Accelerated Reader Information

Accelerated Reader -- Basic Survival Information

HOW TO BACK UP YOUR STUDENT LIST

Load “AR Teacher Program” from hard drive.
Type password “admin”. Go to “Edit” and “Select all” students.
Put in the “Back-up Disk”. Pull down “File” and choose “EXPORT”. You are going to EXPORT files TO your back up disk. You may have to navigate to desktop to get to the name of your floppy disk. (click the button “desktop” if you don’t see the name of your floppy disk. Be sure you are backing up to the floppy disk which is probably will be called “AR Backup”. There is a spot to type in the name of your file. Call your back-up file something like “Gr2.Kahl.11.23.98” so you know what it contains. The computer tells you when it’s done. Remove the back-up by dragging it to the trash. Put it away in a safe place.
If you are connected to a file server, you may prefer to back up to the server. Here are the directions for Onekama's Mac Server:
You need to start at the Desktop or Finder. Pull down the Apple Menu on the very top left of your computer. Select "Chooser" (same as changing a printer) and click on "AppleShare". To the right will be a box with the words "shared files". Click on shared files. (I usually go in by clicking on "guest") OK. Close the box by clicking on the square in the upper left of the window. You will see the Server Icon on your desktop.
Meanwhile, back at the Teachers AR---After you have "Selected all" students, Chosen "Export" from the File Menu, and given your file a memorable name like "gr4.brown.11.23.98", click on the word "desktop". You want to choose the "file server" as your destination. Open fileserver. Navigate to the folder called "AR Back-up". Open it. Click save to put your file in. (Next time it will be easier) If the ARBack-up folder is locked, put your file in the folder called "Eldridge" and I'll put it away.

HOW TO UPDATE YOUR TEACHER-MADE TEST LIST

To update teacher made tests, put in the test disk. Go in and pull down View from the menu bar. Select the last item “TESTS”. You will see all the tests currently on your computer. Use File and ask to IMPORT from the disk that has the tests. You may have to navigate a bit to get to the desktop. I usually call the new tests something like “Tests.April4.97”. The file will contain all tests with numbers 900 through 1399. It is not possible to add just one or two tests. Use only the latest test disk. The computer will REMOVE ALL TESTS 900-1399 BEFORE ADDING THE NEW TESTS. This is a new feature that is supposed to prevent crashes. It takes 10 minutes or so to remove, plus another 10 minutes to add the new ones. Sometimes it takes 30-40 minutes. Perhaps, it is double-checking.
Loading a disk of purchased disks in NOT done this way. (See manual or ask me)

HOW TO EDIT STUDENT FILES

Load “AR Teacher Program” from hard drive.
Type password “ADMIN”
To delete students: select students which you wish to edit by clicking on their name and on the word “select”. Then go to “delete student” under the heading “Students” on the menu bar.
To add students: go to “add students” under the heading “Students”. Use typical data entry rules. Highlight and type over words you wish to change. Use your mouse to move the cursor to a new line or use Tab. Click “Done”, click “Yes”. When totally done, click “Done” on an empty entry form.
To edit students: select students by clicking on their name and choosing “select”, then choose “edit” under “Students”. If you have problems, please call me. I “trial and errored” my way through this and lived.
To delete a test from a student’s record: there are times you will want to delete a test that a student took because he/she did poorly or accidentally took the wrong test. This can be done under “edit”. Click “tests”. Choose the test you wish to delete. Click delete. I suggest you use this very little because it is a bother, and also the children need to learn to read carefully. The exception is the “special” students who are, in your opinion, really trying. Sometimes they need this extra help. The idea is to build their confidence. This lets them take the same test again. With a special student, it often helps to sit with them while they take the test. Have them read the questions aloud. Help them think through the choices before answering.
At the beginning of each new school year some one from each grade level will need to be responsible for moving students. I suggest that each teacher Export to a disk and then delete their last year’s students from their classroom computer. They will then have no students. Send this disk to your students’ next teacher or to the one teacher at the next grade level responsible for moving records. Get records from the previous teacher or teacher at the previous level responsible for saving records. (This will be the previous teacher’s final saved back-up from last June) Import* the records of your new students. (If you are a third grade teacher, you will need to import the files from all of last year’s second grades. ) *Import is located under File. You will need to navigate to the desktop by clicking the button Desktop. Then choose the disk that contains the file you want. This process is similar to “backing up your student records”. You will be Importing the file that last year’s teachers saved (Exported) at the end of last school year. After you have imported the files, you will need to Edit (see above) by changing grade level. I would suggest that one teacher imports all records and then using a master list adds the new grade and teacher. Once the teacher name is in, it will be easy to sort by teacher, select by teacher, and export to that teacher. Fortunately, this needs to be done only once a year. I would suggest saving a copy of the entire grade.

HOW TO USE “QUICK FIND”

You can use quick find to locate student names or test titles easily when in the student or teacher program. You can teach the children to find their name in this way. They need only type in the first three letters of their last name and they will be close. We don’t use test numbers in 4-6 grades. We use book titles. Students just type in the first word of the title (not the or a ). If you wish to use test numbers instead of book titles, just change to book number under “view”. You will also want to be sure the correct number is on every AR book. (A problem with using test numbers instead of book titles, is that library books and books from home are not usually numbered. I strongly suggest using titles.) Older students may also want to search for books by a favorite author.

HOW TO PRINT REPORTS

Many kinds of reports can be printed. First select those students you would like to have in your report. You can “select all” under edit, or just select individuals . (you will see a check in front of selected students) Then choose “report”. Try a variety of reports to see which is most useful for you. (I mainly use “student summary” which is one sheet listing everyone in the class with their point records, and “student report” which is an individual report on each child listing all the books they have read. You can set a beginning and ending date for your report. Setting the date is handy because you can set for a marking period length of time rather than the child’s total record for the last 3 years. I attach an individual reading record report to each report card. (I require 2-3 novels be read "at your level" each marking period. I'm very flexible about "level" but I do expect a book of reasonable length.)
Arcadia Teachers: You have a laser printer in the lab. Choose it in the “Chooser”, be sure the lab printer is on, and print.
You can print a list of tests by number, title, author, grade level, or points.
You can list students by name, grade, teacher, or whatever other information you choose to add when you edit. It is possible to have team contests, or set goals for individuals. I have not done these things, but you may wish to do so.

HOW TO PUT TESTS YOU WRITE ON THE COMPUTER

In the teacher program, have the tests showing in the window. Select “add”. Choose an unused number. Supply all information. Leave no spaces blank. Keep a back up copy of your tests. (You can print it from the reports menu) It is possible to count words, syllables and all those other goodies in order to come up with an accurate “grade level” and “points”. I would suggest that the test writer make an educated guess as to reading level. I personally think I do as well as the AR company because I consider maturity of topic as well as length of sentences. As far as points, look at points awarded for other similar size books. At Onekama and Arcadia the teachers have written more than 400 tests. The biggest advantage to writing your own tests is that you write tests for books you have. Also, if you are teaching "author's point of view" or "predicting outcome", make a question like that. Usually, questions are literal and meant only to show that the child has actually read the book. Nothing tricky. Success is our goal.

PROMOTING THE AR PROGRAM

Over the years we have done many different promotions. Last year we had a “Ice Cream Party” . Students had to earn a certain number of points school wide in order to receive this party. A progress chart was kept in the library. Yes, they made it, but it was close!
Some teachers give individual rewards for achieving a specified number of points. A common reward is books. (Teachers can get books from book clubs by using bonus points)
Posting the Summary Sheet is effective. You can run a summary sheet every Friday (when you back up your student data) and post it near the computer.
Some schools have a bulletin board in the hall honoring those who reach a certain specified level. (red, white, and blue teams; bronze, silver, gold teams-whatever makes a nice display) Cards with the student’s name and photograph (school photo sticky) can be displayed. This can be kept up all year.
We have begun putting names on the internet (first name only) honoring those that reach various levels. We are in the process of deciding what (if any) “perk” comes with achieving at each level.
And there are still schools who like to do “Principal kisses a Pig if we earn X number of Points”. Whether you choose this depends on your feelings toward your principal! We, of course, adore ours.
During the 1997-1998 year we have a poster by each 4th and 5th grade door saying something like, “This Class has Earned ____ Points This Year”.
It is important to have parents understand what the AR program does. Send home a blurb on the benefits of the program. Some schools ask students to do a certain amount of reading at home (15 minutes a night on the novel of your choice, for instance). Let parents know.

PROMOTING THE AR PROGRAM ON OUR WEB SITE

Here are a few websites: grades 4, / grade 5

On the 1997-1998 web we started an "AR Photo Page" to honor students at Onekama who have earned more than 50 points.

I wrote this guide hoping to be helpful. If you have additions or corrections, please contact me.