Kate Hastings wrote: "I have mixed feelings about the program. When used as an "extra" incentive and not as an evaluation tool, it can introduce kids to books and challenge them in ways they night not do on their own.

..."

I too have mixed feelings about the program and our school uses it quite a bit. What bothers me is when I have a kid check a book out of the library and they tell me they picked it because it is worth a lot of points ... not because the story sounded good ...

it was also ironic that the more AR tests you took the better your scores got. - so if i allowed students to get up from their seats, to go to the computer to take AR tests, it was the hyper children (some with ADHD) - who didnt want to sit in their seat all day, who got up and took the most tests- and therefore according to AR had higher scores than those students who were completely absorbed in a book and didnt want to stop reading long enough to answer questions about it. I just had to keep in perspective the benefits it had for each student and what they were really gaining from it. It was just part of the teaching process for me - and I worked really hard to know each of my students and how the program helped or hindered them. I think it has gotten tougher to be that kind of teacher in today's classrooms though, because standardized tests stand as the final judgement on every child's ability. Teaching has become the task of making children successful on tests. Then they can be seen as a successful student - regardless of the other life skills they hold. I use to even invite my student's parents to take the STAR tests so they could see where AR placed them as far as reading levels. That helped keep things in perspective.

AND, we were supposed to "cover up" the answers. Yea, like anyone ever did that....

When I was in elementary school we used SRA. The readings we were given were extremely boring and we used to rush through them just to get them over with! We didn't learn a thing from them.

SRA - Funny, that's exactly what I thought of AR. Computerized SRA (BTW, it's still out there.)

My impression of AR is becoming more and more disparaging. Our school uses it as their primary reading program. The children don't get to pick the books they want to read (even from the library). They're chosen by the teacher. They're to read them at home then take the quizzes the next day. I have repeatedly asked what type of questions there are so I can prepare her for the quiz but it seems to be some deep, dark secret.

The books they choose for my daughter are far below her reading level so she's not interested in them and, frankly, I can't figure out how they can get 5 comprehension questions out of these books.

I have finally got them to give her more difficult reading and she's doing well on the quizzes but yes, they're not teaching comprehension, they're teaching test taking. What happened to ASKING a child about the book she read? Let her tell you what SHE got out of it, not what the quizzes want to know. They are, in all likelihood, completely different.

But then, I guess, the teacher would have to actually interact with the children instead of sitting them in front of a computer monitor.

We're doing just enough AR reading to squeak by and checking books out of the public library we like. When my daughter says, "I wish I could take an AR test on this book", it makes me sad.

Together we're reading "Little House in the Big Woods". I'm sure her teacher would not approve.

anyone remember SRA when we were young? That reading program made me hate reading! It was just a non-computerized version of AR. - I've taught school. As a teacher I saw the benefits to the AR program in helping me evaluate students reading levels, their ability, and their enjoyment. For some students it was the greatest tool out there. - but for others it was the same as the SRA was for me.-(complete dislike and pain) As a teacher and a mom, I've looked at the program individually with each of my children and students. If they were required to read a certain amount of books/points for AR, I would have them do it, but then also make sure they had enough other reading activities and tests where they continued to love reading and remained succsessful. There will never be a program that every student is successful with - we've got too use a variety for all types of learning styles. - unfortunately -the bigger picture is that tests are now controlling what is being taught and for many schools - the benefit of AR is not that it teaches children to read better, but that it teaches them to test better. And that's another whole discussion in itself.

I have mixed feelings about the program. When used as an "extra" incentive and not as an evaluation tool, it can introduce kids to books and challenge them in ways they night not do on their own.

On the other hand, I see it being used as an evaluation tool most of the time. And as I librarian my heart hurts every time I give a kid a FABULOUS book, but they turn it down because it isn't on the list. This is doubly bad for the schools that can't afford to add many titles to the list, and as for newly pubished books-- it can take years for a new test to become available.

We have AR in our school and though my daughter is a prolific & a high level reader, I've come to hate the program. I can see how much pressure they're putting on the kids to read and take 2-3 (if not more) tests a week. The third component is the one that really gets to me, they expect everyone to average 90 percent.

Like I said, my daughter's a great reader and is able to maintain the 90 percent average, so I'm not too worried about her. But I see her classmates struggling and being turned off of books. Being a reader, I can't imagine not wanting to read and be lost in a different world each time I pick up a book. I firmly believe that's what this type of program does to many children, turn them off of reading.

When my son was having a bit of trouble with the testing part of the AR program I would read the book too and come up with 10 or 15 questions of my own to give him. Now, this is time consuming, I know, but we only had to do this with four or five books before he got better with it and I enjoyed the one on one with him. I dreaded the fourth and fifth book because it is time consuming but I really believed it helped.
It's no fun reading books when you believe they are too easy. Good luck with your daughter:)

Zzzzz78759 wrote: "I'm having a very difficult time with AR at my daughter's school. Because she's not doing well on the tests, they give her lower and lower levels to read. She's in second grade but bringing home ..."

Does your school have the online version? If so, maybe you could see if the school could set you up with an account so you could go in and see some of the questions for some books you are familiar with just to get an idea of how the questions are worded and what kinds of questions they ask so you could try asking similar questions to help her "prepare" for taking a test. Our school just went to the online version last year, and I'm rather new to it, so I don't know if there is a place to get printouts of tests or not.

I'm having a very difficult time with AR at my daughter's school. Because she's not doing well on the tests, they give her lower and lower levels to read. She's in second grade but bringing home Kindergarten level books.

She hates them! She constantly complains they're too easy and they're, frankly, boring. At home we read chapter books, then from school she brings "Happy Birthday, Dear Dragon."

I've talked until I'm blue in the face. It does no good. This is the school's reading program! It's not an incentive, it's not designed to get children to read, they HAVE to read x number of books and pass x number of tests per 9 weeks. Oh, and it's all done independently with NO teacher assistance.

My daughter just doesn't seem to be able to take these tests well. Not because she doesn't understand what she's read but, I think, she's either bored or the questions are poorly written.

Anyone know where I can get some sample questions for the lower grades (K-3)? I've looked everywhere but right now I'm frustrated enough to just chuck it all and homeschool (which I'd do if I wasn't a single, working mom.)

This is such an interesting discussion to read, as a teacher, mother, and writer. When I first started teaching, AR was optional, and I avoided it, feeling the way many of you have mentioned. Later I became part of a school where it was required. I've seen it push children to read. My own sons, natural readers, are very excited about it. It saddens me, however, to see kids held to a reading range, where they can't sample titles above or below. Several of my older students told me they couldn't read certain books that connected nicely to my curriculum because they were below their reading level. And many, many kids only pick up books if they are AR, the saddest aspect of the program. However, new and old books are being added to the list daily. I know when I do sell my manuscripts, I will push to be an AR title, as those books get purchased and read.

It's a mixed bag, isn't it? Natural readers will read. My son reads both AR and not, happily. Children not so enamored with reading might struggle or find success with AR. What really needs to happen, AR or not, is for teachers and parents to be passionate avocates of literature, reading what's current and what's classic, discussing these titles with their children, asking questions, engaging in the conversation that great literature creates. This is how to "make" readers!

I am the librarian at a small rural school district. When I started last year, I inherited the AR program, which I absolutely dispise. IF it were used as it advertises itself (an incentive program) it would be ok. But at this school district, it is mandated and required of every student, K-12. It is a part of the language arts grade. When I got here, the librarian ran the AR program...tested the students, decided their reading level, ran all the reports. The first thing I did was hand over the testing and reporting to the teachers (that's their job, not mine). I also allow the students to check out 2 books, one being their AR book, the other their choice. These students had the hardest time making their book selections b/c they had been almost literally been handed the books they read! It breaks my heart when a students can't get a book they want b/c "it's not my color" (library books are color-coded leveled, grrr!)or when great books sit unread b/c it's not AR. We have AR web now, so we have many more tests than before, but still... High school students are required also to read AR, but they have learned to cheat the system, and have been known to report how they hate to read. So if one of the goals is to entice students to love reading, it seems to fail miserably. I think the program has made teachers and students lazy...whatever happened to a good old fashioned book report? Instead, students answer a few questions on the computer (which are usually not even particularly higher level thinking questions). It's pretty low on the Bloom's Taxonomy. It may be useful as a tool of measuring students' reading progress, but it is totally not used the right way at this district.

Also, the previous librarian bought very few books unless there was a test for it. Made for a very unbalanced collection (hardly any poetry books for example)

I also hate the money I have to spend buying useless prizes for the students...money that could be better used buying books!!

I could go on and on. This is my 2nd AR school. My last school had Reading Counts, which is similar. But the district did not support it, and I've been told it's no longer being used.


If I had my way, I would never have it in my library.

I guess our school is more laid back. They don't care what level the children read and test at... as long as they read.

As for AR numbers, I think they are very useful but you have to use common sense as well. My son, for example, is a first grader that reads at the 3.8 level. (not all that uncommon really) BUT I have to be careful about what books I choose because he freaks out when confronted by books that have too much text. Dr. Seuss is usually perfect.

Are any of you from NC or VA? We are about to have the parents come looking for lexiles on books.

I think AR is nice during the school year if the schools purchase the Renaissance package that allows the kids to take any test available. Then, their reading is not limited. It costs $3.75 per student to do this. 90% of books are AR. The schools just don't own the tests.

Take care,
Laini

I like the way my daughter's teacher is handling it better this year than last. There's not as much pressure to read a certain number, so my daughter will actually read ones she's interested in, not ones she can get through as quickly as possible. And she has wider AR levels to read from this year which, obviously, means more choices for her.

As a new elementary school librarian, but also as a parent, I too have had mixed feelings about AR. What I've observed is that AR can work very well as a reading incentive program--depending on how it is used. When I worked the children's room at a public library, I saw too many kids get excited about a series only to find out their school didn't have the quizzes for those titles--and so they'd put those books back. :( It turns out that different schools handle their reading incentive program differently. In some schools, AR gets counted as part of a grade and it is pushed in an almost dictatorial manner--with reading levels enforced. This approach to AR seems to be the most detrimental to engendering the "life-long love of reading" that we are charged with helping to foster. When AR is not forced upon the student and they have choice in what they read, it seems to work much more effectively. At my current school, AR is simply an incentive program--and I have some reluctant readers who are reading for the points to use in the parent-run AR store. I try to discourage teachers from becoming militant about enforcing reading level requirements on their students b/c frankly, some of the reading levels assignments seem rather randomly chosen. Instead, I try to remind the students to pick those "just-right" books (read a page, hold up a finger every time they come to a world they don't know, if they have 3 fingers up, it's 'just right', 4-5 fingers means that it might be too challenging--for now. By making the choice about the book based on this instead of the listed AR level, students are more involved--they have a choice. If your child is at a school where they are only allowed to check out books of a certain AR level, consider asking the teacher and/or librarian if they can allow some flexibility--perhaps allow them to check out one more book--so as to have one "required level" AR book and one "for fun" book. If you're at a school where the AR practice seems to be making it harder for your student to enjoy reading, check with the librarian to see if, perhaps, a fund-raiser for buying more quizzes might help. (The individual quizzes are approximately $3 per quiz. May not sound like much, but adds up quickly.)

AR can work as a reading incentive--and I am thrilled to hear stories such as the ones in this discussion, such as from Mont'ster. Wonderful!!!

I was also really concerned about the same thing (quantity over quality) when our daughter was first introduced to AR. I must admit she has read some pretty light weight stuff (even for her age) but (now that she is an avid reader) she and I have come to a workable compromise.

She & I refer to the really easy books as "brain candy" because she knows that, even though candy is fun, you have to have real food to thrive.

At first I was just happy to see her reading anything at all and we have slowly worked in more and more "solid" books.

Also this year I was pleased to learn that she earned her AR t-shirt (I love positive peer pressure :-) much earlier than she did last year *and* she kept right on reading.

My folks (like any grandparents) enjoy getting her a treat now and then and, by using the AR lists online, they have been able to find books that she will enjoy and get AR credit for reading.

She was excited to show me a book her teacher had suggested that she read. The reason she was so happy that her teacher had suggested the book was because it is for the next grade level (i'm liking this teacher more everyday :-)

I was *very* skeptical of the whole AR idea at first but (as counter intuitive as it may sound) I was convinced that AR was working when my daughter was showing me the books she was reading and she said "I know this one isn't an AR book but I'm going to read it anyway." [Touch Down!!:]

Parents, the AR program has a capacity where the administrator can make tests and input them into the test collection. As a librarian, I did this myself. You may want to read with your child and create tests that your librarian or you, as a volunteer, could add. The tests are meant to check details to see the book has been read, not to assess reading comprehension skills like main idea, cause-effect, sequence, etc. Look at some
test samples, and it should be easy to creat your own tests if your librarian will cooperate.

As a former school librarian, I liked the AR program. In my school, the children were not required by all teachers to participate. Some students, of course, tried to take the easy way out by choosing easy books. Each book has a reading level, so if the AR reading is required, the student should read a little bit lower or higher than his/her level. At my school, I thought the AR program encouraged students to read. We had incentives to inspire the students, which were helpful. Many of the children never would have read as many books.
I worked in a low-income school where the parent involvement was not up to par....so this probably have affected the reading climate...and the AR incentives worked for many students who might not have had the support at home.

I think there is a similar program called Reading Counts, but I am not familiar with it.
Maybe this could be more beneficial; I don't know.

I wholeheartedly agree...but while parents like us would ensure that our children continue to progress and read as they grow up...many parents would not...I have a bit of a problem with it in regards to my daughter...but I have to take a step back and understand possibly why they have such a structured program...I know that there are tons of books that my daughter wants to read, but as they are not AR books then we have to hold off and ensure that she is reading books that can satisfy the weekly requirement...if the schools had enough money to have a better selection of AR tests then I would not have as much of an issue...but then I cannot expect the public schools to be able to cover so many books as all of the kids read...

Georgia

I was just wondering what other people think about their school's AR program. I have real trouble with ours. I feel like it encourages quantity over quality. My daughter is in second grade and I know she sometimes read easy books, just to get the points or rereads books she's read before when it wasn't for AR. She reads a lot and we read together everyday. I would rather she read what she wants, like the new Magic Tree House or a Puppy Place book than the one she's read three times before. How does AR work at your school? Do you like it?