Accelerated Reader Student's POV

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Accelerated Reader Chatboard

Accelerated Reader Student's POV

by John Doe

Aug 30, 2012

I know that this website is named teachers.net and that implies that it would be only teachers posting on here. However, thanks to the nature of the internet, I don't have to be a teacher to do so. So let me tell you my story, a student's story, about Accelerated Reader.

For those who won't read the whole story, just know that it up until this point and probably for quite some time into the future, destroyed any hope of me reading for enjoyment. Ever.

Also, my elementary school used this as the primary form of teaching reading skills.

The first time I took the test for this program was in third grade, so I was 9 years old. I maxed the test out to grade "13" or a college freshman. No one else had done that at my school before, so they didn't know what to do. So, what they did do was exactly the same as how they treated everyone else. I couldn't go any more than 3 grades below my minimum reading level, or a "13." I also couldn't go more than 3 grades above, ...See MoreI know that this website is named teachers.net and that implies that it would be only teachers posting on here. However, thanks to the nature of the internet, I don't have to be a teacher to do so. So let me tell you my story, a student's story, about Accelerated Reader.

For those who won't read the whole story, just know that it up until this point and probably for quite some time into the future, destroyed any hope of me reading for enjoyment. Ever.

Also, my elementary school used this as the primary form of teaching reading skills.

The first time I took the test for this program was in third grade, so I was 9 years old. I maxed the test out to grade "13" or a college freshman. No one else had done that at my school before, so they didn't know what to do. So, what they did do was exactly the same as how they treated everyone else. I couldn't go any more than 3 grades below my minimum reading level, or a "13." I also couldn't go more than 3 grades above, but there was no literature in that range. This happened until I moved onto middle school through 6th grade. I had eventually been forced to read practically every book at that range, and most of those books involved large amounts of symbolism and complex structure. I understood the structure, but, at the time, it was so beyond boring to me, starting as a 9 year old reading what someone twice my age would.

This led to two things, one I already said. I did not read one fictional book (I devour non-fiction) in elementary, middle, or the first two years of high school for enjoyment. By my junior year (current year) I have only read THREE books for my personal enjoyment, all in the same series. I directly blame this upon AR.

The second thing this caused was I refused to accept symbols in literature. Often, the first thing we learn sticks in our mind and takes much, much assailing to change. I learned that in advanced literature, due to the nature of the AR tests, that the symbols are so very limited.

And that is all I have to say. If this sounded angry, it is. I loved those three books. I don't know if I will be picking up any more books soon for the same reasons, but I know I regret having the desire to read out of pleasure beaten out of me.

--A High School Junior.

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Gigi A problem that I see with what you are saying is that in my 16 years of teaching I have seen a lot of elementary age students score at the 13th grade level each year. So I find your story to not be all surprising and find it more difficult to believe that they didn't know what to do about you.

On 8/30/12, John Doe wrote: > I know that ...See MoreA problem that I see with what you are saying is that in my 16 years of teaching I have seen a lot of elementary age students score at the 13th grade level each year. So I find your story to not be all surprising and find it more difficult to believe that they didn't know what to do about you.

On 8/30/12, John Doe wrote: > I know that this website is named teachers.net and that > implies that it would be only teachers posting on > However, thanks to the nature of the internet, I don't have > to be a teacher to do so. So let me tell you my story, a > student's story, about Accelerated Reader. > > For those who won't read the whole story, just know that it > up until this point and probably for quite some time into > the future, destroyed any hope of me reading for enjoyment. > Ever. > > Also, my elementary school used this as the primary form of > teaching reading skills. > > The first time I took the test for this program was in > third grade, so I was 9 years old. I maxed the test out to > grade "13" or a college freshman. No one else had done that > at my school before, so they didn't know what to do. So, > what they did do was exactly the same as how they treated > everyone else. I couldn't go any more than 3 grades below > my minimum reading level, or a "13." I also couldn't go > more than 3 grades above, but there was no literature in > that range. This happened until I moved onto middle school > through 6th grade. I had eventually been forced to read > practically every book at that range, and most of those > books involved large amounts of symbolism and complex > structure. I understood the structure, but, at the time, it > was so beyond boring to me, starting as a 9 year old > reading what someone twice my age would. > > This led to two things, one I already said. I did not read > one fictional book (I devour non-fiction) in elementary, > middle, or the first two years of high school for > enjoyment. By my junior year (current year) I have only > read THREE books for my personal enjoyment, all in the same > series. I directly blame this upon AR. > > The second thing this caused was I refused to accept > symbols in literature. Often, the first thing we learn > sticks in our mind and takes much, much assailing to > change. I learned that in advanced literature, due to the > nature of the AR tests, that the symbols are so very > limited. > > And that is all I have to say. If this sounded angry, it > is. I loved those three books. I don't know if I will be > picking up any more books soon for the same reasons, but I > know I regret having the desire to read out of pleasure > beaten out of me. > > --A High School Junior.

Sep 2, 2012

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