[MOSAIC] Accelerated Reader

[Beverlee Paul]

Bev:  Poor editing on my part.  The next paragraph is Marg's.  The rest is 
mine.  No, I am indeed in the "never have, never will" camp.  According to 
motivation theory I read, AR is not a neutral; it is very much a negative.  
Quick, very easy, relatively "cheap," but dangerous.  And I don't think its 
damages can be undone.  You can't unbreak this egg.

Marg:  When I went back to work last Monday, I had no idea I'd be spending 
so much time researching AR.    I guess it's similar to beginning the new 
year with a classroom of new personalities.  You can have all the ideas and 
plans you want, but in the end, you respond to their needs.
Marg

Bev:  This post makes me think of zucchini stories, which always start with, 
"Do
you know why small towners lock their cars only in August?" followed by "So
noone gifts them with more zucchini."  At this time of year, there are
always recipes passed around for "brownies with zucchini" "zucchini banana
bread," etc., always accompanied by the disclaimer that "you can't even
taste the zucchini."  Well, what I've always wondered was--if zucchini is
used only as something that adds nothing to its dish, why use zucchini at
all?  What's wrong with just brownies or plain banana bread??

This post pretty much follows the zucchini theory, I think.  If you are
"teaching reading strategies, using lit circles, doing mini-lessons, reading
aloud, and implementing readers' workshop," why in the world would you need
AR?  Your dish stands alone!!!!

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