Re: How to Motivate 3rd & 4th Grade Readers
Posted by how awful on 7/12/08
I'm so sorry to hear that your lower readers are being forced to
read books that are too hard for them. No wonder they hate it.
And this is at the age of 8 and 9. Look at the other posts about
the positive and negative effects of AR and you will find that AR
is not the culprit, it is all of the other requirements we put on
the kids to earn so many points, only chapter books, adult
analysis techniques of what is being read, etc. If you were
forced to read only sports magazines or horror stories, had to
take insightful notes on them, summarize them and then be tested
on them, wouldn't you hate it too?
It is too bad the adults are coming up with the "incentives" the
kids are supposed to be working toward. The adults are making the
kids do activities like college students and they are elementary
kids. You'd do better with having the kids share in their own way
what the book means for them. Each grade level may want to
brainstorm a list of ideas from the kids about what would work for
them. Then come up with a hierarchy of goals to work towards that
will be celebrated rather than milestones that must be reached or
the student is labeled a failure whether intended or not.
When you talk to your colleagues start with this: "If you always
do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always
gotten. Obviously, the current implementation of AR is having
some detrimental effects that will continue if the implementation
is not changed. If we don't mind the detrimental effects, then
let's continue with what we've done. If these effects are not our
intent, then we have to change the implementation or we will
continue to have kids hating to read."
That should at least get them to pay attention and buy in to the
process of change. I hope you have great success in changing the
current climate of AR at your school.
On 7/12/08, bshteach wrote:
> Thanks for the excellent ideas!!
>
> I think part of the problem is the requirements put on the
> students before they are even allowed to take an AR test. They
> can ONLY read chapter books, even the lowest readers, NO half-
> point books are allowed at all!! Plus several teachers have
> them write extensive notes about each chapter, and then a
> general summary at the end of the book. Several parents have
> shared with me that the joy for reading we establish in grades
> 1 & 2 is extinguished in 3rd and 4th. That just breaks my
> heart!!
>
> I truly do not think that AR is inherently the problem, but I'm
> not sure how to approach these teachers to say something needs
> to change. I will print up your suggestions to share with
> them, though I know they already do some.
>
> Any other 3rd & 4th grade teachers that would be willing to
> share their successful strategies would be greatly appreciated
> as well!!
Posts on this thread, including this one
- How to Motivate 3rd & 4th Grade Readers, 7/11/08, by bshteach.
- Re: How to Motivate 3rd & 4th Grade Readers, 7/12/08, by reading teacher.
- Re: How to Motivate 3rd & 4th Grade Readers, 7/12/08, by reading teacher - addition.
- Re: How to Motivate 3rd & 4th Grade Readers, 7/12/08, by bshteach.
- Re: How to Motivate 3rd & 4th Grade Readers, 7/12/08, by how awful.
- Re: How to Motivate 3rd & 4th Grade Readers, 7/13/08, by sm.
- Re: How to Motivate 3rd & 4th Grade Readers, 7/13/08, by Thomas.
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