The Daily Times

During the month of March, newspapers across America will celebrate Newspapers In Education Week or Month.

Each year, the first week of March is designated as Newspapers In Education Week. Many newspapers across America choose to extend the celebration throughout the month. NIE teachers are encouraged to spend at least one complete school day teaching subjects only using their local newspaper as the textbook.

The goal of the week- or month-long celebration is to reinforce a positive and relevant lifetime reading habit in students by engaging them with an authentic text �" their local newspaper.

The 2011 theme for NIE Week is “Celebrate the Power of Newspapers”.

Newspapers remain one of the most remarkable, multifaceted and effective educational resources available to teachers. In their print, electronic or Web editions, newspapers expose students to an ever-widening range of subjects and give instructors fresh resources for teaching core and enrichment topics.

The Newspaper Association of America Foundation has created an NIE curriculum entitled “Power Pack: Lessons in Civics, Math and Fine Arts for NIE Week”.

This year’s NAA Foundation curriculum celebrates the power of newspapers to be quick and flexible in addressing topics that require support.

It focuses on three areas vital to developing well-rounded and successful students and citizens �" civics, math and fine arts.

Understanding civics is central in helping students grow to understand and participate in government, elections and community life. Math serves as the building block of technology, science and financial literacy. The fine arts inspire creativity that finds expression in a wide range of subjects and new, dynamic forms of communication.

In each field, this year’s curriculum provides standards-based activities to enhance student learning in elementary, middle and high schools. Its goal is to help students achieve more accomplished and richer lives.

In addition to standards-based activities that enable students of all ages to use print, electronic or Web editions of newspapers, this year’s curriculum includes two flip-book lessons that teachers can use with computers, interactive whiteboards or similar technology. These lessons have been created to extend lessons of this year’s NIE Week curriculum.

Newspapers In Education gets students into the reading habit and thus creates conversant and capable readers in our country. Educators acknowledge that newspapers help bridge the gap between school and the community.

The newspaper is a “living textbook” for everyday use in the classroom or at home. It is crucial that students are aware of what is going on around them, and the newspaper can facilitate this ultimately contributing to a student’s well-rounded education.

The Daily Times NIE program is a nonprofit literacy program for the community.

Teachers and parents can access the 2011 NIE Week curriculum at http://nie.thedailytimes.com

For more information about The Daily Times Newspapers In Education program contact Bryan Sandmeir, NIE Coordinator, at (bryan.sandmeir@thedailytimes.com)

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