Website Evaluation of Reading Rockets
By Stephen Vanderpool
Content Area Social Studies 8-12



I. Reading Rockets: Launching Young Readers
II. www.readingrockets.org
III. Copyright 2006
IV. Reading Rockets Organization
V. This website is actually quite informative and is really quite easy to navigate. I chose to write about this website because everybody can use this. It is not a website that is designed solely for teachers or solely for parents. It is designed for both. The navigational tools are located on the left hand side of the screen and it has numerous advantages because of the clarity with which one can actually use the site. There is a section for teachers, a section for parents and families of students, and there is even a section which is for other professionals. I particularly like the area which is designed for first year teachers. As someone who hopes to be a first year teacher next year it is quite nice to find a site that has any advice for me to use when I am in the classroom. I know that at first it will be overwhelming and to have this site have a section to help me and other first year teachers can help take a little bit of pressure off of me.
This website also talks of TV shows that are located on PBS which might be useful to teachers. It also has web casts that are available through the navigation of a site. It includes strategies for students who struggle with reading. This can be useful for all teachers regardless of certification level and subject area. We will all encounter students that have problems reading and taking in information. Any added information about how to teach these students should be taken into account with excitement.
VI. This site should be used by all. In fact for those who are teaching younger students then I would actually suggest that the teacher tell the parents about this website. By doing this you can help the parents make your job easier. If the parents help the students learn how to read then the teacher has an easier job in doing this.
Another way that the website should be used is by first year teachers. As I stated earlier in this report, there is quite a bit of advice that first year teachers can look at in regards to their classes. The other thing that I feel is important with this website is that it actually includes information about the literacy rate of students. I feel that this is very important. We have all heard the horror stories of students who get to high school and can not read. Sites like this can help prevent that. I feel that as we as a society have moved forward that the literacy rate and vocabulary of today’s youth has actually gotten worse.
Next, there are blogs that teachers can look at. Blogs are helpful because you can see what is working for other teachers and try them if you feel that the information might be useful. Another thing that the site has is a reading store. It is basically an online store that has items that can be purchased to further the literacy rate of one’s students.
I personally found this site to be quite informative and would suggest that teachers of all levels actually take a look at it. It may seem like it is designed for teachers of younger students but sometimes the best approach that we can have as teachers is to go back to the simplicity of it all. As we get more and more advanced it can confuse students and often times the simplest way to get to them is the best way.