Even I can concede AR as the lesser of these evils. Lori
On 9/3/07 3:36 PM, "kimberlee hannan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Joy, > While I do understand your feelings, I must say I'd rather have the AR > police at my door than HM police, or the OC police, or the Reading First > police. In my experience with it, AR does expect the kids to read for long > uninterrupted periods of time, with books (supposedly) at their level, with > books they CHOOSE, has stupid little quizzes that mirror the STAR tests we > give at the end of the year. It gets real books into kids' hands where > perhaps there would be none allowed. > > There is still a great deal of good teaching you can do with it. You can, > in fact, conference on those books, put together book studies, test on class > read alouds, use partner reading with those books, do extensive responding > or writing about the books that can incorporate deeper thinking. Books can > be started and abandoned. If a book isn't exactly the best of books the > kids can learn to think critically and discuss why that book was bad... > > It IS settling for something less than the ideal, granted, but I can think > of SO many better reasons to throw up my hands a quit. > Kim > > On 9/3/07, Joy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> The folks I feel for are those trapped in a school/system where they are >> forced to use it. So what to do in that instance? I've said that I'd leave. >> Not always the easiest thing to do. So, in the meantime, the mortgage has to >> be paid, families have to eat. What do you do until you can find another >> position, or what do you do if you are in the "perfect" position, other than >> being stuck with AR? >> >> This is where knowing your administration and their limits comes in >> handy. I'm not suggesting that anyone be insubbordinate, but you have to >> know your work environment. Do you have a good open relationship with your >> administrator? How much fidelity do you have to show to the program? How >> closely are your grades going to be scrutinized? (At my old school AR >> results were viewable by the principal as were our computerized gradebooks.) >> >> Are you able to close the door and teach, or are the AR nazis going to >> be at your door? Will you have to train your kids to pull out AR books >> everytime someone comes to the door? Can you do Lit Circles and have >> everyone take the test on that book? Can your students keep reading response >> journals? >> >> Granted, this makes your job a bit more challenging, but if you're like >> me, you'll want to do what's best for your students. If that means double >> dipping, then that's what I'd do. >> >> >> >> >> Joy/NC/4 >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> How children learn is as important as what they learn: process and >> content go hand in hand. http://www.responsiveclassroom.org >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> --------------------------------- >> Got a little couch potato? >> Check out fun summer activities for kids. >> _______________________________________________ >> Mosaic mailing list >> Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org >> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >> >> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >> >> > -- Lori Jackson District Literacy Coach & Mentor Todd County School District Box 87 Mission SD 57555 http:www.tcsdk12.org ph. 605.856.2211 Literacies for All Summer Institute July 17-20. 2008 Tucson, Arizona _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
