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by Fireman Dad
Jan 8, 2010
Deb, on your last post, you stated I did not post what the specifics were on my issue with AR. Please read my first post and I believe I stated exactly the reading parameters clearly, at least to me. The only thing I did not include was that my son was in elementry school. I have sopken to the teachers and librarian and principal about our issues. ...See MoreDeb, on your last post, you stated I did not post what the specifics were on my issue with AR. Please read my first post and I believe I stated exactly the reading parameters clearly, at least to me. The only thing I did not include was that my son was in elementry school. I have sopken to the teachers and librarian and principal about our issues. That is still in the works of handling the issues. I DO NOT hate AR nor am I tring to bash it. I feel I have legimiate questions and I was here looking for answers or other like issues.
For Marie, I am not complaining about my son reading... I want him to read. My issure is this.... he is not getting the time in school to read that his goal is based on... so that means for him to reach his goal, it requires more reading time at home... that extra reading time at home along with the other homework is causing him to hate reading. It appears to me that that is not what we ( my wife and I and the school) wants to happen. I am looking for ways to help the situation.. I am just asking for input from people more educated and experienced than I. I felt I had legit concerns and from the tone I took from some replies, I felt attacked and made to feel like an incompetent parent, which I feel I am not. I may not be as familiar with all of the inner workings as some of you guys, thats why I'm here. I have not complained about AR at all... What I have asked is why this or why that, as pure questions and trying to understand what is happening and why and if this is the best way to get kids to read. I felt I got labeled as a parent that hates AR ( which I do not)and am just here to stir the pot. Deb, I did not say I hate you!! Where in any of my post is that word used???? I think part of the problem here is the offense you apparently taken to my questioning how things work and why things work the way they do. I took some of your replys as "with attitude" like "I have 3000 to be exact", and "Maybe you need to spend more time modeling reading to your son instead of complaining on a chatboard. Take him to the library or a book store and read!". That is where I took things as unprofessional and condesending. If I mistook them for that, I apologize to you.
Again, the whole carrot/whip thing..... I was under the impression that AR was supposed to get kids to want to read (carrot) and not MAKE (whip)kids read. This is what is happening due to the parameters the school has set the goals with but then doesnt give them the time the parameters were set upon. Thats my issue... not the AR as a whole.
by innocent bystander
Jan 8, 2010
If you have a gripe with AR, that's fine and dandy. Gripe away.
However, this is a board to be used by people who want to learn more about the AR program and how to use it properly.
I really don't care when people show up with complaints, but be willing to work to correct it.
Don't argue with the people who know how to ru...See MoreIf you have a gripe with AR, that's fine and dandy. Gripe away.
However, this is a board to be used by people who want to learn more about the AR program and how to use it properly.
I really don't care when people show up with complaints, but be willing to work to correct it.
Don't argue with the people who know how to run the program. Deb ms/IA and Ima Teacher both have years of experience with the program and the proper training to help it work. They have both been willing to give FREE training tips. And Ima Teacher is even a certified trainer, and she gets PAID to go to schools and train staff.
Both know their stuff, and all they get here is grief. Arguing about how the program is supposed to be run with the people who know how to run it just makes you look ignorant. If your school paid for you to go to a training by Renaissance Learning, would you argue with their presenters, too? Would you rant and rave and call names and tell them that they don't know what they are talking about? I certainly hope you wouldn't. Why is this any different?
If you don't like AR, I'm willing to bet it's because it's not being run properly. There, I said it. GET TRAINIG!! I said it again! Ima Teacher said it and she was run off the board on a rail. Deb says it, and people are trying their best to run her off as well.
Now instead of people being able to learn on the board, they get nothing. The people who have legitimate questions and want to learn can't get any information because they get run off by all the bitching and moaning from the people who are unwilling to accept that they just might be the ones that are wrong.
So, I hope that those of you who hate AR and will have it no other way are happy that you have ruined the board. And since so many are unwilling to take the time to learn the proper way to run the program, then it serves you right if your program crashes and burns.
Fireman Dad, I must say that I agree with you 100%. My son is an above level reader who is now not wanting to read at all because of AR. They have set these kids up for failure. The point goals they set are too high to reach when considering all the other work they have to do. Studying spelling every night, reading there story every night, math, sp...See MoreFireman Dad, I must say that I agree with you 100%. My son is an above level reader who is now not wanting to read at all because of AR. They have set these kids up for failure. The point goals they set are too high to reach when considering all the other work they have to do. Studying spelling every night, reading there story every night, math, spelling packs, practicing math facts......it is ridiculous. They are just kids and they have alot of reading ahead of them to do over the next years of school and they are getting burned out on it during their elementary years. And then to count it as a grade, for which it was never intended and then to punish the kids who have not made their goal by making them sit in a room and read while the others have a party!!!! I think AR could be a good program when used as intended. I think kids should read but I also think kids should be allowed to be kids. They want to know why graduation rates have gone down......its because they burn kids out to early!!!
by Fireman Dad
Jan 13, 2010
Accelerated Reader (AR) may be "the most influential reading program in the country" but there is no clear evidence that it works. It fact, it might be harmful. AR has four components: It makes sure children have access to books, provides time to read, quizzes children on what they read with a focus on details, and awards prizes for performance on ...See MoreAccelerated Reader (AR) may be "the most influential reading program in the country" but there is no clear evidence that it works. It fact, it might be harmful. AR has four components: It makes sure children have access to books, provides time to read, quizzes children on what they read with a focus on details, and awards prizes for performance on the quizzes. It is well-established that providing books and time to read are effective, but AR research does not show that the quizzes and prizes are helpful. Studies claiming AR is effective compare AR to doing nothing; gains were probably due to the reading, not the tests and prizes. AR encourages an unnatural form of reading, reading focusing on often irrelevant details in order to pass tests. AR rewards children for doing something that is already pleasant: self-selected reading. Substantial research shows that rewarding an intrinsically pleasant activity sends the message that the activity is not pleasant, and that nobody would do it without a bribe. AR might be convincing children that reading is not pleasant.
by middle school mom
Jan 15, 2010
lease consider for a moment that parents, who seek information and arrive at this board after Googling "accelerated reader," may be sincere when they are moved to post, "I think AR, or at least the way AR is implemented in my child's school, is creating a problem where one never existed before. Does anyone else see this?"
Many important di...See Morelease consider for a moment that parents, who seek information and arrive at this board after Googling "accelerated reader," may be sincere when they are moved to post, "I think AR, or at least the way AR is implemented in my child's school, is creating a problem where one never existed before. Does anyone else see this?"
Many important distinctions were lost in the previous post (by "to middle school mom"), which stands as a classic example of a chilling "teach them so they can go to work" approach to education. (Huh? It's okay to write off some students, really just force them to read for now, because they could become financial planners who don't care to read when they leave school? Is this what we aspire to?)
Lost in the discussion are crucial differences between in- class reading instruction and in-class reading practice, between in-school reading and at-home reading, between students who love to pick up a book (and already read a lot) and students who need extra encouragement, between actual reading and the AR quiz database (designed by a company, not educators) and more.
There seems to be an attitude among some teachers that "anything that gets 'em to read" is okay. With all due respect to the noble profession of teaching -- um, no, it's actually not okay to use any means necessary, applied any way a school sees fit.
I can't in good conscience apply the "whip" of our school's graded AR reading parameters to my child in my own home when they already frequently pick up books voluntarily and freely, with no interference from me.
Please indulge an analogy. Say my child has come to love eating vegetables through years of careful, loving parental encouragement. Now a school or some other entity says, "Families, this year students need to keep track of their vegetable consumption at home. Make sure you base your choices on the nutritional value as determined by the corporate database we buy rights to with your tax dollars. Hand in your vegetable reports four times a quarter. This will be part of your grade."
Yes reading is important, no one is saying it isn't. But isn't "managing reading" this way really about feeding the "accountability" beast, not what is best for our children in the long run?
by How many more to go?
Jan 17, 2010
Great job everyone!
You've managed to run off Ima Teacher, Deb ms/IA, and innocent bystander.
They were three people who knew how to use the program properly and offered advice on how to use it to those who were having trouble.
And, come to think of it, AR Fan hasn't been around either. Although those posts were a littl...See MoreGreat job everyone!
You've managed to run off Ima Teacher, Deb ms/IA, and innocent bystander.
They were three people who knew how to use the program properly and offered advice on how to use it to those who were having trouble.
And, come to think of it, AR Fan hasn't been around either. Although those posts were a little snarky at times, he/she did seem to be very familiar with the program.
There used to be people years ago who posted regularly before Ima & Deb took over as the site gurus, but they were run off the boards, too.
Keep it up! You've almost run off all the people who disagree with you. Way to go!
by Fireman Dad
Jan 18, 2010
Ok, here is kinda how I see it...
If you take a drive through the woods in a scenic national park and drive at 50 mph, you are likely to see a lot of things. You will remember some overlooks, a cabin, a waterfall, a babbling little brook and maybe see a deer cross the road in front of you. If you drive at 25mph, it stands to reason you wil...See MoreOk, here is kinda how I see it...
If you take a drive through the woods in a scenic national park and drive at 50 mph, you are likely to see a lot of things. You will remember some overlooks, a cabin, a waterfall, a babbling little brook and maybe see a deer cross the road in front of you. If you drive at 25mph, it stands to reason you will notice things you missed driving at 50mph. Maybe a bear and her cub, the other 5 deer that you missed the first time, a picnic area that you didnt see, and another road that takes you to a historical site. The drive won't seem as rushed and its easier to focus on what you are seeing, thus understandably a more enjoyable ride. The more enjoyable the ride, the more likely you are to do it again. If you drive at 50 mph, it was more like you were just trying to get to the end and accumulate miles on your car instead of enjoying the ride. When people ask you about the ride, instead of saying we saw a deer, a waterfall and rode 50 miles, you could tell them about the ride instead of how far you went and several things you remember seeing.
Instead of focusing on each others argument and formulating a counterargument, lets focus on the children and their reading habits and attitude. I dont believe that anyone is trying to degrade teachers by questioning AR. There are 2 sides to this beast, no doubt. The teachers want respect for their opinions, and rightfully so, but when they make posts like the "enough is enough" by "I'll say it" and "to all the parents invading this chatroom" that are dripping with sarcasm, it tends to be self defeating. If you are truly the professional teachers that you claim, then listen to some of the parents here. I understand you may not have the same views about it, but in the end, what we are asking for is for someone to address our issues with the respect that you seem to want. Perception is reality and what we are telling you about our children is reality. Do you think we are making this up just to run Deb, Ima and others off the chatboard? I believe every parent and teacher wants the kids to read well and often. I believe the goal is the same but we are having differences with the means. I feel the teachers here are not willing to see the forest for the trees because of an "I have training and you dont" attitude. Please dont take the issues personal and give an honest look at the whole. The old saying you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar comes to mind here. I feel the kids are having AR forced down their throats so hard and fast that it is choking them. I feel they will resent it for years to come, and as soon as the points and quizzes stop at what ever grade, they will be so relieved, that they will not read because of it.
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My experience is that most of them already hate reading by the time they reach high school, maybe sooner.
The overload on reading leads to dishonesty in reporting, too, so we compromise the kids' integrity, their time, and their appreciation for education as an entity.
...See More