Newspapers aid classroom learning

The textbooks for Jane Womack's contemporary issues class at Central High School arrive every morning, fresh off the press with new information.

"I use newspapers every day," said Womack. "I don't know what I would do without them."

March 7 ro 13 is designated National Newspapers in Education Week. Students of all ages throughout Southeast Missouri use newspapers on a regular basis in classes that range from English to art to special education and beyond.

"Students have to have news articles every Friday in all of my classes," Womack said. "My class has to cut out editorial cartoons for extra credit, and it's my text book for contemporary classes."

The focus is slightly different but no less emphasized in younger grades.

Donna Sanders, a third-grade teacher at Blanchard Elementary, said her class uses the Southeast Missourian's minipage regularly.

"A lot of times the articles correlate with some of our objectives, especially social studies and science," Sanders said. "It's written in such an easy and attractive form, but it makes the students feel like they're really reading a newspaper."

Sanders said her class also participates in the Southeast Missourian Jr., a publication targeted for children.

"The Junior tries to get the children to be involved and it allows an opportunity for teachers to do group projects and get work actually published," said Sanders. "We try to build up writing and how students can be authors. We stress the fact that good writers are so important in our world."

Rebecca Boling uses the newspaper in her special education transitions class to teach students about job-related skills.

"We use the newspaper to look up jobs and learn how to use ads and coupons," Boling said. "We look at stories about someone who may have been fired and talk about why that happened and how to avoid it. We also look at pictures and discuss people's facial expressions and what those mean."

cclark@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128