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Initellectual Freedom Resources
- ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF)
- Banned Books Week
- Censors and Children's Literature
- Censorship: An Educator's Guide
- Chris Crutcher Answers the Censors
- Freedom to Read Foundation
- Judy Blume Talks About Censorship
- NCTE Anti-Censorship Center
- Profane Offensive and Great
- School Library Media Centers and Intellectual Freedom (ALA)
- Thinking About Intellectual Freedom
The pros and cons of using reading level labels in the media center is a tough one. However, viewing this topic from the perspective of a media specialist, I would have to say that I wouldn't label the books. I have had the opportunity to spend a litle time recently in an elementary and middle school, and my experience is predominately in the high school. The elementary school uses AR and most of the books are labeled, except nonfiction. That's how those students locate their books. The media specialist supports the teachers through this system, but kids aren't encouaged to check out what doesn't match their level. The middle school does not use this system, instead it is organized like the high school, by nonfiction, fiction, short story, etc. Students do participate in a PTO sponsored reading competition, but they can choose whatever book they want. After reading the articles, I, too, am concerned that a MS would view principle 2 over 6, especially since our primary role should be to develop a love of reading versus the content. I recently had a conversation with my students about the two kinds of reading we do: reading for pleasure and reading for learning. It's become really hard for me in the classroom to justify some of the books that I do use because I know they don't speak to the kids. I have to try to find books that will connect to them but that will also teach the same content. This is where the collaborative relationship between the MS and the teacher is critical.
ReplyDeleteI do have a problem with the statement that "years of research have not provided evidence of increased student reading ability as a result of the reading incentive programs such as AR, nor does this program produce positive long-term effects on student reading motivation." Why continue to spend critical funds? Lastly, I do suggest we all read Readicide; our MS is currently reading it and has ordered 5 copies for the PD section. I have found some interesting ideas as a teacher to help me bridge the gap between content and pleasure reading.
Karen
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe methods that we use to organize our books makes a statement about what is most important to us promoters of reading and information literacy. I don't know that there will ever be one perfect way to organize a collection that will be all inclusive. The goal should be to instruct students on the ways to use a library to connect with literature that will help them grow as human beings. Organizing by Accelerated Reader or Reading Counts is evidence of how commercial programs have made their way into the schools. How effective are these programs? Perhaps on their own the programs are fine, but teachers and media specialists have made the focus on gaining AR points or prizes. It is the responsibility of the educator to articulate what is important to the students. Reading can be pleasurable, even if a book is on list that will be used for assessment. Students should be encouraged to check out books that are above their reading level. Perhaps as e-books, kindles, ipads, become more widespread, students can choose from different searches to find books that they would like to read. Web 2.0 ways of organizing a collection could even provide a rating system that students could use to decide whether to pursue a book or not. We do the same thing on Amazon or other commercial sites.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure when we starting categorizing the Media Center by AR level. As I am writing this, I am wondering where the AR requirement came from and why does it still exist. There are so many books that will never be read because we do not have an AR test for the book. I have only worked in an elementary school so I don’t know how the middle and high schools organize their books. I don’t see many children in the Media Center looking for anything other than AR books. Because of this situation, our media center is arranged by reading level. This arrangement has made it easier for all of the children to search for books that they can read. The lower level books are placed on shelves that allow the small children to be able to reach. Arranging the media center by reading levels and not allowing children to read above or below their levels has created some problems. Recently there was an older child, 5th grade I believe that was looking for a book that was on a first or second grade level. The media specialist was giving him a hard time about picking out one of the “easy” readers and then looked at his level in his folder. She discovered that he did indeed need the lower level book. She felt bad about “fussing” at him and was probably a little embarrassed by the whole situation. I can see the pros and cons of having reading levels and arranging the media center that way. Some of the older children would probably not have it arranged that way especially if their level is low and they are having to choose books that the younger children are reading. I am not sure if there is a "better" way but perhaps we need to look at a new way. Would children read more if they didn't have the pressure of AR?
ReplyDeleteThere has been much controversy over the Accelerated Reader program that I have found. Many teachers firmly believe in it but some MS and teachers find negative effects. For elementary students, I do feel that having a labeling system along with the Dewey system or by author for the fiction section can aid younger students in picking out books that they will actually read. If the book is too hard for them, it will not get read. I am not sure that the Accelerated Reader program is the correct way to label the books because students feel that if the book doesn’t have one of those dots they cannot read it because they have to take a test on every book they read. To me, that deteriorates reading for pleasure or reading for knowledge. Most students are so focused on reading to get points that they usually don’t truly put much thought into the books they choose to read. However, I do think there needs to be some kind of labeling system for the elementary students so they have an idea of what to look for in the library because it can be a bit overwhelming with all the books, and so that they do not pick an overly difficult book with contents that they will not understand or comprehend. In all the schools I have been in, Accelerated Reader leads the labeling system but I have never thought to ask why this is and why the school feels that this is the correct way to label the books. That is a good question that I think I will ask a MS.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have not worked in a school whose media center collection is organized by reading level, I would have to say that I do NOT believe a collection should be organized by AR or other reading level methods.
ReplyDeleteThere are pros and cons to this type of organization, some of which I discovered in this week's readings. The biggest pro seems to be that, especially for younger readers, organizing by reading level helps students find books that are appropriate to their tested abilities and it's easier for media specialists to help students find books that interest them. Houston's article pointed out that this method also "makes shelving easier." There seem to be more cons though, including the fact that readers are much less likely to try books in other areas and they miss many other resources. Readers may also feel that they are not capable of reading higher level books if THEY have been labeled themselves as only able to read at certain level. As a result, they don't often check out other sections in the media center. Another drawback is that specific titles are harder to locate.
I guess I would defend a media center being organized in this manner by pointing out that students who did not read in the past are checking out more books. Perhaps I would also try to group books not only by reading level but also by topic so that students can find books that interest them within their levels.
If materials in my media center were labeled and / or organized by reading level, I would meet with the administration (and the media committee?) about removing current labels and explain why this needs to be done. Students (and teachers) should be able to access materials without any barriers or restrictions placed upon their ability to do so. According to the ALA, "students and teachers should have access to resources free of constraints..." I would be sure to select materials that were appropriate to the maturity level of my students and NOT place labels on new selections as they come in.
Pros of labeling books by reading level allows students to spot books quickly that they are able to read. This enables students to quickly get in and out without having to wonder around the library during class time. Con of labeling is that students some times pick books that they are know are easy to read to do quick AR test with and just want to get them for their points. I would not want to organize my books my grade level at the middle school level because they are at such vast ends of the spectrum. We have some students who read on a Kindergarten level and some that read at a 12th grade level. I feel that it would cause some harassment or bullying for students that were "caught" in the K-5 sections.
ReplyDeleteOur school media center is arranged by Author/Title but it has AR points marked on the spine. AR test are not as used for grades as they once were. Students are able to check out books without them having to take a test on every book that they check out.
Something neat that I think that our library is helping with curriculum is by recognizing students that have read a million words. This encourages students to read. Also, our school has initiated a 45 min. span on Friday, where everyone in the building is suppose to stop and read. This allows teachers to show their enthusiasm for reading.
If I became a media specialist were they had labeled books, I would do very similarly to what one of the ladies in the article did and not label as I acquistioned books into the collection. We discourage students from finding a good book that they are going to read for enjoyment and not feel like they have to read. Students are required to do so much now that they need to be able to escape into a good book for not reason at all.
Our school administration requested that only AR books be read in order to increase test scores. Therefore, students were restricted from checking out all other books. This request really bothered me because students were sent to tables based on colored labels. This was a new experience for them so I dealt with constant arguments over limited selections. That practice has finally stopped.
ReplyDeleteOur media center is set up based on the Dewey Decimal System. AR books are mixed into this system. Therefore students may use the circulation catalogue to select topics. This year, they do not use the on-line catalogue system. They only use colored stickers.
I would not recommend organizing a library according to this system. Students need to develop their evaluation skills based on genre or interest. They should have free access to material regardless of its relationship to a point system. Just like my media specialist, I would be an advocate freedom of selection. She had to prove that students need to value the quality of the selection as much as their ability to read the text.
My son has an amazing media specialist in his school. Since I do not currently work in a school full time, I will discuss the organization of the media center at his school. Accelerated Reader is a very big deal at GSES. Students read and take tests on a daily basis to earn points. Every month, the school hosts a Hat Party and students receive stickers based on their reading efforts. My son is in the first grade and reads on a third grade level, so it is difficult for me to say AR doesn't work. I think it can have a place in the school if done correctly. With that being said, I will discuss the set up of the media center. Books are not organized by reading level, however every book that is checked out does have a color dot on it indicating the reading level. When my son entered first grade, he was only allowed to check out certain color dots according to his teacher. I am assuming that has changed because he is a good reader. The media specialist allows him to choose any book that he wants. The classroom teacher continues to place emphasis on the colors he can read for test taking only. In the article regarding removing labels, she made some very good points. I really had to consider all sides of this point. As a media specialist I do not want labels in the media center. I want a child to have the freedom to choose. My son and I did visit the local library a week ago and he went to the books and said, how do I know which ones I can read. Obviously this proves the point of not knowing how to use a public library. Even though I have seen success with AR, I think removing labels is the best option.
ReplyDeleteI'm not currently in a public school but I remember AR points. I understand the issue from the teacher point of view it's an easy way to keep track of student comprehension, supposedly. However, after this weeks readings I see the media specialist's point also. Now, I can honestly say I don't know. My first reaction is to want to ban labeling on books. To have students come to the media center to find books that they can enjoy. At the same time I know how much they throw on teachers and any thing that can help them I have to support. There is also the fact that my daughter, 9, and my son, 15, went to schools that were heavily into AR and they love to read. My son is into adventure novels and my daughter has discovered a love for....mystery, I think. (It changes with her. Two weeks ago she was into GooseBumps.) Children can learn to find books they enjoy with AR, labeling and beyond. It is up to use, the librarians, to help the teachers and the students get to their end result. Labeling will be a barrier only if you let it.
ReplyDeleteI have never considered the idea of labeling as a means of organization in a school media center until now. It is a topic that can be debated forever. As a teacher in an elementary school that pushes Accelerated Reader to the max, I have truly begun to see the negative effects of labeling. Although my media center is not set up by reading level, every book that has an AR test has a level on it. AR books have colored dots on them that represent a particular reading level. Example: A reading level of 2.6-3.2 can choose books that have red, pink, or light green dots on their spines. The actual reading level information, points, etc. are on the inside cover. When students go to the library, they are in search of certain colors, not certain titles, authors, or interests. Books that are not AR are labeled with a black dot. Students are given an AR goal each nine weeks and are not allowed to read non-AR books until their goal for that nine weeks is met. At the end of the nine weeks, the students who meet their AR goals are rewarded. Not only does this squelch the love of reading for students, it also puts a lot of pressure on the teachers. We, as teachers, are required to let the parents know on a weekly progress report how many points the child has towards that 9 weeks goal. The feedback from parents is typically negative. The parents loathe the pressure that is put on the students to read within a certain level and meet a point goal. Their question is often times, "Whatever happened to reading for the fun of reading?" As a general rule, I agree. However, without some type of incentive such as AR rewards, some students may never pick up a book. I have seen many students turned on to reading because they were pushed to meet their AR goals. Does AR really improve reading achievement? I don't know. My school administration believes that it does. Because our CRCT reading schools are phenomenal, they believe that AR has contributed to that. With that being said, unless there is a changing of the guard, I don't think that my library will ever go to non-labeling of books.
ReplyDeleteIf I were ever in the position of the media specialist, I am not sure what I would do as far as labeling of books in my library. Because I have been in a school for so many years that label their books and push Accelerated Reader so heavily, I have been conditioned to use this system. However, I would love to see the reaction of students if they were allowed to come into the media center, choose what they wanted to read without any guidelines, and not be forced to take tests or meet a set goal.
I strongly agree that leveled readers / information organization and access tools are must haves. I can’t imagine going into any elementary school media center or classroom and not see leveled readers or guided reading material collections. Leveled readers are a plus for any schools’ media center collection, and a valuable tool and instructional strategy for any media specialist and classroom teacher. Speaking from many personal experiences, I also agree that, all school media center collections and materials should be labeled for content? Many school media specialist and libraries routinely use “finding aids”/ (Informational Access Tools) to assist students in selecting and locating books on their reading levels. There are many young readers leveled reading programs, and guided reading programs that are very friendly user access tools that help patrons browse the shelves with ease. These programs are timesaving lifesavers.
ReplyDeleteLeveled reading programs have been tremendous assets to me, in finding appropriate materials quickly, especially for emerging readers and learners.
Many school districts are applying for “ Reading First”, grants that assisted school districts and schools to implement proven methods of scientifically based reading instruction in classrooms in order to prevent reading difficulties. Only programs that are founded on scientifically based reading research are eligible for funding through Reading First the reasons are varied. However, this an effective approach that has been found to deliver a variety of methods, with the required flexibility needed for instructional services and standards in practically every school district / cities across the US.
Particularly important a few common examples of why many media specialist label are: There, are many students that may have a disability that makes reading difficult to learn. Others come to school without the literacy experiences they need to become readers. Subsequently, some children struggle because they've received poor or inadequate reading instruction.
When these and other risk factors are identified early, many children's reading difficulties can be prevented. Labeling is a pressing matter, I strongly feel, libraries must assist patrons in identifying age appropriate materials of interest, our systems are not perfect and students need easy access to ways in collections / materials are organized. The best practice to resolve and avoid this issue I will use is employ evidence-based practices by motivating ALL students with an enormous range of outstanding leveled books. This is the best practice for getting students into reading. I most certainly agree that materials be labeled or separated from the main collection if they are controversial or considered obscene? However, based on the principle of intellectual freedom, neither the library nor the librarian should be responsible for determining who may have access to materials held by the library.
As media specialist/ teachers we must also be knowledgeable about effective instructional practices that meet the diverse needs of students and take into account the prior knowledge, experiences, and home languages each child brings to schools and classrooms. We must create learning environments that support cognitive, language, and social development through authentic learning activities relevant to all students’ lives. Yet, we must create an optimal learning environment. Many students are experiencing great difficulty with the levels at which readers comprehend ideas and information accurately, fluently, and with the ability to engage in inquiry learning.
Media specialist must cover all chapters: What really makes a difference for All students? What really matters for struggling learners/ readers? Why do so many school age children do poorly in reading? What is the most effective approach to reading instruction?
I do not think labeling should be used in media centers. I think it is so much more important to make everyone feel comfortable looking for books. Most students who have problems reading are never going to go to a section or a color code that suggests thier weakness. I think it is much more important to let students find an interesting book and try it. In class students can be divided and given contnet to reach their needs, however, in a media center they should be free to try out what they want.
ReplyDeleteReading programs have made it easier to catalog and find books in our libraries. This would be the biggest pro of cataloging books by the levels given by reading programs. However, I have never been a fan of how the Accelerated Reader progam catalogs books. Students have to stay in their designated area and are not encouraged (but actually discouraged) to look at books below or above their reading level. I always wondered how books were selected to be a part of a certain reading level. I was a vivacious reader and the AR program made me feel like my selection was limited. I was only allowed to look at books in a certain area.
ReplyDeleteI feel like their should be other options when it comes to organizing books, but there aren't that many available to media specialists. Certain reading programs have been the guideline in schools/libraries so long it would be hard to change it now.
Our library is strongly influenced by AR. I am not troubled by this focus, as it is only one of many. We still obtain titles based on interest, reviews, and recommendations other than the "AR list". Our librarian does an excellent job in maintaining a neutral position on her collection.
ReplyDeleteWe provide reading level information as appropriate, but do not limit our students by it any more that we require them to select materials just from the ar list, so, again, not a problem.
As long as your organization maintains neutrality, it should be fine.