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Hello Cindra, Here's some input on AR: The upside: 1.. Research shows that the more kids read, the better readers they become. 2. AR is an incentive program to encourage students to read more. 3. The incentive includes: using a computer to answer concrete questions about a book, the handing out of awards for various levels attained [determined by the staff] and/or recognition at larger venues [Back to school night etc]. 4. AR uses the computer to log student reading by keeping track of their test scores so that teachers do not have to keep track on their own. 5. Many kids will read more with an incentive. That's all AR is: a recording method for kids reading. A school does NOT have to use AR in order to create an exciting reading incentive program. There are many, many ways to do that. The downside: 1. AR is expensive - you pay for tests, the staffing to get all the books tagged, upgrades to your computer automated catalog to put AR on your MARC records, cost of computers for kids to access the tests, costs to pay for incentives [candy, stickers, ice cream socials, etc ranging up to taking kids out to lunch...whatever you decide to use as incentives: they all cost money!]. Everytime you add a new book you have to add in the cost of an AR test and labels. 2. AR is labor intensive- set up is extensive input, ordering [ locating which books you already have that have AR tests, purchasing new books and their tests]. 3. AR tests ONLY comprehension. Not a bad thing overall, but some of the questions are downright ridiculous. They cause kids to stop reading for pleasure and start reading for detail - NOT the kind of reading you're necessarily trying to create. 4. Schools sometimes go overboard with AR and look at only the test and not the reason for having AR in the first place. They only let kids read at 'their level', they arrange the library according to AR levels, they overemphasize the test, they overemphasize the incentives [and thus, when AR is gone, so is the reading]. 5. It separates kids from their teachers: it's not as easy for teachers to always know what their kids are reading. Managing AR is a clerical process NOT a professional process and proper staff is needed to take care of it. A good reading incentive program includes a school wide commitment to reading: EVERYONE reads [including janitors, secretaries, supervisors, Principal] and everyone talks about books, book reading clubs are in effect school wide, prizes of books are given as rewards for various contests, reading becomes cool because everyone gets to read what they want. Kids become eager to 'one-up' the adults by reading more. Night time parent/ community activities center on reading: storytelling festivals, poetry readings, Halloween stories, etc. AR money is better spent on buying more books for the library. The school librarian can purchase a wide variety of levels and titles. Kids are ENCOURAGED to read widely - even 'below their level' when desired. If your Principal needs research: show him/her "The Power of REading" by Stephen Krashen. Creating a 'community of readers' is research based, is replicable and WORKS!!! My plea to your Principal is: Our kids are already over tested and directed to concrete, comprehension based questioning. By allowing kids to read widely and to read things they're interested in, they develop into better test takers, higher achievers and generally nicer people. There is evidence that supports that kids who read widely do better on the SAT and ACT exams. They just get a general wider view of the world. Their vocabulary is better and they are better spellers. Your school librarian can direct the best reading incentive program your school ever saw, if you would gather your faculty, staff and parental community together to promote reading everyday. You don't need tests, you need books to read, time to read them and time to share them. WHY can't we just let them read?? IMHO. Connie Connie Hamner Williams Teacher Librarian National Board Certified Kenilworth Junior High 800 Riesling Road Petaluma, CA 94954 707-778-4719 [direct] 707-778-4710 [school office] chwms@mac.com www.teacherweb.com/ca/kjhs/homepage On Sep 2, 2006, at 12:14 PM, Cindy wrote: Hi all, I'm the one who recently asked about how to control noise during check out time in a primary school library. Many of you gave me some great responses, and you probably noticed I posted several HIT's of the responses. You may also have seen my recent post about having only three 50 minute periods per week to do administrative work and planning in the library due to an increase in my class times so that the teachers could have more planning time. (Teachers don't come to the library with the kids) I now teach 27 classes per week, 50 minute classes each, to K-2. Now the teachers are asking me about Accelerated Reader. They told me the principal has never wanted to have it. I told them there are other reading programs out there and that I wouldn't have time to do AR with the little time I have to get other things done. What should I tell them about AR? Are there other programs that are better? How much time does AR take? I feel like I'm drowning already. AR may be the final straw for me. I'm for doing everything I can for the kids, but I'm just one person with not much time on her hands. Please, send your answers in a form that I can show to my principal and the teachers so they can make a decision about whether AR is what the kids need. If they do choose to do AR and don't give me more time to do it, I'll probably have to give up and look for a job that is better suited to a human being :-) LOL! Help! Help! (I haven't gone down for the third time yet!) Cindra Boring Librarian Madisonville Primary School Madisonville, TN cbtn@bellsouth.net -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. 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