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I opened up my Choice Literacy email newsletter on Friday afternoon, and the subject heading caught my eye, “The Tyranny of Levels.” Exactly what I had experienced that day. For my post title, I did a thesaurus search for a not-quite-so-volatile word and found injustice. My students have been suffering the injustice of reading levels.
Last year one of my gifted students lost her mother. This is a difficult loss for anyone to endure, but Emily was nine. Now she is ten, and the wound is still very fresh. She doesn’t talk or write about her mother. Last year she wouldn’t read any book that was sad. She is not an avid reader anyway and to find books for her has been difficult.
This summer I read A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord. I worked with an online book club, so I did writing work with this book. I knew the book. I have connected with Cynthia Lord on Facebook. She even tweeted to us during our Twitter book chat. Needless to say, Cynthia, A Handful of Stars, and Emily are all close to my heart.
I never once thought to check the reading level. Emily read Rules and wanted another Cynthia Lord book. I did not tell her that the character in A Handful of Stars lost her mother. The book centers around a developing friendship. But Lily’s loss is always there, in the back of her mind, and especially when her new friend Salma’s mother does something motherly. Emily was struggling to finish the book, so I called her over and we read a few chapters together. We both teared up at the line, “It was a mom thing.”
The next day she came in triumphant, “I finished the book!”
I asked, “Did you take the AR test?”
AR is Accelerated Reader. It’s a program designed to test students on their independent reading. I’ve never been a real proponent of the program because the questions are all low-level comprehension questions, but the students receive points and the school has incentives for these points. Since my students read independent books, and it is something they can receive rewards for, I try to encourage my kids to take the tests.
Emily’s eyes looked down. “No, I can’t. My reading level is 4.6 and the book is 4.4.”
I understand the purpose of finding out a student’s reading level, but I do not understand limiting a child’s reading choices by requiring they read within their level range. The school (not the district) bought a testing program that sets the levels and blocks tests that are not within the level.
I believe… I know that reading is not about levels or tests or points. Reading is so much more. I will continue to find books to meet my students’ needs and interests. I have sticker charts up for each child to track the number of books they read. We have a pyramid poster with a whole class goal of 175 books this year, and we are well on our way to meeting that goal. I will not let reading levels limit my students’ choices.
From Choice Literacy, in the words of Jan Burkins and Kim Yaris (with hats off to Kate DiCamillo), “Moral of the story: Holy bagumba, don’t let reading levels flush away common sense.”
Reflections on the Teche 
Bravo Margaret. You are continuing to the fight the good fight for kids!!!
What a story. Being part of your virtual book club this summer, made me connect to it even more. I could see a persuasive letter (maybe co-authored by both Emily and you) being written to raise awareness of the reading level injustice. As Lucy Clakins says, “Writing can change the world”…maybe even the AR world.
Persuasive emails didn’t work. We would be “setting a precedent.”
Kudos to you (and your lovely Emily) for knowing that reading is about so much more than a level, a test, a reward, or a rule! Reading is for readers and readers will (hopefully) be for life. I am so sorry that the powers that be in your school do not see it that way.
Beautiful Margaret! In so many ways. This whole AR thing just gets me. Thankfully Emily has you and Cynthia Lord to teach her big lessons. So much more than any reward system could possibly offer.
Thank you for your support and guidance.
This is why we need to support teachers, rather than focus on tests. You found the perfect book for Emily — it shouldn’t matter that her reading level and the book’s rating don’t match. That devalues her experience of connecting with the book.
Are they only allowed to read books at their level for their AR (and is that in the library only?) Our school librarian uses AR in a way, but only, I think, to choose a book. They get one free choice and one in their level. I don’t believe the tests are mandatory. (This is new since I taught there, and I don’t think the classroom teachers do much with this…..) That seems sort of a compromise. I get leveled books, but I believe in Vygotsky, pulling them through the ZOPED…yet I do know that learning to read means good practice. I heard Allington talk on research at some conferences, but have not heard Fountas and PInell though I have read some of their ideas. I have huge concerns with AR, though. But what I really believe in, is the work Nancie Atwell does. I saw it in action in my own classroom and as an intern at CT-L. There are many ways to learn to read. Research points us to averages…..AR used incorrectly, from what I have read and heard, causes some troubling problems for children. I love that you are the teacher you are. Blind fidelity to some program is not what makes insightful, responsive, life-changing teaching like yours.
The AR program is voluntary but highly encouraged with incentives.
Margaret, the school I work in was formerly a huge AR school. This is our first year without it. The teachers are in the middle of a huge learning curve, and it’s a good thing.
You are doing the right thing (of course you already know that). Keep fighting the good fight!
Makes me sadder than sad to read your post, Margaret. ” Reading is so much more.” I wonder what books I would not be able to read because of my AR level. I suspect your own ‘incentives’ are a better path for your students.
AR levels are just as bad as “how many pages?” When I worked at a bookstore, that would be the criteria that someone would select a book.
This breaks my heart, Margaret. But what a brave person Emily is and how wonderful that you were there to support her. I suspect those moments are what will stay with her, so much longer than any “incentive.” However, I’d love to send Emily something. Choose whatever book of mine you’d think she’d like, and I’ll send you one, signed for her. xoxo
Oh my, this will mean the world to her and to me. She is still carrying around my copy of Handful of Stars. I’ll message you on Facebook.
Ditto, I dislike the limits they put on the students. My librarian lets my students test out of level when I ask. Check with yours.
I am not a fan of reading incentives. Incentives teach kids that reading is something you need to be bribed to accomplish. Our school did AR when we first moved here and I hated it. Telling struggling readers they couldn’t read something “above their level” and telling gifted readers they had to read above their maturity level because it was in their ability level seemed ridiculous. And then there were the kids who would only read the books with an AR sticker. I then learned that the AR company puts books of the same series on different discs in order to sell more discs. The money spent on AR and the incentives tied to it could have been spent buying high quality, high interest books. I’d like to say my questioning helped others to see my way but regardless they did stop using the program. Incentivizing is a huge pet peeve of mine. Bravo to you for giving a little girl what she needed and I’m so happy Emily got to experience what the right book at the right time can do.
The money, don’t get me started on that! Thousands! The P announced, “Teachers, we are spending thousands on AR. You must use it.”
The AR soapbox is one I have a very hard time getting off of. We have AR for one more year then I will fight for the rights of my readers…even if it is an uphill battle.
As others have said, hooray to you, Margaret, for standing up for readers! We don’t have AR, but I’m always surprised at how difficult higher level comprehension tasks are for kids who come to our school from AR schools. I’m so glad Emily has you to support her growth as a reader and a person.
[…] week I wrote a Slice of Life post about the injustice of reading levels and my dear student Emily. Cynthia Lord, author of A […]