My Thoughts on A.R.

In the spirit of making up for lost time, I am posting twice in one day (enjoy it because it won't happen again for months)! I will warn that if you don't go to my school (you'd know if you did), this post is not worth your time. That being said, stay if you wish!

A.R. is a shortened term for "Accelerated Reading". This program basically encourages kids to independently read at their level using points, tests, boundaries, and rules. Every book you read must be within your "range." The ranges vary from 0.1 to 14 (I'm pretty sure). Each level is supposed to represent an average reader in a grade, so if you were reading at a range from 2.8 to 4.1, you are approximately reading at a 3rd grader's level. For every book you read, you must take a comprehension test that is either ten or twenty questions. At the beginning of each quarter, you are given your goal, which might be around 10 to 40 points, depending on how proficient a reader you are. To receive your "goal" and "range," you must take a STAR test, which is a 60-question reading test in the form of a standardized test. Each book in your school library has a set level (that must be within your range) and point value (that helps you make your goal). The program also has a website for students and parents to access to check if books gained from outside of the school library fit into a child's range. By the end of each quarter, you should have met your goal. Some teachers put in your final grade as your average on all your comprehension tests, some put in your percentage of your goal that you completed, and most provide a combination. My school is K-8, and you have to use A.R. up to 6th grade (which I am past). That was a lot of information, but I felt it was necessary. I will now go into the pros and cons of using Accelerated Reading in schools!

PROS:

• Gives students an incentive to frequently read books

• Helps students pick feasible books based on their reading abilities

• Provides teachers with a sense of where their class stands on reading comprehension

• Shows parents a summary of a student's quarterly performance, so that they can see what the child needs help with

• Increases the school's scores on standardized reading assessments

• Creates reading habits that continuously occur once you don't have to partake in A.R. anymore

• Makes children find time in their schedule to enjoy reading

CONS:

• Makes reading feel more like a chore than a hobby

• Creates stress around perfectly comprehending the books instead of enjoying them

• Restricts kids to a specific range of books rather than reading what they enjoy

• Limits options for certain readers (Many fewer books for teenagers than for kindergarteners)

• Enforces the idea that everything depends on grades rather than happiness

• Develops a hatred for reading before the student has a chance to read good literature

• Does not allow you to take tests on books that you read as a class, even if you are spending time at home to read them

• Creates an extra standardized test beyond Arizona State Requirements

• Does not let you go back on any questions, making the testing process stressful

Ultimately, I don't support my school using Accelerated Reading in classrooms. I believe that there are plenty of other tools that teachers can utilize to create a love for reading inside their classroom. I never really struggled with this program, given that I'm a natural reader, but I would say that over half the class usually struggled with meeting their goals. If a program like that is making so many students miserable, I believe that it is time to reevaluate. I'm sure not many people will read this, but that is simply my take. Let me know what you think in the comments below! As I always say: READ A BOOK (but not because your school makes you)!

This is a screenshot of the main parent platform!