that nothing else matters until the kids can read and we are attacking the problem on multiple fronts. AR is just one tool we use, not the total package. As far as denying kids great literature, almost every prize winner, honor book, starred review, becomes an AR book. The amount of quality literature available in the AR program far out-strips our book budget. I have great AR books for every kid in the program and we don't deny a kid a book they really want to read if it is not at their level. Almost every objection I have seen about AR revolves around how it is used and abused, whether by teachers, parent, students, or administrators. Over all Ar has been a plus for the library. I have much closer working relationship with the English department. I talk to more kids about their reading (problems and successes). And it has meant more money for books without diverting existing funding to the program. ---- Tony Doyle, Librarian Livingston High School 1617 Main St. Livingston, CA 95334 209-358-2948 tdoyle@muhsd.k12.ca.us <Http://www.lhs.muhsd.k12.ca.us/library/index.htm> "You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them."-- Ray Bradbury -----Original Message----- From: janet perry [SMTP:perrybros@HOTMAIL.COM] Sent: Friday, March 28, 2003 5:36 AM To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU Subject: Accelerated Reader opinion/question I guess I finally figured out what bothers me about librarians pushing AR. At least in my case, I am not a reading teacher. I wonder about us pushing testing after reading, and how this affects "a child's love of reading." I know I certainly would not want to be tested on a book I have read, or to be told I couldn't read something not on my RL (think about all the award books we would be denied access to because they are "beneath" us). I have read on this list about several librarians who want to start the program, or don't get cooperation from all the teachers. I would be interested in hearing what the rationale is for running the program as part of the library. I understand marking the books (on the inside for level, on the outside that "we have a test"). I also understand if the school policy is that tests will be administered in the library. I guess need to understand the library being the driving force behind the program. I just know in my experience I hate hearing a kid say he/she can't get a book because it doesn't have a test or is not the right level. That's not what I'm about, and I cannot picture myself changing. Just my opinion. Janet Perry, Librarian Cerro Gordo CUSD 100, Cerro Gordo, IL perrybros@hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=- All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation. 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