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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
Every school that I have been in for practicum’s and student teaching has had a media center that was alternatively classified by reading level. All of the books had colored dots on them and the students were limited to their range of dots. They could not read books at higher or lower dot colors.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the Media Specialist in Houston’s article that the pros of organizing the library by reading level make it easier for students to locate books on their reading level especially in the early elementary grades with the Easy Fiction category. However, I also agree that it is extremely hard to find titles on the shelf when you have looked them up from the catalog. They seem to get thrown into the E section and you really have to search to find a specific book.
If I was in a school that was severely understaffed and the collection was already arranged by level I would consider keeping it that way for a few months while I talked with administrators and other teachers to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the arrangement. Hopefully I could get them on my side to change the policy.
Although, I am not a fan of AR I think that I would not want to completely eliminate the labeling of AR books in my collection. Teachers do require students to read AR and labeling these books would ease students in a quick selection. However, my solution to these big red dots would be to have the AR books labeled on the inside cover. Therefore students can select books by interest and when they open it up to read it it will be a bonus that it is an AR book not a punishment.
After reading this week’s information, I have found the cons of labeling materials by reading level vastly outweigh the pros. The few benefits of labeling materials by reading level are that it provides visual cues which make it easier for younger readers or readers specifically involved in reading level programs to locate books in their reading level. If a reading program of this nature is prevalent in the school, labeling materials by reading level may also serve to support the school’s curriculum. However, the cons of labeling by reading level include the erection of “psychological barriers” for readers who are not familiar with their personal reading level and may shy away from using the materials, decreasing the utilization of materials in other areas of the library, and increasing the difficulty of finding materials in terms of topical interest or genre. Also, students will not develop the skills needed to access information for other purposes. They may also find it difficult to navigate “real world environments” such as bookstores which are, in most cases, organized by genre.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think you can effectively defend organizing a collection by reading level from a media specialist’s perspective. This practice violates the Bill of Rights which specifies that we must respect the individual needs, interests, and abilities of users. As reading levels are not always a “true” indication of the reading/emotional/intellectual level of materials, they may also mislead or restrict a reader into utilizing items which do not suit their needs, interests, or ability levels. Furthermore, reading programs such as Accelerated Reader are not “research-based” curricula and, as such, can not be effectively defended by teachers either. Nor should these programs direct the organization of a library.
If faced with a library which was organized by reading level, I would first do away with the labels and provide an alternate means of obtaining the proposed “reading level” of materials. This type of information could be easily provided to students, parents, and teachers through electronic databases/catalogues. I would also create literary circles, student blogs, or other social interactions with literature and library materials in order to promote interest. There are many other ways to attract readers rather than count points and toss out T-shirts. Ironically, my son is wearing one right now that proclaims “Top AR Reader!” However, when I asked what he likes best about the AR program, he replied, “We get to play basketball at the party and they clapped because I was in 3rd place.” The word “reading” was never mentioned…
I just recently took part in a Professional Learning experience with another Elementary School within our county. I personally have never given "labeling" much thought until a few of us noticed that this library was labeled by reading levels. Some teachers thought this was great and some were not so impressed. This brought up a huge discussion later and now I am reading about it! I can agree with Ashley as well as the media specialist from Houston's article that the pro for labeling by reading level is for the younger students. It would be easier for these students to locate a book that's color corresponds with their level. But my question is what happens when these kids get older and need to read a book, how will they locate which book is appropriate or on their level?
ReplyDeleteMy school currently does not have AR or such programs. It is my knowledge that we have never had these programs. I personally like that we do not have these programs. When I was in elementary school my school did have AR and I can remember just reading books and taking the test to get an ice cream party but not ever comprehending the book. This has stuck with me over the years. I would rather a child read for enjoyment and comprehension than for points.
In the article it states that Reading Specialist don't consider AR and such programs part of the balanced literacy programs which are designed to help students in all four areas of literacy. The article even states that the Federal Government does not consider reading incentive programs researched based and are currently ineligible for federal Department of Education Funds.
If I were to come into a library that was labeled by reading level I would more than likely keep the labels on the old books but I would like to not label the new books. I would also like to speak with the administration as well as reading coached and discuss pros and cons of labeling within the library. I personally do not think labeling by reading level is a good thing but all perspectives and suggestions would have to be taken into account before changing a library.
The pros of labeling are it makes it easier for a student to find a book they know they can read, and most of the time it makes the parents happier. The teachers also like labeling, because it is easier for their students to find AR books and increase their points. The cons of labeling are that it creates barriers. All the students usually see is a label. They look more for a label than a book that truly grabs their interest.
ReplyDeleteI would defend organizing my collection by reading levels by pointing out that it acts just as that, a great organizational tool. Organizing books by reading levels helps students to go to the exact reading level they know they can handle. If they look at the book and see it looks very easy to read, they know they can go up and try the next reading level.
I do not think that Accelerated Reader programs should direct the organization of the library. The purpose of a library is to expose students to all sorts of types of information, not just what is at their reading level. An elementary school library is meant for pre-kindergarten through fifth grade students. They should be organized in a way that flows and lets all students know they have access to all the books.
If I became a librarian in a school that had labels on the books, I would either start the process of taking the labels off or start leaving labels off of new books purchased. I also would provide a shortcut in the catalog or on the computer desktop for students, teachers, or parents to be able to access the Accelerated Reader book list.
Labeling books in a media center is a touchy subject for many people. I worked in one media center where the books labeled for the Accelerated Reader program were pulled out of the regular shelving and in a special section of the media center. The students never looked at the other books in the collection. In my media center we do use colored dots to label the books for accelerated reading levels. The books are shelved exactly as they would be if there was no labeling at all. This way,the books are easy to find after looking at the Destiny catalog. Another benefit is that the students see the other books in the collection and are free to choose one book for an Accelerated Reader test and then a second book that is anything they want to read. Students in my school from 2nd to 5th grades may check out two books and they are not limited by the colored dots. They realize that a book labeled higher than their level may be to challenging but are free to read anything on their level or below. Younger students need the help of having a colored dot for a 1st or 2nd grade book. My media center is blessed to have over 14.5 books per student plus about 600 paperbacks on a rack that are not in the Dewey Decimal system so they check them out by signing a card like in the old days before automation of the media center.
ReplyDeleteOn my Destiny Quest OPAC students and parents may search by either the Lexile level or the Accelerated Reader level. This catalog is also available on my media center page of the school web site at http://diamondlakes.rcboe.org Parents are free to come in and check out books they want their student to read. Labels help them also.
One of the reasons that this should be such an interesting topic to wrestle with is its similarity to the topic of self-censorship. When you all read and discussed self-censorship you had to learn how to separate your media specialist self and philosophy from your parent self and philosophy. No media specialist should ever say that a parent can't tell his/her own personal child what he/she should read. But it's far different to take on that role as a media specialist for an entire school of children. When we self-censor we often cross that line.
ReplyDeleteFor this week's topic of labeling we have to separate our media specialist self from our teacher self. In a school that uses AR/Reading Counts/etc. it is much easier for teachers when the books are shelved by reading level. And as media specialists we do want to make things easier for our colleagues. But how does that impact our own professional beliefs and values?
I just came across a challenge to Running with Scissors (which is a memoir) in Hillsborough County. One very interesting piece of information was that one option in the reconsideration process was adding a label "For Mature Readers Only." What a way to entice a high school reader!
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to the article:
http://3.ly/UFyI
I found the articles based upon various cataloging methods most beneficial in determining what might be appropriate when organizing a school library. I don’t think there is one specific method that is “best”- instead I feel it depends on the grade levels and philosophy of the particular school. I think, for the most part, the philosophy of the school libraries are pretty much related. I think, in general terms, they all involve enhancing students’ (1) desire to read, (2) understanding of how to locate information that they read, (3) and learn from the information that they read. The grade levels, however, may play a huge role in determining how the collection in the library is physically arranged.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, as I’ve read and experienced, programs such as AR have also hugely affected the organization of the media center materials. To an extent, I can understand how organizing books by reading level may be beneficial for the educational perspective of the media center. It would also be easier for teachers to educate students and make sure they are reading at their particular level. On the other hand, I can see where instructing a student to only read from one particular section may limit their enjoyment and perhaps motivation to read. I remember attending an elementary school as a child that implemented the AR program. My specific reading level seemed to only allow me to read chapter books like The Babysitter’s Club, Nancy Drew, and the Hardy Boys. I remember reading all of these series, wishing for a change. In this sense I can emphasize with the children who are forced to participate in such programs.
On the other hand, the Dewey decimal and author’s last name methods are not flawless. I work within a primary school, and the students do not seem to understand these means of organization. When watching them, it seems that students just roam through the isles and find a book, somewhere, that looks appealing. Especially within the fiction area, it is very difficult to find a particular book, when they are organized by the author’s last name- especially when you don’t know the author! A difficultly I experience is collecting books for the upcoming letter of the week. It is very difficult to find books with “O” in the title just by looking by the author’s last name!
One alterative organizational method that I feel is beneficial within our school, which is focused on very young students, is organizing by categories, titles, or series. Our school has labels alongside the Dewey decimal codes like “folktales” or “nonfiction.” The nonfiction is further broken down into sections labeled “animals,” “hygiene,” and “government.” This has shown to help students locate what they are looking for. Perhaps the decimal system is still effective, just with some added titles and subsections for more specific searches.
A pro of labeling books by reading level is that it makes it easier for students to find books on their level. A con is that the students are sort of stuck in an area that they can only look in and they are not able to find other books that might interest them. Also, other students easily recognize the level of a book and might make fun of another student with a low reading level. Our school does not have an AR program presently, but they did have it at one time. The media center is not organized according to grade levels, but the reading level of each book is written inside the cover of the book. The students are able to locate books of their interest and check out one that they will enjoy. I cannot see myself as a media specialist organizing the media center by reading levels. I,personally, like to be able to make up my own mind about books and I think that students do as well.
ReplyDeleteIf I became a media specialist in a media center that had books identified by reading levels, I would leave the present book labels on the books, but I would not label any new books that come into the media center.
On the topic of leveling books with labels is a tough on for me. As an elementary school teacher our focus is to get children reading. We also really push to AR program as a way to increase reading levels of children. If the books aren't labeled with levels, if makes it very hard to the student to know which books to read to help increase their reading level to a higher one.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, when I think of it as a media specialist, I can see all the books that a child wanting to read not being checked out because it is not on their level. The articles this week really got me thinking about the topic and I even spoke with my media specialist at my school to get her opinion. She could see it both ways too.
Children, especially in elementary school need some help when it comes to checking out books. I think there should be a balance of books they checkout to read for the AR program on their level and then they too should be allowed to checkout books that aren't leveled, just because they want to read it.
Labeling books by reading level is not something I am inclined to approve of nor do in a school library. When I started working in a middle school library in 2004, all the AR books were labeled with an AR label (to show there was a quiz for that particular title) and also with a colored dot. There was a corresponding “color dot” poster that showed the AR levels for each color. I removed the poster and did not put any more color dots on new books coming into the collection. I did continue to put a generic AR label on books to indicate a quiz was available but students had to pull the book off the shelf and look at the label inside to find out the reading level and points. (Increases the chance that they will actual look at the BOOK itself and read the blurb!) The books are NOT shelved according to AR levels but are shelved according to genre and then alphabetically by author.
ReplyDeleteAlmost every day, however, a student will come in and pick out a book they want to read and then tell me they can’t read it because it’s not “on their level.” I tell them that they can read any book they want to read, regardless of the level, but they should take quizzes within the teacher-assigned levels. I hate it when AR gets in the way of loving to read and reading for pleasure!
I believe that it would not be beneficial to organize a media collection by reading level, or by an Accelerated Reading program. This would only cause confusion. One of the reasons is time management. Organizing by reading level requires media specialists to spend time organizing first by reading level and then by a second method that enable students to locate books. Media Specialists who organize by the Dewey Decimal System will have less work then the other Media Specialists who organize by reading level. Secondly, having consistency of organization with the media center would cause less confusion for students. The media collection should be organized the same throughout the school, district or state. Another reason for not organizing by reading level is that students should not have to worry about being identified as low readers. In organizing a media center by reading level, this promotes identification of students in a negative way and does not allow for student anonymity within the school.
ReplyDeleteIf I was a media specialist in an elementary school, and the collection was organized by reading level, I would change the collection to the Dewey Decimal System. This allows for consistency with other school media centers. By color-coding books in the library this allows younger student access to find books that they can read, and limits the confusion students feel when looking for a book.
If I became a media specialist and my school library was organized by reading level, I would first meet with my principal and discuss with him the importance of changing the media center to reflect what students would see when they go to other schools. It is important that student learn the proper way to identify and locate books in the library. This promotes cohesiveness in all libraries, in all schools across the world.
I believe the students are the media specialist's top priority, not making things easier for our colleagues. I have heard teachers say that trips to the library would be much easier and quicker if books were sorted by reading level. Students would not have to spend so much time in the library looking for a book. Of course they wouldn't, because their choices would be so much more limited. How would teachers like it if they went to the library and were told they could only select from certain shelves...books on THEIR AR level??? We went through this 2 years ago at my school. If teachers could only choose from books 8.0 and up, they would not be happy with their choices. ....The students don't like it either.
ReplyDeleteWe label and rotate basically at the same time. I am not blessed enough to have a school media center. The materials we have are labeled mostly by themes. Each month we have to have changes to the environment in each center and in our lending library. I mostly point out to the students the beginner reading books. They can find Dr. Seuss books or books with the cat in the hat without a problem. For the younger students labeling books is rewarding to them. Once they can tell you the from looking at the front cover the author is Dr. Seuss because they have seen his name so much they feel they can read. Yes, many of my boys can find a book about trains, trucks, or superheroes. Many of those books are not as rewarding as the beginner reading books.
ReplyDeleteMany of the students I encountered during student teaching loved to the AR books. They read for the rewards. I look as this tactic as bitter/sweet. They mostly wanted the popcorn party or the 50 dollar gift card at the end of the year. For African American students this is big, many of our students don't find it fun to read. My 12 year old son only wants to read when directed for an assignment. My 16yr old daughter loves to read and she reads books of her interest. I think labeling books or not labeling books may not deter readers. If they are reading for an interest they will read anyway.
The library at my school labels books by reading level. I teach 8th grade reading and I ask students to read books at or above a 5th grade reading level when meeting AR requirements. They may check out any book that they like, but I have to put certain requirements on the reading levels; otherwise, students will read lower level books because they want to get the easiest selection.
ReplyDeleteI know some teachers only allow their students to check out books with a certain color label (their reading level) but I disagree with the idea of that. My students can check out any book that they like, but I'll only allow test grades to come from certain levels.
I have mixed feelings about organizing my collection by reading level because some really good books are lower level but I know students would love them. I think the AR program is great, but I also think differing ideas and programs should be incorporated into the curriculum in order to provide diverse experiences for all students.
If I were to become a media specialist in a school in which the materials were organized by reading level, I would try to encourage all teachers to work with students and try to ensure that students know that they can read really good books that may be categorized as "lower level". The book level shouldn't be the main determinant for reading. Raising student interest and providing books that can make a connection to their lives is key when trying to create a love for reading.
I think that I posted this is the wrong place so here it is again, hopefully in the correct place.
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?
One of the pros of separating by level is that it makes the books quick to find, especially for very early readers who can be overwhelmed easily. A major con is finding a place for all the books and then being able to find them when looking for a specific title. When books are not organized in a fashion suitable for cataloging, finding books by author or title is next to impossible. I don't like that AR determines so many things in a media center. I believe books should be purchased based on interest for the students. We are trying to create kids that are lifelong readers. 20 years from now are they going to say I loved reading ... or are they going to remember that they won the AR points for the class. I think it will be the latter because they aren't reading them because the love reading, they are reading them because they want to win. Looking around a fifth grade classroom you can see that kids get quickly burned out on competitive reading. They loose sight of the purpose of reading and eventually dread reading at all. I feel that the media center should be a place for students to enjoy and find things that interest them. If the media center is for kids, why aren't the kids allowed to use it?
ReplyDeleteI feel a good method to teach the students is the five finger method. Turn to a page with words. Start reading it, every time you get to a word you don't understand or is hard for you, hold up a finger
3. When you have finished reading the page, if you have five fingers up then it is too hard for now and you should wait awhile to read that one, if no fingers are up it is too easy. Any where between 1 and 4 fingers up is a good book to work on.
This is a quick way from students to have control of the books that they read. I believe this creates confidence and lets the students actually ENJOY what they read.
Labeling books by reading level can be beneficial to students in the younger grades because they will be able to pick a book that is on their level without confusion. I do not feel this is needed once you get into middle school or high school. Labeling the book by reading level is one thing, however, I do not agree with organizing the library by reading level. I can understand that placing a label on a book that includes the reading level will make the selection easier for some students but reorganizing the entire library will bring about a whole new problem. I agree with Valerie Kinney that wrote to Pat Scales stating that, “they’d never be prepared to use a regular library”. This is so true because most libraries in higher level education do not organize by reading level. To me this also would defeat the purpose of having a good cataloguing system. Students would basically go directly to their reading level shelf and never encounter any of the other great books in the library.
ReplyDeleteDefending the organization of a library by reading level would be difficult for me because I do not agree with it. However, if I must I might say that it would make a visit to the library quick and easy for students.
I do not think that programs like Accelerated Reader should direct the organization of the school library. My middle school stopped the requirement of AR two years ago. AR is still required by some teachers but it is not a school requirement now. The majority of the teachers were happy about the policy change. Students are still required to bring a book to each class but it does not have to be an AR book. Even when we required AR our media center was never organized based on AR. I feel that the media center should be a place where students can explore and find new and interesting titles that they want to check out. Not limit them based on what level they are on or the amount of points they need.
If I became a librarian in a school where the materials were organized by reading level I would hopefully be able to approach the administrator much like the media specialist that wrote to Pat Scales did and ask if it would be possible to change the organization. The problem is you may face opposition from teachers but it might be a good idea to explain in some way to the teachers why this is an important change.
A pro of organizing a media center by leveling books is that this helps the young reader locate books. The media center in the school I used to work at had their AR designated books placed in the middle of the library and they went from K-2. Starting at the 3rd grade level, the books were placed in the Everyone section. The AR books were still labeled, but were placed in alphabetical order by the author's last name. The media center where I am now, has all fiction books from K-6 in the middle of the library.
ReplyDeleteAs a con, I can see where students do not properly learn how to use the library. We didn't have AR when I was young, and I learned how to find books that were interesting to me just fine without AR, so what makes us think that the children today can't? I really don't like the labeling. I have so many 5th graders this year that are burned out on reading b/c they think they have to read only AR books. When I tell them they can read anything they want, they give me funny looks b/c they have never been told they can do that. Aren't we supposed to guide students into their interests and make reading enjoyable? The AR program has just put a bad taste in my mouth over the past couple of years. It seems everything is focused on points and who meets their goal so they can get a "prize"...ugh!
Rebecca Bock commented from Pat Scales' article that she left the old AR labels on the current collection, but her new acquisitions did not get labeled. I like this idea. If I became a media specialist in a school in which the materials were organized by reading level, I would take a survey from the teachers, students, and parents to get their insight and opinions. I would then take the results to the principal to make my case. There may be some opposition to changes, but in the long run, it would be a positive change. I believe circulation would increase because students wouldn't be afraid to read books other than what is on their level. I have also taught my students the "Five Finger Rule" when searching for those "just right books". Kids are smart and they know when a book is right for them. I have also seen some 5th graders who are reading below grade level, and they will not check out books anymore b/c they are embarrassed to read those lower level books when other 5th graders are reading on grade level or above grade level books. They want to challenge themselves with other books, but have been told they have to read on a certain level and they feel restricted. What a shame!
I work at an elementary school in which AR books are labeled with a colored dot. The Easy books are arranged on the shelves according to the reading level - all pinks together, all green together, etc. The fiction books are arranged by the author's last name. I have heard our media specialist defend this organization method. She feels that grouping the easy books together by reading level helps her keep up with the reshelving that is required each day. She said that it takes too much time to reshelve a multitude of books by the author's last name. I understand that students can find books on their reading level more quickly when they are grouped that way in a media center. This method would increase students' independence in locating a book. However, the cons are ones already stated by other individuals in this class. Organization by reading level is not the method used in the public library or all school libraries. Also, older students who are reading below grade level are likely to feel self-conscious about choosing books from the lower level section.
ReplyDeleteIf I wanted to defend organizing the collection by reading level, I would emphasize that this organization helps young students find books on their reading level easier than by using alphabetical order of the author's last name. After reading all of the information this week, though, I don't think that I would try to defend such a method.
I do not feel that any reading program should direct the organization of the media center. In our media center, the non-AR books have ended up on separate bookshelves apart from the AR books, and I never see students looking at them. I feel that our school has somehow lost touch with AR. I don't hear updates on how to implement AR correctly, and I'm not sure how much the teachers support it.
If I found myself in a media center that was organized by reding level, I would probably not make any drastic changes right away. I think that I would talk to the teachers and administrators to find out their perceptions of the reading program and how the library was organized. I would try to emphasize the need for students to be able to locate books in the elementary library using the standard procedures which will be used in the middle school and high school. Hopefully, I would be able to reorganize the books and convince teachers to allow students to read whatever they desire even it meant having to compromise (check out 1 AR book on level and one book of any type). Currently, teachers seem to be very strict about students only checking out books on their reading level. I would try to address this issue and see that students were given the chance to check out lower or higher level material.
I feel tremendous guilt after reading this week's material. Not for students, because I am not actively teaching, but for my own daughter. There were so many times she wanted to read ANOTHER Barbie or Princess book and I just could not make myself do it. I would just gently guide her to something else she probably did not want to read as much, but that I could stomach. That being said, I feel like I was infringing upon her intellectual freedom.
ReplyDeleteI definitely understand the "dark" side of the reading incentive programs. I do feel like students are encouraged to just read for points and prizes, not pleasure. On the other hand, the AR program at my daughter's school is popular because of the mystery trip. I'm not saying the students are learning life lessons, but they are reading with a vengeance. All are trying to out read each other and get enough points to make it on Mrs. Greene's ever-so popular Mystery Trip at the end of the year. If the goal of the reading incentive program is to boost circulation and get non-reader's reading, then that is what the program does in my daughter's school (Houston's article).
The media center is still organized by the Dewey Classification system. I know the books are labeled with color-coded stars, but students are encouraged to search for books of interest. Which is the way I feel it should be. I know my daughter used to look for AR books when she first started checking books out to bring home in 1st grade, but now I believe she chooses more out of preference. I know she is more into series and chapter books now.
I like the idea of removing the color-coded labeling. If I ever become a media specialist I like to think I would be brave enough to remove the color coded labeling and help students search for books they would enjoy.
We use the Reading Counts program in our school so our materials are labeled with colored dots if we have a quiz on that particular book. Up until this year, we had all of the "red dot" books, which are 1st grade reading level, in a red cart. The new media specialist has started to shelve some of the red dot books on the shelves to make the upper grade children who are on a lower reading level not feel so self conscious about choosing a book on their reading level. The red cart does tend to draw attention and is usually surrounded by our 1st grade students. Since we use the Reading Counts program, the colored dots make it easier. We have a banner in the library that displays reading level and dot color. The teachers like the labeling and it seems to work for us. I do like the fact that we are shelving some of the red dot books this year because that does draw less attention to the lower reading level students.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of AR, but then I'm partly biased against it from my memories of it when I was a kid. I'd buy a few illustrated classics (highly abridged, illustrated versions of the classics, or go through a few Hardy Boys books to get the minimum number of points required for me in a couple of weeks, then I'd switch back to the books I actually wanted to read, which were often not on the AR list. It was just a hoop to jump through for me, but I know many kids won't come in already being an avid reader and they only see the hoops and not the other motivations for reading. That's what happened to my sister.
ReplyDeleteI can understand the reasons to label by reading level, especially for schools with AR. It expedites the process of finding books for all involved. It helps students find books in their reading comfort level quickly. To students who know and understand what levels are right for them, it may even give them confidence to select the books.
Still, for kids, especially the younger ones, it's common to follow these sorts of rules and not think to go outside of them until they get older and more driven toward independence. By organizing and labeling by reading level, I think it encourages selecting books more by that than by interest and it reinforces that reading is only for tests and points and not personal enjoyment.
If I end up in a school with books organized by reading level, I think I'd do what the writer of one of the letters in our articles did. I'd talk to the principal, explain why I think it's a bad idea and hope they're willing to support me.
One comment on one of the Scales articles: She seemed to say that the library shouldn't acquire The Lovely Bones for a middle school classroom but if it had the book shouldn't require parental permission or other forms of controlled access to the book. Is it just me or does it seem like choosing to not stock the book because of its content is just as much, if not more, censorship as controlling access?
I must admit, since most of my experience is at the high school level, I haven't really thought about labeling based on reading level much...and I really didn't know it was such a big issue. Actually, I was caught "off guard" when I entered an elementary media center for my practicum a few weeks ago, and it was organized according to reading level. The school, like all the others in my county, is a big participant in the AR program. Though I'm not a big fan of AR, because of my own experience as a child-getting "burnt out" reading, simply to get enough points to participate in activities being offered, I understand its purpose, and it "works" for our local schools.
ReplyDeleteOne conversation that I happened to catch a bit of during my observation was one in which the media specialist was addressing her own policy to only allow students at her school to only read books within their reading level. That morning she had entered into a discussion with another local media specialist who allowed their students to read at whatever level they wished, after they had met their taget AR point total-of course. :) Her response was, "Oh dear, we don't do that. It's not good to allow students to read below their level. Then they can't read when they get to high school." And while I agree with her intentions, since I actually had some of those students who couldn't read in my 11th grade classes, I would argue that a student simply reading-regardless of the reading level-would increase their abilities and interest in reading.
It was sad to me to have to send students back to search again when they picked out books that were not in their reading level. For example, I had one kindergarten kid who was so excited about her Dora book, but was not allowed to check it out because it was on a second grade level...as were ALL of the Dora books in the library. She left with a Clifford book, which she was not the least bit excited about, but hey...it was on her "level!"
Therefore, I guess it's not so much the "labeling" of the books that bothers me, but instead it's the policies that are enforced because of that labeling that are problematic for me. Though the reading level labeling does make it harder to find books, it's the restrictions those reading level labels put on students that is the real issue for me.
And finally, while I would like to say that if I took over a media center that was organized and labeled according to reading level I would change it, I can't honestly say that I definitely would. While I know I would definitely want to, I must admit that I would be worried about doing this as a new, young media specialist because of the backlash I fear it would bring from the teachers.
The ALA’s preamble regarding labeling and reading systems states that classification and readers’ services should be used to make available the information that library users want or need. From my experience, media centers that implement an Accelerated Reader (AR) labeling system have patrons that WANT the labeling. Labeling systems or classifications become an infringement on intellectual freedom when they restrict users from accessing resources or present a psychological barrier, which hinder students from selecting materials. Therefore, it would be questionable to organize a media centers collection by such labeling systems as AR. To cater to students’ needs, our system’s middle school created a small area within the media center where titles are arranged by AR point value. This is section is only a fraction of the overall collection. I wonder: Are your schools doing something similar?
ReplyDeleteTyler Torek
First, I have never worked in a school that has used AR. From what I know of the program, I am glad that I have not. The readings made me think about the kind of access that we give to our students to reading material. I was walking through the public library the other day, looking for a personal book to read. They had a system that put stickers on the books that classified them as mystery, religious, classic, and so on. I was put off by this. Looking at the books, I did not agree with some of the books that they classified into the topics. I ended up finding a book of my own, without a sticker for classification.
ReplyDeleteLabeling books, while I think those who do it believe they are helping, is detrimental to developing life long readers and helping children to find interests. Children should be allowed free access to books of their choice. Labeling books puts children in a position to have to choose books on what others have deemed reading level appropriate. In the case of AR it puts undue pressure on the children to read AR titles in order to receive the extrinsic reward. It may be a book that the child has no interest in but because of the points associated with the title they feel obligated to read it. I am not convinced that this is the right way to get children to develop into readers for life.
Having taken a kindergarten class to choose books I can say that most have definite interests. Our school library limits the young readers to the easy reader section only. I find this restriction very frustrating. They are several children who interests lie outside of this easy reader section. Yet they are restricted from checking out books that would develop their interests and reading skills.
The one article that I found most helpful, was that in the case where the library did AR but the books were not labeled. The students had access to the computer for the list of AR titles. They could then find those titles among the library collection. I thought that this was a good compromise.
I will take care as a media specialist to be aware of the types of labeling and the access to reading material that I give to all students.
Our elementary school media center moved from the AR program over ten years ago when our county began the Literacy Collaborative program through Ohio State and Guided Reading. Remembering how my own daughter would just focus on those AR books and not venture out into other areas, I'm glad that we moved away from AR. I understand from a teacher standpoint that it is easier for students to have books readily available on their own level. This makes it more convenient for the teacher to see that his/her students are reading books on their level. But through the last few weeks articles, I have a better viewpoint as a media specialist. Our goal is to foster a love of books and reading in students. If we limit their choices, how can we build that love of books. All teachers want their students to be able to read and comprehend what they read. AR and programs like it do show a student's level of comprehension. I would see students just a number of books just to gain AR points but they didn't really take time to enjoy the book. Their goal was to read as many as possible. Organizing books by labeling by reading level is not research based. The current literature emphasizes research based materials be used, especially in Response to Intervention and the different tiers of intervention. If AR is not researched based, then using this as a reading strategy would not count.
ReplyDeleteAs a media specialist, if I did managed a library that was set up by reading levels, I would take the advice of Scales and speak with the administrator about my reasonings for moving away from levelized readers. My argument would be that there are many different ways to levelize books, Lexile, Guided Reading Level, etc. and organizing the library by the Dewey system would conform to how most libraries are organized. I would suggest that we teach students and teachers how to locate books by reading levels through our system. By allowing students the freedom to read books now on their own level, we open up many avenues for them to become life long readers.
My middle school used AR for many years, but decided not to spend the money on the program this year. I was grateful since this is my first year as media specialist. From the outside looking in I was never impressed with AR. I felt like students should be able to try to read books above their level if they wanted. Fortunately, our books were not visually coded. This year students are allowed to read any books they want, but must choose books within their reading range only for specific assignments. The reading enhancement teacher and special ed teachers are the only teachers that have this requirement. The Destiny Quest tool allows students to search for books using reading range or Lexile for these assignments. Our media committee will review the success of this year’s reading plan next month. I hope we can continue without AR, but if we do then Destiny Quest will have to be the tool used to find books. I won’t move or label books.
ReplyDeleteI would like to respond to Jacob’s reference to the Scales article mentioning The Lovely Bones. I also came to the conclusion that Scales recommends that it not be selected for a middle school, but if the book is already in the collection it should not be controlled by parent permission or any other method of controlling access. This seemed contradictory to me too. In fact a lot of our readings seem contradictory. The ALA articles stress that we should not censor in any way or make age level determinations. Yet, we are also advised to use reputable journal reviews as a tool for making selections which generally identify the age appropriateness of the books reviewed. This makes it difficult for me to respond favorably to all of the ALA information when in practice I will use the journal reviews as a tool for censorship.
This week's topic is ironic, as I'd recently made the comment that I wish a bookstore existed with all books simply put in alphabetical order! When attempting to find a certain author in Barnes & Noble, I first had to decipher if he was filed under mystery or action or literature! I understand the need for organization, but sometimes I wish for simplicity.
ReplyDeleteAs far as school libraries, I hadn't given any thought to organizing a fiction collection other than alphabetically. I (wrongly) assumed books were always alphabetized. The media center where I worked as the assistant to the m.s. arranged fiction alphabetically, with the Easy books also alphabetized; AR books had the recognizable sticker with the point value written in. The reading level was less conspicuous, but displayed on the spine (twice) and within the front cover. The majority of children (teachers, parents?) insisted on choosing AR books, or compromised by getting one AR and one "regular" book. When I'd suggest they simply read what they want and not worry about a book's point value, you'd think I'd said an offensive comment by their reactions!
When re-reading my comments, I'd say I'm against organizing by reading level or AR, though I realize some concessions must be made for the younger students. Having students select materials based on reading level is a practice I understand but don't agree with. Because reading is everything to me (right behind my own children!), I believe that, given choices and freedom, children will choose appropriate books for their level. They don't like feeling discouraged/frustrated, so would gravitate towards books they could handle. This sounds ideal and probably not of the real school world, but I cringed every time I witnessed a teacher take a book from a child saying they needed to choose a book within their reading level. How can a child develop their passion and curiosity towards reading if they're forever 2nd guessing their choices or trying to please the teacher?
Q1.
ReplyDeleteWhat are the pros and cons of labeling by reading level?
It seems that it is more “convenient” for teachers and school librarians from a functional task perspective.
For students is seems simpler and more direct but students are faced with the stigmatism of the “label” that correlates with the book level. Additionally, it is simpler and more convenient for students but it not developmental for the information literacy skills as students do not have to use the traditional steps in locating, finding and making decisions based on various options that help to advance their information literacy skills.
Q2.
How would you defend organizing your collection by reading level?
I would not defend organizing my collection by reading level because it is counter productive to information literacy skills students should learn and practice. Additionally, reading level categories are still “labels” and it violates First Amendment Rights by further exposing the content of what students select.
Q3.
Should programs like Accelerated Reader direct the organization of the school library?
No these programs should not direct the organization of the library as they promote uniform materials and this ultimately endorses one program/content/viewpoint over others which is a violation of the mission of the ALA and First Amendment Rights.
I would instead of labeling my AR books, pull books and place on a cart for a “visiting class” that is reflective of the class reading levels, based on the AR Reports and ALSO encourage students to go to the shelves to look for books themselves (especially for the younger elementary grades).
I would for upper grades show students how and where the AR reports the list of recommended books and correlating reading levels. I would work with students to select a book or two and them show them how to search the school collection for the preferred book. This design I believe uses the data as it was originally intended by AR and although a little more effort, develops the 9 Info Literacy Standards the MS is to teach.
I might even develop a screencast for students on this process, after addressing this issue and gaining support from the teachers and administrators.
Q4.
If you became a school librarian in a school where the materials were organized by reading level, what might you do?
I would follow the steps discussed in the Success Stories article written by Scales. First I would provide related research to the school administrator along with short and long term plans to transition the “labeled” media center into one without “labels” that fostered both reading for fun and developmental reading.
Part of the plan would be to remove the “labels” on the books but the second part of the plan would involve collaborating with teachers to use the AR Test results so that books on the shelf or in the collection could be suggested to students. A print out could be given to students that matched their current or developing reading level, per student, then students have some ownership related to what they read. They become “reading partners” with the teacher and media specialist and a transformed from a “labeled rediing slave” to a “Happy Reader”.
In addition, because AR is now subscription based, I would look at other programs designed to help develop readers with assessment and intervention (for Math and Reading) such as Yearly Progress Pro to see if other options may encourage reading for pleasure.
What are the pros and cons of labeling by
ReplyDeletereading level?
When it comes to labeling materials by reading levels, I believe that the cons outweigh the pros. The only positive outcome of leveling materials is that is aids struggling students in the selection of materials that he or she can successfully read. The negative aspects of labeling include not allowing for the equitable use of resources and materials for all students.
It also guides the students’ searches, causing students to search by level rather than interest. Labeling may lead to embarrassment for students who are reading below grade level (other students can clearly see the level on the spine of the book). It also inhibits the students’ ability to find books in a regular library.
How would you defend organizing your collection by reading level?
I would argue that reluctant readers are not likely to search for books and often claim that they do not have interests. Giving students a reading level and providing clear access to books on those levels aides them in the selection process. In an effort to make every student a reader, books are labeled to assist students in selecting an appropriate book in the time allotted. I would further state that students are free to select any resources they wish and are not limited to materials within their reading levels.
Should programs like Accelerated Reader direct
the organization of the school library?
Programs such as Accelerated Readers should not direct the organization of the school library. These programs are based on reading levels and do not address the interest, developmental, or curricular needs of students. If AR books dictate the organization of the library, where do the non-AR books belong?
If you became a school librarian in a school in
which the materials were organized by reading
level, what might you do?
I would most likely follow Scales advice- remove the reading level labels, bookmark AR’s website, and teach students, parents, and teachers how to identify books by reading level.
Q1: What are the pros and cons of labeling by reading level?
ReplyDeletePro
Labels can help younger patrons find and select desired materials.
Cons
Labeling by reading level is an invasion of privacy because people other than the students’ parents and teachers will have knowledge of the students’ reading level.
Labeling places limitations on the materials that the students can check out the media center.
Q2: How would you defend organizing your collection by reading level?
To be quite honest, the only defense that I would have is the fact that organizing the collection by reading level helps younger patrons find and select desired materials.
Q3: Should programs like Accelerated Reader direct the organization of the school library?
No! It is my personal opinion that a school library can have some form of organization without placing the reading level and point value on books. As a matter of fact, the school library can be organized according to the author’s last name and the Dewey Decimal System.
Q4: If you became a school librarian in a school in which the materials were organized by reading level, what might you do?
The first thing that I would do is talk to my administrator. I would inform the administrator that labeling by reading level is an invasion of privacy and places limitations on the materials that students can check out of the media center. Therefore, it is imperative to stop labeling materials. If the administrator agrees with me, I would not take any of the labels off of the old materials. In addition, I would not place labels on the new materials.
Here are a couple more stories of censorship in the news:
ReplyDeleteSeveral of you read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" and here's a news story about a recent challenge to that title:
http://www.ocregister.com/news/book-241002-district-wrote.html
This article is titled "The 11 Most Surprising Banned Books":
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/29/the-11-most-surprising-ba_n_515381.html
It's interactive-you can vote on which title surprised you the most (although at this point in the semester you shouldn't be surprised by any of these!)
The topic of labelling is tough for me. I see the up side, the obvious ease of locating a book. However, the downside is the fact that all the other students automatically know what level book their classmates are reading. As a parent of a child with a lower reading level I don't like this idea. While we work very hard on her reading I don't think the attention to what level she's reading by her classmates would make that easier on her or our progress. If I were to start working in a media center that was already labelled I would have to seriously consider unlabelling the books. I don't disagree with and EVERYBODY section, that's an obvious perk and even a fun section, but other books should all be labelled the same and shouldn't make a student stand out. I also think that a student with a lower reading level may choose a book higher than their reading just so that their book label would match their classmates. I just can't say that I'm a fan of this practice, especially since I'm faced with it in my daughter's own school media center.
ReplyDeleteThe articles for this week’s assignment were of great interest for me. This is my fifth year at the school in which I am currently working. For fun the other day I asked my students to explain to me what the Dewey Decimal System was and not one of them offered an explanation. Our library is arranged so that the reference materials and 900’s are in one room in the remainder of the collection in another room. All AR books are categorized by AR level and housed in their own section. Although I am fond of the AR program, I am not pleased by the way the books are arranged. For one thing, AR books are placed on a shelf or in a container with no organizational structure other than AR book level. Just the other day a child wanted an Amelia Bedelia book and was not able to locate it on the shelf. As it turns out this particular book was an AR book and even though the child spent time looking for the book, she ultimately gave up and chose another book. I can sympathize with her because I experience the same frustration when I was working on my collection development project.
ReplyDeleteBefore the budget struggles with my county, I was approached about the media specialist position that will be open at our school. One of my worries was the organizational system in the library. I do not agree with grouping books together by AR level, genre, or by series, so given the position, I would group everything based on the Dewey System. Because many of the teachers at my school are not pleased with the current set up, I do not think rearranging would cause a great deal of trouble, however I do think the students would become confused. This would mean teaching a series of lessons on how to use the library which would result in the students knowing what the Dewey Decimal System is all about. I do agree that students need a way of scanning the shelves for books within their reading level so I would provide labels as a way of identifying AR books and book levels.
One of the pros of labeling and organizing a library by reading level is that it is easy for students to select a book. It is also easy for an untrained volunteer to reshelve the books quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, a library organized by reading level makes it hard for students to learn how to use the Dewey Decimal system to locate books. Students also do not know how to search for books by topic or how to find a book on a subject that interests them. Books organized by colored dots also make it hard for the OPAC to align with the items on the shelf. The media specialist or paraprofessional may have a hard time locating a specific item since the media center is not organized by title or author.
ReplyDeleteOrganizing a media center by reading level can be a helpful secondary way of arranging materials. It can help motivate reluctant readers to become active readers and assist these students with quickly and easily locating a book on their reading level. In an understaffed library, especially in these times of staff and budget cuts, it can assist the media specialist with an administrative duty by helping cut down on the time spent checking in and reshelving books. If the AR program is a central part of the instructional mission of the school, the organizing materials by reading level is helping to support the school's instructional program.
I personally do not believe that programs like AR should direct the organization of materials in the media center. AR focuses only on very shallow aspects of reading. It is based on extrinsic rewards and basic comprehension questions. It doesn't promote life-long learning or reading for the joy of it. It is a rigid program that locks students into one level and doesn't encourage them to challenge themselves by exploring books outside of their reading level. It also doesn't encourage real world skills by having the library organized with books in alphabetical order or according to the Dewey Decimal system. If we are trying to train students who will eventually know how to use public or academic libraries, they will need to know how to use online catalogs or search for items in alphabetical order.
If I came to work in a school that had the materials organized by reading level, I would work to stop this practice. I would begin by asking permission from the administration to organize the library by more mainstream standards. Once I had their permission, I would educate the staff about the benefits of not labeling the materials. Any new books would not have colored dots on them. I would keep reading level labels on any old books, but I would re-organize the library so that the fiction section was alphabetical by the author's last name. The rest of the library would be organized by the Dewey system. The reading level information would still be on the books so that students and staff could utilize this information if they wanted to, but students would not be limited in what books they selected for their reading or research needs.
I have mixed feelings about labeling books by reading level. On the up side, when the books are labeled by reading level then students are able to get books that they are physically able to read and comprehend. In my experience as a teacher in a school with and without books labeled this way, if students are not directly led to get books within their specific level then they tend to choose books that way too hard. If that happens, then the likelihood of them to actually follow through and read the book is very slim, mostly because they are simply unable to.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, if books are labeled by reading level then it is extremely hard to find specific titles or authors. I have had this problem in the current school I work in. When preparing lessons I normally search for books by authors that I know write a certain way, and I am simply unable to do that in this media center because of the labeling system. However, overall I do think the pro’s for students out way the cons.
In regard to Accelerated Reader, I have completely mixed feelings. Again, I have worked in schools where this program was not used, and in a school where this program fully directed the organization and ordering of materials. I agree with the ALA article that suggested a dominating program like Accelerated reader can limit the selection of materials, and cause more focus to be put on the level than on the actual content. However, in my experience a school that has a program like this has more success with getting students motivated to read independently and on their own ability level.
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.
ReplyDeleteLee Ann Pittman
Wow! I had not even thought about this controversy! I am like some of my cohorts--I believe the labels (if used for reading levels and not GRADE levels) could make finding an academic age appropriate book much easier. Students would know that it is a book they can "handle" as far as the vocabulary and wording. On the other hand, coming into a library and looking only for specific colored labels may cause students to overlook books which they may truly enjoy. One possibility might be to label books on the inside (more inconspicuously) as to whether they are a part of a required reading program. Another possibility might be for teachers to offer alternative forms of "testing" on books they have read. I know at our school, students can take a test or write a book report. Scales reported in her article that teachers don't seem to remember that reading is fun and that the fun has been taken out of much of the reading. When I was in elementary and middle school, I vividly remember reading books and doing non-traditional book reports. I dressed up like a character and gave a report (I think from a first-person perspective); I made a model of Anne Frank's secret home; and I designed dresses representative of each of the four girls in "Little Women." These things made reading the books fun, as we used creativity to show our understanding.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I did like the ideas that were presented in our readings about organizing books by categories/ interests, which increased circulation. My biggest qualms with that would be that students might overlook new topics that they might have come across if the books had been mixed in with other books.
If I were to inherit a center where the books were arranged by reading level, I think that I would have to eventually reorganize to the traditional format. The only thing that I would separate is a section of easy readers for those who need them, as I am in a middle/ high school. I believe students, as they learn to read, can also learn to hunt for the treasures of the library as we did growing up. As they find a favorite fiction author, they will learn where his/her books are housed. I immediately would go to Gertrude Chandler Warner's "Boxcar" series. I also often sought Alcott's books and devoured them. I would poke around and find whatever interested me.
I think students will rise to the challenge of reading if allowed more of a choice. It must be up to us to give them that opportunity.
I honestly had not given AR much thought until this week. I always have students ask me if they can take an AR test, if they can return an AR book, etc. I teach 6th grade and I think the elementary schools push the program hard in our system. I do not pay any attention to it in my classes. The students take their STAR test which assigns a reading level and that goes in a folder, which I rarely look through. The students seem to know what they are suppose to check out. I think that is the biggest problem with AR. It limits the students based on their assigned ability. I do not think the test is a true measure of thier ability. Usually the students are racing to finish the test and go look through the aisles. I think the program and the yellow dots associated with them should be trashed.
ReplyDeleteThe issue of organizing based on ability or reading level is a simple for me. Books should be organized by their call number or alphabetically by author. That is the easiest, most accessible method. Today, students have systems that they can search and locate countless materials (Destiny). They can search any subject and get a list of resources in the MC. There is no logical reason, to me, to organize the books based on ability. Students will know when they find a book if they can read it or not and I think the articles made good points about creating a situation where students would be embarassed about where they were looking for a book. The other point is that the ALA makes it extremely clear that organizing based on levels or abilities is not ok and is a violation of the library Bill of Rights.
If I was hired in a MC where this was the practice I would change it immediately. I would come to each classroom and show them Destiny and explain how the MC has changed its system of organizing books. Then, I would invite each class to come and explore the new system. Finally, I would encourage teachers to come and see the change. I would continue to administer STAR reading tests, however, I would not use it as information for the students to use to check out materials, instead I would use it as a progress check, giving it to students to see how theri reading comprehension is progressing.
What are the pros and cons of labeling by reading level?
ReplyDeleteI personally think that labeling the books in the library would make it much easier for my students to find books that are appropriate for them. Our library is currently organized in alphabetical order using the Dewey Decimal system. My first graders have a very difficult time finding books that are just right for them with the way the library is currently organized. Even though they look in the Easy section, they still cannot read many of those books independently.
Due to the fact that every grade level teaches reading through guided reading groups, our children know their independent reading level/s. If the library was organized by reading levels then our students would be able to quickly locate their independent reading level and find numerous books to choose room that they can read.
Although I agree with labeling the books in the library based on reading levels, I think the article this week made a very good point against organizing the library in this way. The point was that students will be compelled to only choose books on their reading level and will not feel that they can utilize the other resources in the library if they are not on their reading level. I understand this point completely but this is where the librarian should step in and clearly explain how the library is organized. The librarian should also be responsible for clearly explaining that students have access to all books, regardless of their reading level. If the librarian gives them permission then they will be much more comfortable with the library and checking out resources that may or may not be on their current reading level.
How would you defend organizing your collection by reading level?
As stated earlier, all of the students in our building know their current reading level at all times. For this reason, books organized by reading level will make much more sense to our students. They will feel more comfortable navigating through the media center resources because they will know exactly what kind of books they are looking for when searching the shelves. The students will no longer feel like they are blindly searching through a huge selection of Easy books to find a couple that they can read independently.
Should programs like Accelerated Reader direct the organization of the school library?
I do not think that Accelerated Reader should
direct the organization of the school library. Not all students in our building participate in the AR program therefore organizing this library using this program may make it more difficult for some students to locate books that are appropriate for them.
If you became a school librarian in a school in which the materials were organized by reading level, what might you do?
Due to the fact that I personally support organizing the library in this way, I would be very pleased. The only thing that would make this organizational method more difficult for students is if the students are unsure of the guiding reading level/s that is appropriate for them. If the students do not know their independent reading level/s then finding a book in the library would become very difficult.
I believe there are perks to labeling by level and not. In my school we see both ways of organization used. Our school media center is arranged the traditional way, while most of the classroom libraries are labeled by guided reading levels. I am currently a teacher at the elementary level, and I would have to argue that labeling by level seems to be more justifiable with younger students. The reason I state that is because younger students aren't always ready to select books that are "just right" for them. Contrary to that thought, if we tell them to only get books for one specific level in a specific section of the library they will not learn that in order to grow as a reader you have to make good decisions in the books you get. They definitely need experience in choosing books for themselves and not being limited to one section. It is impressive to see that many students are able to read far above their level when it is a book they are very interested.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the arrangement of the books vary from our classrooms to the media center, it must be said that all books that have AR tests in our library do have colored dots indicating reading level. Most students are required to get a book on a specific point level or either within a range, otherwise they are not allowed to check out. They must have special permission to get a "fun" book. The books the students select may be used during reader's workshop, or for AR testing so having the students select books that are readable and able to be comprehended is crucial, because we see the use of these books selections as reading practice, and they want to be successful. So, the labeling with dots assits the students, however they can choose to find books in any section that interests them whether it be fiction, easy, nonfiction, or biography.
If I were to enter a library as the new media specialist where books were grouped by levels I would have to first evaluate the success of this method at the particular school. I would want to know when or why students were able to select books not on their level. It would be critical to know when they were exposed to more challenging texts or books that may be used for lighter reading. Based on that information, more than likely I would go with my opinion of arrangement, which would be to have the library arranged by author and call number based on genre. This is the real world set up, and students must be familiar. Teachers could utilize other methods for assisting students in finding books that are on their level, which in turn teaches them more skills in making choices based on their needs or wants.
What are the pros and cons of labeling by reading level? I think the pros of labeling by reading level include allowing a child to make it easier for him or her to find books in the media center. The cons i think are it limits the child's ability of knowing whether or not he or she is able to read beyond their recommended level. In other words, the child would probably stick with the level that he or she has been told that they read on..i know this from personal experience.
ReplyDeleteHow would you defend organizing your collection by reading level? I would defend it by saying that our school does Accelerated Reader and the books have to be arranged by reading level so that students won't get a book that's too difficult or too easy. As much as I wouldn't like to do it this way, that's how I would defend organziing my collection.
Should programs like Accelerated Reader direct the organization of the school library? No, I don't think Accelerated Reader should direct the organization of the school libarary or any other program but how else would books need to be organized for Accelerated Reader, unless I had a section specifically for Accelerated Reader and the other sections would be arranged by Dewey Decimal and so forth.
If you became a school librarian in a school in which the materials were organized by reading level, what might you do? I would try to stick with the system unless I found that students were not reading beyond what they can read and always selecting easy books. I know that personally i wouldn't like this system but again, I know that in most elementary schools, the organization of the MC is set up this way..this is a tough decision to make.
The school where I work has labeling as well. They have different color dots on the spines of the books to indicate AR levels. The students do choose books with the AR stickers. The books we carry that do not have corresponding AR tests of course do not have stickers, and we are constantly asked to look these up on renaissance to see if they have tests. WE encourage the students to read books they are interested in whether or not they have an AR test. However, the teachers often times request that the students check out only AR books. We have 2 large billboards, one of which is designated to AR points. Students in the “10 point club” or higher get their picture and number of points on the AR board. We do have older students who want to check out a ton of VERY easy AR books so they can gain points quickly and between the media staff and their teachers this is discouraged. I have mixed feelings about the AR system for several reasons, one of which I just mentioned. Another is that sometimes students will put back books they want to read because there is no test to help them gain points. On the other hand, the AR board, and point contest does encourage students to read, and the students get so excited when their name goes on the board, and they love watching their picture move along each month as their AR points increase. Another advantage is the levels in the AR system allows teachers/library to help students choose books within their reading capabilities. No system is perfect, and overall anything that encourages reading is a benefit to the students.
ReplyDeleteI have been in libraries that are labeled and not labeled by reading level. From my experience as a parent in both libraries I will say that the labels are helpful for young readers in elementary school aged children only because it helps guide them through the media center in a more timely fashion. For the library with no labels I take my children to we take our time looking through books reading the back of the book or the first few pages of the book to determine whether or not they would be interested in it or not.
ReplyDeleteIn the media center that is labeled the books are categorized and organized by the DDC and surname of the fiction books alphabetically. The books are also labeled by reading level. This makes it easy for students to choose books that are appropriate for their reading comprehension level. As a parent and teacher it is often easier to let the student choose books appropriate to their reading level, rather than go through numerous books only to find out they are not suitable.
The library that is not labeled it makes it a bit more difficult or time consuming to find books of interest and appropriateness when my children are already accustomed to the labels in their school media center.
I have greatly enjoyed the Accelerated Reader program for my children. I have one child who has a great love for reading and competes only with himself in the amount of points he gets for AR. He rereads many of his books just for enjoyment and also enjoys comics, news articles and other types of reading. My other child really likes reading as well but could care less about the points she gets. She takes her time with books, puts a lot of thought into choosing them in the media center to ensure her liking it.
I see the cons of programs such as AR because that type of encouragement or motivation doesn’t work for all students and many of them aren’t interested in it at all. For that reason I could see them choosing books that are not labeled AR and that could make it a limited choice for them.
I would see an ideal media center with labels for reading levels to guide those students who need the extra help in finding books that are appropriate for them. I also think they should be allowed to check out any material they care to. If a book is above the child’s reading level they could bring it home for their parent to read to them and they could discuss it and enjoy it together. If the labeling is not focused on reading programs such as AR and the labeling helps both students and teachers, I find labeling to be a success.
If children truly love reading I don’t think their main focus will be how many points they get in their reading incentive program. I do not think the books should clearly label whether or not it is an AR book or not, nor should it display the amount of points as an outer label. I like the label on the inside very discrete but available for students to acknowledge.
One pro of labeling by reading level is that it makes it convenient for students to find AR books. Another pro of labeling is that it makes it easy for students to find books at their reading level. A third pro is that it makes choosing a book from so many less overwhelming. Finally, it makes it easier to reshelve books.
ReplyDeleteOne con of labeling by reading level is that a student may avoid a perfectly acceptable book that they are interested in, simply because it has a sticker indicating it is too advanced or not advanced enough for them. A second con of labeling by reading level is that it is a form of censorship which is a violation of American Library Association principles. A third con of labeling by reading level, for example in a school that uses the Accelerated Reader program, is that students read for AR incentives instead of the intrinsic rewards of reading.
If I had to defend organizing my collection by reading level, I would use some of the points listed above to justify my case: 1. Labeling makes it convenient for students to find AR books, 2. Labeling makes it easy for students to find books at their reading level, 3. Labeling makes choosing a book from so many less overwhelming, and 4. Labeling makes it easier to re-shelve books.
Even though I like the idea of programs like Accelerated Reader directing the organization of the school library, I feel it is best as a school librarian to uphold the anti-censorship principles of the ALA. Therefore, as a matter of principal, programs like AR should not direct the organization of the school library. Public libraries are not organized by AR, so children in elementary school should be preparing to use those public libraries by learning how to use the library in their own school. This has the added benefit of allowing children the freedom to pick whatever book they want, even if the book is supposedly above or below their reading level and even if the book does not have an AR test.
That being said, if I became a school librarian in a school in which the materials were organized by reading level, I think at first I would observe and determine for myself if the AR program did more harm than good. If I could gain experiential confidence that the labels needed to be removed, then I could start communicating with the principal and whatever committee is in charge of such decisions, and try to make steps toward removing the AR labeling.
As a teacher, I find the way a media center is organized to be very confusing. I cannot imagine how students feel! When students are looking for books, they usually walk through the aisles and skim the titles to find the book they want; rarely do they use the system in place to locate a book. In addition, they will ask for help to find a book if they cannot find the book themselves.
ReplyDeleteOnce beginning the media add-on program at GSU, I began going to my local public library for a children’s literature class I am taking. The organization of the children’s room at the library does not make any sense to me. I have asked the employees to explain to me how it is organized and they have been unable to explain it to me. They seemed to be confused by it themselves. They said it is just something they learned by being in the library for a while. Whenever one of the employees took me outside the children’s room, she did not have any idea how to find the book we were looking for. She had to ask an employee who worked that section. The system of labeling in a library in entirely too confusing! Labeling is necessary, but is there a better way?
It is completely understandable why labeling exist in elementary public school libraries. Labeling keeps students on track with their reading level. However, labeling prevents some students from reading for interest and only try to find books they will receive credit for. Students will look for the AR number and ignore the author, title, and what the book is about. All they are looking for is to receive credit by reading a book.
AR labeling is a big part of the problem with the public educational system today. It is no different than teaching to the test like many schools are doing today to keep their CRCT, GHSGT, and EOCT scores up to make AYP. Instead of teaching students to read for pleasure, we are teaching them to choose books according to the AR label. This takes the fun out of learning for many children; therefore, they grow into adults who do not enjoy reading and only read when they have to read.
When it comes to arranging books based on reading levels, I am highly opposed to this decision. Our library now is arranged into nonfiction for everyone, everybody section and fiction section. We no longer use AR, but many of our books still have the colored dots on them. However, we never had our books organized according to colored dots. Students just knew their color and looked for it. I'm glad that we don't use the color scheme any more. I believe the cons definitely outweigh the pros. We are now teaching our students how to effectively use their own knowledge and understanding to choose a "just right book" for themselves. In this way, students can find a book of interest and then see if it's their level by actually reading parts of the story. However, in our library, the previous staff instilled it in our students' heads that the E section was for PK-2 and the F section was for 3rd-5th...thus labeling reading levels despite getting rid of AR dots. It is definitely a form of discrimination and I am slowly helping my parapro understand that if a 4th graders wants to check out 2 picture books, then that's his choice. She is under the mindset that 3rd-5th graders HAVE to check out chapter books.
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary, it is quite difficult helping a student choose a "just right book" when the books are not organized by reading levels. However, the cons of shelving according to reading levels still overpower the pros.
The middle school I used to work at was very big into labeling books. There were labels for reading level, Lexile scores, and Accelerated Reader levels on all books. Some teachers restricted the books their students could check out according to the reading level that they tested at. I really disagreed with this, as if a student is checking out a book that they want to read, give them freedom with it! Additionally, some students found it to be absolutely mortifying, particularly those who were way behind grade level. It made them obvious to their classmates as slow readers. What pre-teen wants their peers to know that information about them?
ReplyDeleteI would not place labels on the books themselves as a media specialist. I can see how the information would be helpful to teachers and parents, but it could be detrimental to students. Perhaps keeping the information as a part of the books electronic cataloging information would be all that would be needed. The information would be available, but not in an obvious way.
We want to encourage students to become readers. Forcing them to read certain books does not foster the love of the written word that we all want to encourage.
Dana Roberts
ReplyDeleteI dont believe that the media center should be arranged by reading levels, AR or any other type of "labeling" system. The media center should be arranged by Fiction, Non Fiction, Reference Materials and maybe you can do special sections for Easy readers and Chapter Books especially if you are in a K-8 school setting.
I do believe that it is a form of emotional abuse to label and then guide students to what "we" (teachers and media specialists) think they should read as in regards to their reading levels. Now of course we dont want a 1st grader reading "Harry Potter" but we don't want to NOT encourage them to read whatever it is that would engage and delight them.
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ReplyDeleteClassifying by reading level is ok. I do not approve of organizing the collection this way as it tends to restrict the breadth of the students search for material. We should stretch them, and providing guidance about reading level is useful, but should be tempered by the need for providing the child to well rounded education by allowing access to as many materials as we can.
ReplyDeleteIn the media center in the school where I work, books are organized based on the Dewey Decimal System. Accelerated Reader books are in the correct place according to this, but are identified by a yellow sticker on the spine of the book. The reading level of the book is inside the front cover of the book. This allows students to easily spot AR books and then look inside to find the level. One pro of organizing books by level would be that it would be much easier for students who are required to read within a certain level to locate those books. A major problem that I have with this is that students begin to look for any book within a certain level and don't consider content or if they are interested in reading that particular book. I teach reading and my students are required to obtain a certain number of points per nine weeks. They are allowed to check out books on any level, but only tests taken on books within their level count. I feel that this gives them more freedom of what they would like to read and at the same time prevents some students from just checking out really low books to take tests every single day. If I became the librarian in a school that had the materials organized by reading level, I would probably work toward changing it. I don't think this is the best way to organize a media center. I know that this would require a lot of work, but I think the media center should be organized according to the Dewey Decimal System.
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