Skip to main content

.1

New topic but ranting again (just thought I would give you fair warning).

Accelerated Reader. A blessing or a curse? I love that my kids can read. I love that Accelerated Reader motivates my kids to finish books. I don't like the ridiculousness that goes on behind good intentions.  My kids school gives them a range to read between and they have to get so many testing points a semester. It is part of their reading grade.  I don't agree with grading recreational reading.  Studies show grading recreational reading it is causing kids to NOT be life long readers. Isn't that what we want?  Yes! I also want my kids to be better readers but there is a fine line between becoming a better reader and having a person who can read but doesn't.  

Accelerated Reading tests do few things for the teacher. It tests the kids on comprehension and it gives points based on the level of the book. For example my oldest is reading a book right now that if she gets all the answers correct on the test she will get 44 points. (It is a sixth grade level book.) My middle child just finished a mid 4th grade book and it is only 8 points.  Each is required to meet a points goal and get a 80% or better on comprehension.  Points are based on how many questions you get right.  Two grades total, one for point goal and one for comprehension. If you meet your goal you get a 100%. Comprehension grade is based on the number of correct answers.  Points are also based on percentage of correct answers.  If you get a question wrong on an 8 point book you only get 7.5 points.  Clear as mud right?  

My middle child bought a book at the book fair.  She is super excited about this book but isn't super excited about reading.  It is .1 below her reading level, a tenth. Her teacher will not let her read it until her AR point goal is reached. The way I understand it is that .1 is about a month in terms of reading level.  So it you have a 4.1 reading level you are a fourth grade, first month of school reader.  REALLY, 1 month out of her range and she can't read it?  I want to email her teacher so bad and be like really?  Then I think maybe she should work up to reading what she wants.  Not sure with my child which will work best.  She is a complainer so I am sure to hear about it until the day she can read the book.  Just seems so silly.

Well, between the last paragraph and this one I did email her teacher. She will not budge on the rules.  I think I made my point.  Consider the child and not the rules. I understand her work ethic and is very passionate but in my opinion she not realistic.  My daughter is 7.  She is reading a year to two years above her current grade level.  My 7 year old can not read a book about a class pet but can read Hunger Games according to her grade level.  Just because it is her level doesn't mean it is appropriate and I wouldn't let her read it.

This is why my husband and I get along so well.  He actually brought up Hunger Games and said if it was on her level to send it to school with her. That would ruffle some feathers or people would just talk about us. I think it would prove our point. I know there are hundreds if not thousands of book in her level that she could read that are appropriate but sometimes you just want to start trouble to prove a point.  Consider the child and don't be so black and white with the rule.

I could understand if my child was in the third grade and reading below her grade level and struggling.  Reading in your targeted area is supposed to make you a better reader.  BUT when you are already years ahead I think common sense should allow for some rule breaking.  BAH!  I am going to stop this rant!

I gave my daughter the option of reading the book now and not taking a test on it.  I am confident she will exceed all AR testing requirements for the semester.  She said she is going to meet her goal first then read the book.  Hopefully this will limit the complaining about the rules.  Just another day of being a parent.    

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

NaNoWriMo & Peeps

peeps pēps/ noun  informal people (often used to refer to a person's friends or associates). "thanks for the feedback, peeps!" If you choose to do NaNoWriMo you have got to explain to the ones you love and cherish what you are doing in November. The more warnings the better. I told my husband a year before I started NaNoWriMo that I wanted to   do a month writing challange and explained the details. I didn’t talk about it all year but once October came around I started to talk more about NaNoWriMo. I talked about it so much my second year that my kids wanted to do NaNoWriMo too.   It was fun to do some writing prep with my kids.   My oldest has already set a goal for this year.  If you have kids you should check out the  Young Writers Program .  They can set word goals. I like encouraging my kids to write with me. It might even help me justify writing on Saturday and Sunday when I have a kid or two a...

"Normal"

Psalms 62:8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge . This past year has been something else to say the least. From October to October, okay not quite a year but WOWSER! Didn't see that freight train coming. I have to reflect. I have been reading my blog entries going back to October of last year. Part of me can believe it has been a year since all this started and part of me feel like it was forever ago. Daily I have to turn my cares over to the Lord, carry my cross and trust with a faith that can move mountains. Recap~ October 2008 ~ The company Mark is contracting for is a pool company and is really feeling the effects of the economy and crisis and has to cut back. Mark was not the first to go but his time is up the first week of October. November 2008 ~ hint of a job in Raleigh NC. The person hiring has to wait until January to see if they get a contract or not. Very surprised at the lack of jobs in the Tampa area...

2 AM Musings

I have been wide awake since before 2 AM. Wide eyed and well, not so bushy tailed. This is the second day in a row. Why?  No really, why? This is the second day in a row my brain refuses to turn off for longer than a few hours. It's like half my brain wants to party and the logical side knows this is not a good thing.    As a mom of three on the first day of a new school year I am sitting in the family room in the dark thinking of all the things I can't do right now. I am also lamenting summer. Today summer break officially ends. At least I am up in time to get the kids to school.   I am not excited for today. It has a few milestones that we can not put off. I will not drive to the elementary school for the first time in eight years. I will be dropping my youngest off at middle school and my oldest at the high school. Also the middle child decided to go back to school so I will not be homeschooling this year.   In a few hours my kids will wake up and ...