Re: Question for Reading Teacher
Posted by Thomas on 7/13/08
I taught for three years at a school that was big into AR.
The program itself was fine. What wasn't fine was how it was
implemented. Our school (actually the media specialist who
was in charge of the program) choose to make it into some
sort of BIG program with awards and recognition. There were
AR classes of the month. The principal bought the lie
that "AR saves lives." Kids were PRESSURED to maintain
AR "averages" and earn a certain number of AR points.
Teachers were pressured, too. We even had to have a mandatory
30 minutes of AR daily. The principal actually would do AR
observations to make sure the program was being implemented
to her specifications. I actually liked my principal. That
was probably the one thing I didn't agree with her on. The
school put too much on AR.
It was not designed for that, so do make it that. AR is NOT a
school reform model. When I think about it, they treated AR
like some people treat America's Choice.
On 6/30/08, Ima Teacher, who'll get on her soapbox, too.
wrote:
> I have noticed that you don't have a single positive thing
> to say about the AR program. I'm just curious as to how
> much training has been provided to those using the program.
>
> I've found that in the schools with successful AR
> programs, there has been a lot of training for all
> involved. And it's not been a matter of sending one or
> two people when the program was first introduced to the
> school either. It's been a regular on-going process for
> all who use the program.
>
> I'm all in favor of the program when properly
> implemented, and I'd with schools that don't use it
> properly would just get rid of the program altogether.
> It's awful when used improperly.
>
> So many schools follow such rigid rules that they
> completely ruin the whole program. Once the program
> becomes all about making ALL kids do exactly the things,
> it starts downhill. The teachers CAN teach skills. The
> students CAN read books that aren't AR. The students CAN
> do things other than the AR quizzes. And AR just isn't for
> some kids.
>
> It's not for my SED kids. It's not for some of my ADHD
> kids. It's not for my super-advanced kids. It's not for
> the boy who loves to read but has a HUGE problem with test
> anxiety. It's not for the girl who likes to read a
> Christian book series with no AR tests available.
>
> Instead of "downing" the AR program, people need to start
> looking at the people who are implementing the program.
> That's where the problem lies.
Posts on this thread, including this one
- Question for Reading Teacher, 6/30/08, by Ima Teacher, who'll get on her soapbox, too. .
- Re: Question for Reading Teacher, 6/30/08, by frustrated as well.
- Re: Question for Reading Teacher, 7/13/08, by Thomas.
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