Comments on TEACHERNINJA: Accelerated Evil

Victoria, To be fair, Annette would probably agre...

2010-02-07T07:35:37.124-05:00

Victoria,

To be fair, Annette would probably agree with you and have him take the test if it's available and he's already read the book. No reason not to, really. I just hate seeing it become the only reason for reading.

Thanks,
Jim

I suppose I can be thankful for noncompetitive kid...

2010-02-06T23:41:53.386-05:00

I suppose I can be thankful for noncompetitive kids in the A.R. arena. I have been a bit too pushy with Noah to take the A.R.quizzes once he has finished a book. I figure he read it, so he might as well take the test. I think I need to go back to the point that I'm happy that he is reading and enjoying it. Thanks for the reality check.
Some of the books on the list are way above the controversy of my school days with Deenie by Judy Blume. I read The Lovely Bones a couple of years ago, but definitely wouldn't want my 6th grader to read it yet. I read Gone with The Wind in 6th grade and it made me think more about the way Southerners treated slaves and issues of control between men and women, so I guess we really need to pay attention to our kids and know what they can handle. I really like reading the books with them, or right before they do when possible.

Peaceful Reader, I doubt most of those books are ...

2010-02-05T12:09:43.616-05:00

Peaceful Reader,

I doubt most of those books are even in a middle school, but the point is some kids can look up what different book/point levels are and get them at the public library. I saw a 5th grader once carrying around Gone With the Wind. I don't care if it's on your reading level, you're not going to get much out of it. A magazine on modern art might be on my reading level, but it would be a waste of my time to try to read it for points (which is the only reason I can see why I'd be reading it).

Thanks,
Jim

Why are some of those titles even given AR points?...

2010-02-05T11:48:07.097-05:00

Why are some of those titles even given AR points?? Lovely bones and the Dan Brown one-are they seriously in a middle school library to be read?? If students area reading at that hight of level who would be worrying about how many pts. they are "achieveing?" I liked Weetzie Bat as well. Odd as it was it seemed like it could have been a John Hughes movie at some point.

C.B., I actually enjoyed the first Weetzie Bat bo...

2010-02-05T09:10:39.960-05:00

C.B.,

I actually enjoyed the first Weetzie Bat book, but didn't read any of the others. I'm guessing it got all soap-opra-y?

Keep fighting the good fight!

--Jim

Anyone who can make it all the way through Weetzie...

2010-02-05T08:45:29.452-05:00

Anyone who can make it all the way through Weetzie Bat deserves at least six points. ;=)

I've never used AR. I been able to resist because I teach the gifted classes at my school so I can say reading from such a limited list hinders them. Next year I'll have my first non-gifted class in many years. I'll be using your list in my fight against AR.