[JennScraps]

Hi! This year I'll be moving into the Reading Specialist position at my school.

Part of my job will be to monitor and reward students who participate in the AR program.

Would anyone be willing to share ideas for incentives, themes or just how you run your program?

Thank you so much!!!

[LaVerne]

I handle the AR 'stuff' for the 3-5 graders for our school. I teach title reading for that level for the last 3 years. We have been using AR for about 4 years so things have evolved each year.
One thing each of the past 3 years was that I chose a theme. It helped with the hallway display I have in a common hallway to highlight the progress throughout the year.
Construction...used bricks with point levels each child attained at set markers...10 points, 25 points, etc. This was A LOT of work and some inequatities between the points a 3rd grade can get to vs a 5th grader due to the point levels of the books they read. I wasn't too happy with the amount of paper work this theme took.
REach for the stars...I had a point total for each classroom per month. This worked better
Vote for reading ...had classroom point total per quarter, this was the teachers' request. I also had a list of students in each classroom that met their AR goals for the quarter so even though different classes had different goals, students were still recognized.

This year I am going to a do a "Wild about Reading" or something on that order and use a jungle/monkey/safari theme. I will probably do the quarterly classroom point total and a list of students who made goals.

I try to read a book as an introduction to the whole deal along the theme lines. Each month or quarter I have names read on the intercom congratulating the students who have reached goals and give the top 3 point getters per classroom a special 'treat'...pencil, sticker, etc. Everyone who meets their goals gets a bookmark.

My first year I tried sort of a more competitive style of recognition and boy did that raise the hair on the back of some teachers. They didn't want others knowing that their class didn't read. The teachers who encourage AR and monitor their students reading usually show that by having large point totals. Many of the teachers I work with won't even stay in the library and help the kids find their books...they want to head to the lounge. Now I just try to recognize the kids who do the work, not their point totals.

Oh...in my title room, I also monitor and encourage my kids to do their reading.
Good luck...I hope this helps. This is just my take on things.

[JennScraps]

Thank you so much for you info! It was very helpful!!!

I want to try a few new things with AR, but this year (being my first year in this position), I think I'm only going to change a few things so I can get into the routine and understand a little more how it all works.

One thing I'd like to do in the future is use their points as "money" and they can buy items at varying levels from the school store.

Also, I would like to implement reading their names on the announcements when they get to a new level (probably above 50? I'm not sure...

Do you have different levels to attain for prizes for each grade level? Another concern of mine is the Special Education students...I don't want them to always be struggling...

Any other thoughts or suggestions you can offer would be great!!! :-)

[LaVerne]

That is why I went to recognizing 'reaching your reading goal' idea rather than awarding things...money, etc...for a certain level of points. I have teachers in the same grade level who have different goals. Kids start to wonder why Mrs. N.'s room only has to read xx number of points and their teacher wants them to read zzz number of points. This way also allows the Sped kids to 'reach their goals' as well, since their goals may be different than the rest of the class.

Last year I had the classroom teacher get me their 'list' of goalreachers so I could add it to the bulletin board rather than me look it up on the AR site. I have the same access to the site that each classroom teacher does.

I thought about a store but I haven't gone too much in that direction for the reasons above. But perhaps I could get something that the student council store would recognize as 'money'. Something to think about.

Let me know if I can help...

[Mrs. H WI]

Hi,
Do you use the STAR test at the beginning, middle of semester, and end of year to record results in reading levels? This is a good way to see if the level of reading material is correct and what type of reading material should be recommended for students to read. It will also give you an idea of what type of comprehension skills need to be taught/retaught.
Mrs. H WI

[JennScraps]

We do use the STAR test for our reading levels!!! :-)