Just a thought. I agree the issues of extrinsic versus intrinsic are complex. Motivation is complex period. More important might be to think about the messages our students learn about the purposes for reading in our lives. And they are complex as well.
What perhaps bothers me more about AR is that it manages a system whereby children just read individualistically - just make mileage and pass tests to prove it. Where is the teacher's responsibility toward building an environment in which the social nature of reading is nurtured. Where we talk about books and likes and dislikes and so on. Instead machines handle all that! I wouldn't mind AR on the side so much if I knew there were reading workshop environments happening in the classroom. And I don't just mean shared and guided reading. I mean opportunity for choice reading as well and talk around that part of the reading curriculum. I remember rich and rewarding class discussions about reading...about different goals about the value of rereading about why our tastes can be so different. One of my favorite memories was when we decided to choose our top 10 favorite reads. Such a discussion. Should we include some of our early favorites??? Dr. Seuss, Wild Things....or would they take up space that we wanted to give to our older favorites? Of course it was their choice. But the next time we visited the library and returned to class their was a big buzz in the room which I didn't get at first. As I looked more closely, many of them had checked out favorites from their earliest years. They then decided that they wanted to make lists to give to the K and 1st and 2nd grade teachers. AR just doesn't accomplish much with regard to this part of reading. So rather than argue against or for AR, maybe instead we talk about how to be sure that we have this kind of rich talk about our reading in the classroom as some part of the curriculum????? Sally On 10/7/06 2:27 AM, "William Roberts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I hope we all agree that extrinsic rewards are just as important as > intrinsic....it just depends on where the emphasis lies. If you are > teaching ONLY for your paycheck, get out of the business. We teach because > of the joy TEACHING brings, not the money. IF money was the main incentive, > we would eventually hate teaching....same with the kids and their reading. > Bill > P.S. (he says sarcastically) We also teach for the 3 months we get off for > summer vacation, right? > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Laura Cannon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "'Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv'" > <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, October 06, 2006 10:08 PM > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Question for the group > > >> Aren't pay scales extrinsic rewards? I love teaching--but I also really >> like my paycheck. I have always loved reading--always will. Don't know > if >> I would have liked AR tests--might have liked the recognition for high >> points since that was one area I could really shine in. I would have like >> writing letters in a response journal--but not for every book I >> read--sometimes I'd prefer a quick test and get to go on to another book. > A >> child who doesn't learn to love reading may have different passions. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of underdown >> Sent: Friday, October 06, 2006 6:13 AM >> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv >> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Question for the group >> >> I have used a few examples from Reading Reasons at the middle school and >> students are riveted to the overhead when I show them things like pay > scales >> >> and what a high school degree means in terms of earning power over a >> lifetime. >> I like to use it to open lessons about independent reading and why we >> continually "hound" them to read. >> >> Barb >> >> On Thu, 5 Oct 2006 23:44:22 -0400 >> "William Roberts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> Much of the information is for high school students, but still helpful. >>> There are some charts with pay scales based on education levels along > with >>> an example of a state law and a form on who is eligible for the draft, > but >>> many of the "reasons" can be adapted and used for younger students. Not >>> sure if there are that many for elementary, but I know some of it is >>> appropriate for middle school. >>> Bill >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv" >>> <[email protected]> >>> Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2006 10:34 PM >>> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Question for the group >>> >>> >>>> A high school teacher, Kelly Gallagher, wrote a book called "Reading >>> Reasons" that is a set of 25 (I believe)lessons designed to teach > children >>> about the "why" of reading. I ahve it but havenot yet jumped in. Will >> let >>> you know if it is transferable to the younger grades and worthwhile to >>> develop that motivation (even if it is a motivation for thinking and >> reading >>> just happens to be the vehicle:) >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Sincerely, >>>> Bonita DeAmicis >>>> California, Grade 5 >>>> >>>> -------------- Original message -------------- >>>> From: "William Roberts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>> >>>>> I think part of my concern is also because many "reading" teachers >>> forget >>>>> the purpose of reading. People communicate to inform, persuade, or >>>>> entertain. But many have made reading into an act whose sole purpose > is >>>>> pass tests. If a language arts teacher drilled writing grammatically >>>>> correct sentences everyday, the kids might write better sentences, > but >>> they >>>>> will forget the point of writing which is to communicate. Have them >>> write >>>>> letters, diaries, songs, poems, stories, etc. and enjoy the process, >>> then >>>>> they will WANT to fix the sentences to make sure their writing is >>>>> understood. We have put the cart before the horse thanks to state >>> tests.... >>>>> I know everyone here understands this, but we need to spread the > word. >> I >>>>> have seen teachers in my district (some with Master's degrees in >>> READING), >>>>> who have no idea how to teach reading and are drilling the kids to >>> death... >>>>> Bill >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Mosaic mailing list >>>>> [email protected] >>>>> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >>>>> >> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >>>>> >>>>> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >>>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Mosaic mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >>> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >>>> >>>> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> No virus found in this incoming message. >>>> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >>>> Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.12/461 - Release Date: > 10/2/06 >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Mosaic mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >>> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >>> >>> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >>> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Mosaic mailing list >> [email protected] >> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >> >> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Mosaic mailing list >> [email protected] >> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >> >> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.12/461 - Release Date: 10/2/06 >> >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. 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