[CALIBK12] HIT: AR matching service & arguments against AR

Marilyn Frenz mcfrenz at yahoo.com
Tue Dec 9 10:56:10 PST 2008 

Dear Group,
I can only speak about AR from my 12 year AR experience. I am library teacher at Santa Ana High School composed of about 3500 RELUCTANT readers for the most part.  Ar works for SAHS. Scores on CAHSEE and CST support the use of the reading program. Perhaps my situation is different from others and that is reason for success. AT SAHS we consider AR to be just another tool to use to encourage students to read. It is not the answer to all problems. The administration and staff understand this concept and are very flexible when using the programs,that is, reading level results, student book choice, and use and support of program.
The library administers the program including inputing the students, testing the students, running the results of the reading level test and explaining the program to the students. Along with the teacher, I work out an individual program for the teacher that suits the individual teacher and his needs.
Here are some details of our program. The library is 15,000 sq. ft and can seat 2 different classes at one time, thus I have my 8,200 AR books in one area with duplicate copies in the regular collection. Ar has worked for SAHS because the teachers are flexible as is the library staff. The library runs the program, testing about 2800 students a year for reading level. Of course this STAR reading level test is only one test, but it is a guide line. Most of our students do not read at grade level and the  Reading Zones suggested by AR are quite extensive. For instance, 9th grade could read level 4.6 up to 9.00 (this is about 40 different levels to choose from) which is just an average zone for an average 9th grade English speaking student. We do not demand that a student stay in his zone. He may check out 3 books at a time. The zone is only a suggestion, explaining that the zone suggests that the book will not be too easy or too difficult to read based on
 vocabulary and length. If the student wants to read out of his zone, that is his and his teacher's decision. We give no prizes for reading other than a grade which has been standard since the old book report.
I see no negatives with AR if handled correctly, compasionatley, and wisely. It is an motivational tool that students can use to guide their reading.  


--- On Tue, 12/9/08, Kelly Sunderman <Ksunderm at iusd.org> wrote:

> From: Kelly Sunderman <Ksunderm at iusd.org>
> Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] HIT: AR matching service & arguments against AR
> To: "Barnes, Margaret" <Margaret.Barnes at sausd.us>, "Pilling, George" <GPilling at visalia.k12.ca.us>, "calibk12 at lists.sjsu.edu" <calibk12 at lists.sjsu.edu>
> Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2008, 9:32 AM
> More great points...I think my only gripe with AR at my
> school is the fact that teachers are requiring kids to read
> books at a certain level. In the AR program, I have found
> that there are slim pickings at the "middle
> school" reading levels (7.0 and above)for books that
> are content appropriate for our kids.  I almost feel like
> the kids who are better readers are being
> "punished" by having their choices limited.
> 
> Anyway, thanks to everyone, as always, for the input. :)
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu
> [mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu] On Behalf Of
> Barnes, Margaret
> Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 4:43 PM
> To: Pilling, George; calibk12 at lists.sjsu.edu
> Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] HIT: AR matching service &
> arguments against AR
> 
> All that said, and I agree with George on many points,
> especially the disincentive that can occur when AR points
> are used as a club on kids, we have found reading programs
> to be fairly benign or positive in their impact in SAUSD. 
> Many principals DO buy LOTS of books for AR which go into
> our libraries. It's odd to me, but they find money for
> library books when there's a quiz somewhere in the
> picture, even if the quiz is only used for a short time or
> in a limited way. Often the software is used aggressively
> for a year or two and then languishes when the initial
> "implementer" moves on, leaving the books behind. 
> In other cases, the program is implemented well, with
> flexibility and compassion as it has been by our stellar
> Santa Ana High School Librarian, Marilyn Frenz.
> SAHS's reading scores are always higher than district
> average and we give Marilyn the credit - in public and out
> loud, whenever possible. Why not turn this into good PR for
> libraries? My feeling is that reading motivation programs
> make principals feel good so it's better to be on board
> and "spin" the programs in ways that we know
> support the research than to refuse to cooperate.
> 
> Maggie Barnes
> District Librarian
> Santa Ana Unified School District
> 1601 E. Chestnut Ave.
> Santa Ana, CA 92701
> 714-480-4784, x74784
> margaret.barnes at sausd.us
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu
> [mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu] On Behalf Of
> Pilling, George
> Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 4:24 PM
> To: calibk12 at lists.sjsu.edu
> Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] HIT: AR matching service &
> arguments against AR
> 
> I, too, am mostly opposed to AR. But it is being forced on
> us by teachers who have been sold a bill of goods by
> Renaissance Learning ("This is the solution that will
> fix all the reading problems") Our principals are
> buying in, too, even though they don't have money or
> sometimes space for libraries (How can you even use AR if
> there are no
> books?) I always tell them about the research against it,
> the huge hidden costs, etc. until they no longer ask me. We
> are not interested in research unless it already supports
> what we want to do... Ultimately, though, I have to support
> my library clerks who are caught in the middle. The Marc
> Magician service matches the books and adds the 526 fields
> needed in the records, plus it provides labels for every
> book - a huge time saver for my already overworked library
> staff.
> 
> Save the Children has given Enterprise AR to 4 schools in
> Visalia, plus some money for books. Who is pushing them into
> ignoring the research?
> 
> That said, when AR is used minimally and not as a total
> reading program, it does get some kids reading who have
> never read much before. I have seen kids who did not like to
> read (i.e. weren't good enough at it to enjoy it) become
> good readers with the little spur that the competitive
> nature of AR gives them. I have seen just as many frustrated
> by the restrictions of AR and refuse to read anything, just
> fake it through the tests.
> 
> I work in a district where there are no site-level Teacher
> Librarians, so there is often no one to recommend and
> promote good books. In California it is not required to know
> anything about children's books to become a teacher - as
> a result most teachers are ignorant of anything to recommend
> to their students. We have acquired these
> "incentive" programs because we have removed all
> other possible incentives for reading.
> 
> George Pilling
> District Library Media Supervisor
> Visalia Unified School District
> 5000 W. Cypress Avenue
> Visalia  CA  93277
> 
> (559) 730-7349
> FAX (559) 730-7693
> gpilling at visalia.k12.ca.us
> http://visalia.k12.ca.us/library
> www.tucolib.net
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu
> [mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu] On Behalf Of Kelly
> Sunderman
> Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 3:38 PM
> To: skrashen at yahoo.com; calibk12 at lists.sjsu.edu
> Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] HIT: AR matching service &
> arguments against AR
> 
> I would be very interested in this information.  I am very
> concerned about the way AR is managed at my site.  I am
> constantly recommending titles to students for their AR
> book, only to have them then check the list, realize
> it's not the "right" level, and dejectedly put
> it back on the shelf only to pick a book at a higher level
> that is of no interest to them.  I hate that my
> conversations about books with kids have to begin with,
> "What level does it have to be?"  I have shared
> this information with my colleagues, but it doesn't seem
> to have an impact on the way they structure their AR
> requirements.  Perhaps some data would help.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu
> [mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu] On Behalf Of
> Stephen Krashen
> Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 2:32 PM
> To: calibk12 at lists.sjsu.edu
> Subject: [CALIBK12] HIT: AR matching service &
> arguments against AR
> 
> I hope schools are also interested in at least looking at
> the extensive counterarguments and data against AR, which I
> will be happy to repost.
> 
> 
> --- On Mon, 12/8/08, Pilling, George
> <GPilling at visalia.k12.ca.us> wrote:
> 
> > From: Pilling, George
> <GPilling at visalia.k12.ca.us>
> > Subject: [CALIBK12] HIT: AR matching service
> > To: "Calib listserve"
> <calibk12 at lists.sjsu.edu>
> > Date: Monday, December 8, 2008, 2:26 PM Any schools
> that have AR,
> > especially if you have recently adopted it will be
> interested in this
> > service.
> > Marc magician www.mitinet.com will match up to 25,000
> library records
> > and add to them AR levels and points - as part of your
> reasonably
> > priced subscription to this excellent tool.
> > So - in addition to providing MARC records for almost
> any library
> > materials - videos and CDs included - and giving you a
> way to easily
> > manipulate large batches of records, they have another
> bargain
> > service.
> >
> > George Pilling
> > District Library Media Supervisor
> > Visalia Unified School District
> > 5000 W. Cypress Avenue
> > Visalia  CA  93277
> >
> > (559) 730-7349
> > FAX (559) 730-7693
> > gpilling at visalia.k12.ca.us
> > http://visalia.k12.ca.us/library
> > www.tucolib.net <http://www.tucolib.net/>
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > CALIBK12 site list
> > CALIBK12 at lists.sjsu.edu
> > http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/calibk12
> >
> > For information about the Calibk12 listserve, please
> visit
> > http://www.calibk12.net.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> CALIBK12 site list
> CALIBK12 at lists.sjsu.edu
> http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/calibk12
> 
> For information about the Calibk12 listserve, please visit
> http://www.calibk12.net.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> CALIBK12 site list
> CALIBK12 at lists.sjsu.edu
> http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/calibk12
> 
> For information about the Calibk12 listserve, please visit
> http://www.calibk12.net.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> CALIBK12 site list
> CALIBK12 at lists.sjsu.edu
> http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/calibk12
> 
> For information about the Calibk12 listserve, please visit 
> http://www.calibk12.net.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SANTA ANA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT E-MAIL CONFIDENTIALITY
> NOTICE: This e-mail communication and any attachments,
> including documents, files, or previous e-mail messages,
> constitute electronic communications within the scope of the
> Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USCA 2510 et al. 
> This e-mail communication may contain non-public,
> confidential or legally privileged information intended for
> the sole use of the designated recipient(s).  The
> unauthorized and intentional interception, use, copy or
> disclosure of such information, or attempt to do so, is
> strictly prohibited and may be unlawful under applicable
> laws.  If you have received this e-mail communication in
> error, please immediately notify the sender by return e-mail
> and delete the original e-mail from your system.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> CALIBK12 site list
> CALIBK12 at lists.sjsu.edu
> http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/calibk12
> 
> For information about the Calibk12 listserve, please visit 
> http://www.calibk12.net.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> CALIBK12 site list
> CALIBK12 at lists.sjsu.edu
> http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/calibk12
> 
> For information about the Calibk12 listserve, please
> visit  http://www.calibk12.net.

More information about the CALIBK12 mailing list