The AR Agenda

So I am guilty of pushing the AR agenda. Accelerated Reader is a well-intentioned program to get kids to read, take a comprehension quiz, and earn points. The theory is that their comprehension will get better and the points will make them eager to read.

Guess what? It backfired on me. I also accept that it could be completely my fault and not only could it be my fault, but it really honestly is all my fault. Let me tell you what I did.

I set a goal every month for my students. The first month they have to get 2 points. That's the equivalent of 4 small books. One teeny tiny book a week and make a 100% and they can make that goal. I even let them go back and look for answers in the book. Usually the first month or two my kids think it's great and they are on fire. It's new. It's interesting. Then the novelty wears off. It becomes a chore. That's where it backfires for me.

As the months go on the goals get slightly higher. The kids who love to read will read and read and read. Then they'll take tests and tests and more tests. The ones that don't want to read don't read though. They don't care about the points. I've tried bribery and giving snacks or cool prizes to the kids that meet their goal. We give out Book-It coupons every month when they reach their goal. I send letters home to parents half-way through so they can see where their child is at on their goal. For the kids that need the help and the reading comprehension, it just doesn't work though. They don't want to read and honestly the AR tests make them dislike reading even more. My frustration level rises. Their frustration level rises. I become the new muse for the next Black Lagoon Book, "AR Monster from the Black Lagoon." It. Doesn't. Work.

Once again, I'm not saying that it won't work for you. I'm not saying that other teachers don't succeed. I'm just saying it hasn't been working for me. So this year I tried something new. I set goals. I put up my goal chart. I took a deep breath and stopped freaking out. My kids aren't going to die if they don't reach their AR goal. The world won't stop turning. Their education will not fall apart and they will not be illiterate. If they meet their goal that's awesome! If they don't there will not be an AR Monster.

Do you know what happened this year? I had more kids than ever reading chapter books. The last couple years I have begged and pleaded and pulled every trick in the book to get kids to read chapter books, but they haven't been interested. I looked at the books kids were checking out this year and all but two of my kids checked out chapter books from the library. (insert happy dance) Oh and I stopped harping about their AR levels. They can read whatever they want in my classroom, but they can only take AR tests on books at their level. My kids are actually trying to read harder books that are at the upper end of their level or just beyond. Before they read books at the very bottom of their level and wouldn't go higher. That was easy to do for AR. That got their goal met faster. Why wouldn't you take the easy way out? So kids are now reading chapter books and harder books.

I feel like I'm winning. My kids aren't taking the tests they should be, but they are reading. I had one student pick out one of my favorite book series to start reading. It's not quite on his level, but he wants to try it. I'm all for it. I have another student reading a giant book set in World War II. I about fell out. If I focused on their points or AR goal they wouldn't dream of picking up those books.

Does that mean reading in my class is perfect. Ummmm no. Are there still issues in my class that I have to work through? Yeah. Could this be a fluke and next year's class could backfire in a whole new way with this new laissez-faire attitude toward AR? Absolutely and probably. My whole point is that you should question what you are doing. Is it giving you the end result you want? Is it helping your kids? Is it really something you and your kids enjoy doing or is it a battle? Can you do it differently?