Newspaper in Education

What does NIE stand for?
NIE stands for Newspaper in Education. The NIE department at the Gazette helps local teachers who want to use the newspaper as a teaching tool in their classrooms. Some NIE teachers teach about the newspaper; some NIE teachers teach with the newspaper. NIE teachers use the newspaper in their lesson plans not as an extra activity but as a tool to help them meet the curriculum standards set by the state.

Is the Gazette the only newspaper with an NIE department?
No! NIE departments can be found across the country and around the world. NIE's history is long! As early as the 1930s newspapers (like the New York Times!) began delivering copies to schools for use in the classroom. By the 1970s, NIE programs were sprouting across the globe. Today there are thousands of NIE programs, from New Zealand and Malaysia to Canada and Australia! Out of our area? See this site for an NIE program near you!

How can a teacher participate in NIE?
Call or email the NIE department (585-5309 or nie@gazettenet.com). Tell us how you would like to use newspapers in your classroom and we'll help you in any way we can. You can receive papers once a week or more. You can receive Wednesday papers, which include the Kid Scoop page, or, you can choose any other day of the week. If you need help with funding, we'll find a sponsor for you.

What does NIE sponsorship mean?
We make newspapers available to teachers at a special 1/4 price education rate - only 12.5 cents per issue. The Gazette picks up the remainder of the cost and provides all curriculum materials for free. However, in a time of dwindling resources, many schools can't afford the discounted rate. In these cases, the papers are paid for by community business sponsors. We match classrooms with business sponsors. The sponsors cover the costs and the classroom corresponds with the sponsor during the year. In the 2006-07 school year, 100% of teachers requesting sponsorship were able to receive it.

What is Kid Scoop?
Kid Scoop is one of our weekly NIE pages. It is in your Gazette every Wednesday of the year. Each Kid Scoop has a theme, with curriculum activities and games designed to motivate elementary and middle school readers. Plus, Kid Scoop contains a writing column for kids to publish their work!

What happens at an NIE workshop?
IN the past, NIE teacher workshops were generally held at the Gazette office. To better accomodate changing times, we are now offering workshops at school staff meetings, to be scheduled by principals. The themes change throughout the year but the format remains the same. We teach you creative ways to use the newspaper in the classroom, NOT as an extra subject but as a tool to help you reach your state curriculum goals. Examples of workshop themes include: photography, journalism, math, literacy.