Celebrating Newspaper in Education Week

The American Press Institute commemorates and celebrates Newspaper in Education Week annually the first full school week in March. Florida Press Educational Services is honored to commemorate Newspaper in Education Week 2017 and encourages teachers, parents and students to read the newspaper daily in school and at home to enrich their lives. FPES encourages publishers and marketing, news, circulation and advertising directors to learn the importance of Newspaper in Education (NIE) programs, too.

Reading every day is imperative for children. Reading increases vocabulary, writing skills and knowledge of the world around us. What better way to increase knowledge about the world than by reading the local newspaper?

Did you know that more than 60 percent of people with high exposure to newspapers in childhood are regular readers as adults, compared with only 38 percent of those with no exposure, according to a study conducted for the News Media Alliance, former Newspaper Association of America Foundation?

That percentage is significant because statistically people who read the newspaper on a daily basis are more engaged citizens, meaning they participate more in their communities by voting and practicing good citizenship.

The goal of the NIE program is to create a generation of critical readers, engaged citizens and consumers. John F. Kennedy said, “Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource.” The goal of NIE is to engage and develop that resource.

The No. 1 reason to use newspapers in education at school and at home is the newspaper provides readers with a living textbook. The newspaper is an opportunity and a resource for students to practice higher-order comprehension skills.

Using newspapers as a teaching tool can improve reading skills and student performance on standardize tests. In addition, reading the newspaper at school and home helps young people learn about the world around them.

Teachers utilize newspaper activities to promote learning, support Florida Standard benchmarks and expectations, plus have fun interpreting photos, advertisements, cartoons and headlines. Newspapers add dynamic dimensions to all subjects, from language arts to business to science and everything in between.

To learn more about Florida’s NIE programs, visit fpesnie.org

Jodi Pushkin is the President of Florida Press Educational Services and is the manager for the Tampa Bay Times Newspaper in Education program. She holds a master of arts degree in English education, a bachelor of arts degree in writing and literature, and has worked in NIE for the past 15 years. She’s also a former public school teacher. In addition to her work with NIE, Jodi is an adjunct instructor at Saint Leo University and Hillsborough Community College. Contact Jodi via email at [email protected] or call 727-893-8961.