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• EMQoW - whaaa??

  By Elaine Riner

  Yes, you read it right: EMQoW. Translation: Eastman Math Question of the Week. This is a special feature that's been in the newspaper for a couple of years now, and it is a great tool for parents, kids, and teachers alike.
  
  Each Sunday, a little box with a featured math question comes out in the Living section; it is sponsred by Eastman Chemical Company, who are a big part of our Newspaper In Education program.
  
  This special question of the week is really a great thing not only for students to look up and figure out, but also is great for kids to enter to get published each week. We've had a lot of students in the past enter by sending in math questions, some even made up, to try and stump our readership. Sometimes the questions are really hard and other times quite simple. We want to promote a range of difficulty because all people are on different learning levels when it comes to math. We also want to encourage the study of the T-CAPs; while we do not endorse the test by syncing the questions with state standards, we do know that the featured questions can help encourage studying.
  
  Students' who send in their work this year are entering a different scene as far as prizes go. At random, we will choose one student to get a special goodie bag full of things like iTunes, gift cards, and other fun items. Also, their teacher will get a monetary gift that will go towards math manipulatives to use in the classroom! This is a great prize, and something we know both student and teacher would love!
  
  Now, who can get it? Glad you asked:) Any student in any grade who attends a PCF school. A Putting Children First School. That is a biggest stipulation. Oh, and it MUST be a math question. Just one question, clearly asked, and one answer, clearly written, is needed. We will print the student's name, grade, and school. Instantly, that student/teacher combo will be entered into a drawing for the end of the year!
  
  Sound too goo to be true? it's not! Eastman Chemical Company and the Kingsport Times-News is going in on this together. We are here to grow kids to get them to realize their potential, and to have some fun while doing it.
  
  If you want to participate, just call me, Elaine Riner, at 423-245-4954 or e-mail at eriner@timesnews.net and we'll get you set up!

• Rock Springs Rocks!

  By Elaine Riner

  What do you get when you mix eager little faces, many, many questions, newspapers, and an hour and a half? You get a Rock Springs Elementary class visit, that’s what!! On Tuesday, October 13, I was able to visit with 2nd graders and it was great! They really learned a lot and used the time we had together to navigate through the newspaper.
  
  Each student got their own newspaper and worked within their assigned “pod.” I told them that each group would be given a word, and if that word was hard to understand, they were to talk among their group members (their teacher had them use their dictionary) to find out what it meant. Some of the words were “generous,” “positive,” and “amazing.” Once they knew what the word meant they were to go through their newspaper and cut out pictures, words, ads, and more that described the word they were given. They did a great job, too! And seriously, not much else is cuter than a small second grader giving a big baby-tooth grin when they realize they “get it!”
  
  One of the girls in the class had the word “valuable.” She looked it up with her group and saw that it meant something of worth in terms of money or a good experience. So, this girl looked through and found all sorts of material items – couches, baby car seats, and more. They are valuable, right? I told her that it was good, but I wanted her to find something, like an experience, that was valuable. So off she went!
  
  A few minutes later, as I was stepping over strewn newspaper courtesy of hard working students, this little girl came back with a picture of an ambulance and fire men helping someone who got in a car accident. I asked her why this was valuable. She said, “those guys are helping these guys and that is valuable.” Wow. 7 years old, people! I didn’t expect that so soon, and I told her I was proud of her. It was a wonderful thing to witness as she understood what I was saying and proved it by showing her revelation! My job is awesome – envy me much? 
  
  Above you will see a picture of the kids hard at work, and they really put their minds and hearts in to it. They all worked and asked, and asked and worked, and the time passed by so fast! I love getting to go to any class, and I know the students enjoy when they can have a visitor.
  
  Toward end the visit I read them a book on how the newspaper was put together. I also opened the floor for questions and comments, which was their time to say most anything. Here’s one question I got that I got stumped on: “what do the delivery men do if they run out of gas?” They were talking about carriers. I said, “oh well, they just go get more!” What do you think they said? More than one of them, which shows how in tune kids really are with each other, said “Uh, no they couldn’t! Cuz they are out of gas!” This was the only question that got the answer, “well, I just don’t know!” The teacher looked and me and we shared a little giggle.
  
  How sweet and refreshing it is to step back into a classroom. I always walk away feeling like the mission of NIE is being carried out. I want to leave students with a good association with newspapers, that they can enjoy it and have fun with all the features. So much can be done with them in the classroom, and can be learned about at their leisure. That’s the beauty of the newspaper!!
  

• The Stock Market Game - SMG!

  By Elaine Riner

  Well, fall is officially here and that means one thing for us at the Kingsport Times-News – The Stock Market Game, of course! Now, I am, by far, no guru when it comes to the stock market. My understanding is very basic, if that. I realize that right now might be the best time to invest, what with being so young and having time to deal with a risky investment. But what money am I going to invest with? Well, if the Stock Market Game were real, I could just pull out that virtual $100,000 each team gets to play for a ten week period, and then I’d been having a grand old time! Since I do not have a bottomless pit of funds (not yet anyway), the kids can play around with learning how to work the Stock Market with fake “moo-lah”.
  
  Each semester students in grades 4 through 12 have the opportunity to join up and play in our Stock Market Game. The game starts on Monday, September 28 and ends on Friday, December 4. You do not HAVE to be a part of NIE, so anyone can do it! Even home school families. Any teacher may have as many teams as desired, with no more than five kids per team. Each team costs $15.00 to play for the ten week period. A virtual $100,000 is given to every team, and they must use that money wisely to buy and sell stocks. There is a rule that must be followed (the result of not following results in disqualification); it is the “5 by 5 by 5” rule. Each team must buy 5 stocks, spend no less than $5,000, and within 5 weeks. If any one team doesn’t do it then they are disqualified and will not know it until the end of the game. This is a steadfast rule and the consequence is never waived.
  
  One of the best parts is that the team’s name or captain’s name is printed in the newspaper when the weekly rankings come in. Yes, the schools here complete against one another and quickly learn who they are up against. By the end of the ten weeks, final rankings are given and there are official winners for each semester. There is a senior (grades 9 through 12) and a junior (grades 4 through 8) division, and both get the chance to be honored by their work.
  
  All those details, and still more! This brings me to discuss the end of the year ceremony of awards we give for the winners. The top three winners for each division, including family members, are all invited to a special pizza dinner at a designated location where students will get metals for their effort. We have cake, candy, and a lot of door prizes to give away! This is really great for kids because we want to show them how awesome they are for their hard work and, more importantly, to show off what they’ve learned!!! It was pretty funny to have adults ask them about their strategy. “How did you do it! How did you know?” Each student usually shrugs with a smile – they’re going to hold on to that secret!
  
  In all seriousness, the Stock Market Game is a wonderful way to get kids interested and involved in learning more about how money, companies, and brands work. The earlier the better and we at the Kingsport Times-News are making this available. Maria Edlin from Middle Tennessee State University works to make this happen and The Johnson City Press is also a partner. We are happy to bring this to families and schools as not much is nicer than bonding over our children’s success. Don’t you think?
  
  Call me, Elaine Riner, at 423-245-4954 for more information on how you can get your kid to sign up! Or better yet, we can see if their school would want to sign up and get more kids involved!
  
  Happy Investing!
  

• My First School Visit of the Year – Miller Perry Elementary!

  By Elaine Riner

  One of the best things about my job is that I can revisit my memories of being a teacher in the classroom by going on visits to NIE Teacher’s classes. I used to teach in a special education school, back when I was fresh out of college, so I can semi-relate to what teachers are going through. Let me tell you, they have it tough. I know they get summer breaks, and awesome holiday breaks during the school year (I’m shaking with vacation-envy!), but those breaks are both needed and deserved. So, I want to be able to do anything I can to help making their lives a little easier. So, enter me and my newspapers!
  
  On 09/09/09, I went to Miller Perry Elementary School in the afternoon and spent some lovely time with about half of their fourth grade students. They are so delightful! They had great questions and listened to what I had to say about what is in a newspaper. I tried my best to get all students interacting with me at some point, and worked with them one on one. We talked about the front page, what editorials are, why advertisements/ers are so important, and of course, the comics. All kids perk up when they hear the word “comics.” Then we did a scavenger hunt where they had to look through the newspaper and find things like a recipe, a word that describes them, or a certain headline. They learned how to find page numbers and how the newspaper index works. It was my first visit of the school year and it was great!!
  
  The kids had some great questions, too. You NEVER know what you’re going to get when the floor is wide open for anything. Some of the questions were “do you do the Dollywood Contest?” or “how much does it cost to make the newspaper?” or “how much does someone at a newspaper get paid?” or my favorite “how much do YOU get paid?” SMILE!!!
  
  It is also wonderfully easy to interact with students. While some people are terrified to speak with and in front of kids, I find it refreshing and enjoyable because they will, mostly, just accept you. And I don’t take that for granted either. I am there to share with them answers about how the newspaper works and show them just how normal and regular people who work at a newspaper are. Occasionally I’ll get the “Do you know John Doe? He worked there before I was born.” Again, SMILE! Kids want to hear what you have to say, so I will respect that. They also take things very literally. I don’t like to use that word a lot or loosely – the word “literally” is very, really, literally overused. Anyway, as I was leaving the building I was escorted by a student to take me to get my picture taken with some of the students. It was the end of the day and there was soon to be a hustle about the place. I said him, “Oh, I know I have to hurry. You get out of school in about two minutes, right?” He looked at me and earnestly replied, “No, more like five.” I just SMILE!
  
  All in all it was a great first visit. You never know how smoothly things like that will go at the start of a new year, but I think it is a great foreshadowing of how the rest of the school year will go. And I am looking forward to it! Since I’m more comfortable in my job than I have ever been, it is getting easier to go to school and talk with schools, even at the beginning of the year!
  

• Time After Time

  By Elaine Riner

  Sunday afternoons are my nap time. I have a one year old and I work during the week, so I look forward to my restful hour, or two, each week. Well, a few Sundays ago, I skipped the nap and went to see the new movie “The Time Traveler’s Wife.” Don’t worry, I won’t spoil it for you (even though I want to because I really dislike not knowing endings to stories. I’m a read-the-ending first kind of girl!) From the title (and the movie ads on t.v.), we can elicit a general summary – handsome man is thrown around the spectrum of time, out of his control obviously because there is a beautiful woman who loves him and wants him to stay in her “here and now.” As I was leaving the theater, I couldn’t keep from thinking that time is so precious and the only luxury, or curse, we have that even comes close to time travel is held within our memories. I bet the Time Traveler wished he only had memories….
  
  I love memories. Not only can I get lost of remembering a fond time in my life, but sometimes, for a split moment, I feel like I am actually where my mind has taken me. While I can’t physically go back and forth in time like the Time Traveler, I can go to and fro in my mind. I can think back on when I was younger with my three sisters; one awesome memory is of a cabin we had in northern Pennsylvania, which has been gone now for a few years. There were open spaces, rolling hills and mountains, some beautiful abandoned homes, and neighbors were spread out. There were wild strawberries we picked and made into fruit pies in summer and skiing every winter at slopes you could see out the cabin window. There was no dishwasher which made for arguments at the latter part of dinner time; deer spotting began at twilight which lead to GORGEOUS nights where the Milky Way was completely visible. I miss it a lot, but just now, I was there. Just for a spilt moment.
  
  Time. Time is the invisible, ever-present surrounding that holds us as we make memories. It is the thief of life, yet it is such a relief to have. Time is constantly fleeting and stealing away our breaths, life, moments, rest and joy, and yet, in many instances, it could not be a more welcome companion. We’ve all had moments where we watch the clock and feel like time couldn’t pass by any quicker; we’ve all had moments where times flies. With each day passing slowly, the years pass quickly. Life begins the same moment another one ends - and it is hard to believe. 75 years of living is a long time to think of, but when you’re at the end of those years, wouldn’t you like more time? Well, I’ve not been in those shoes, but I can imagine that I would.
  
  Because of time, memories are a once in a life time deal. You can’t get a do-over or erase something. And that’s ok. It has to be. Skin sags, hair grows and fades, trees and weeds flourish, houses become ruins, new products replace old ones, cars need maintenance, the camera/video/music/personal chef phone takes over the camera phone and I could go on and on. Charles Dickens once said, “old Time, that greatest and longest established spinner of all!.... his factory is a secret place, his work is noiseless, and his hands are mutes.” Nothing and no one can escape the power of time – we are trapped!!! We can’t stop it or erase it – I am beginning to feel a little claustrophobic, aren’t you?!
  
  So, how does this relate to newspapers? Well, newspapers act as time capsules. Have you ever looked at a newspaper clip that is 100 years old or more? The written language of long ago, the font and size, the artwork, the editorial cartoons – to be compared to now is fascinating. You can see how people thought, with conservative values that many held; see how humor, or the relaying of humor, has changed over time; see how people dressed or what the fashions of the day was like. Newspapers hold onto all that and won’t let go. In essence, they are time-keepers! They have the ability to bring time back into play. Books and even movies can do this too, but newspapers have the authentic flair and give that feeling you get when you visit a remarkable site and think “I am actually standing where Elaine Riner (haha!) stood!” A newspaper takes you where you are and transports your mind to the time it holds on to. Isn’t that a crazy thought!?
  
  Newspapers are history books, photo albums, scrapbooks, art books, great minds, file folders, letters, and….memories. That “black and white” vessel holds a steadfast grip on all those memories and shows how life has altered over time. I love seeing yellowed pages because it makes me realize that our memories will always be preserved as long as the newspaper will run the print editions.
  
  I know I have a lot of learning and growing to do. My co-workers all like to joke with me and say, “yeah she’s just twelve!” because I am still in my twenties. But I see the value of not wasting time, not giving up, not letting go of the past, and embracing the future. Cherish your babies, even when they’re rebellious. Love your parents because they always know better. Love your spouse even when it is the hardest thing on the planet! Go to church because it may change your life. Go to that job, even if it is hard because you don’t like it. Be steady and stable, even if emotions are screaming on the inside. Be who you are and use your gifts; it might not bring happiness all the time, but there will be an underlying joy, even in the tough times. Tough times make memories too, you know.
  
  
  I guess what I’m saying is that we cannot ignore time, silent and invisible though it may be, and we can’t stop making memories. It happens! We also can’t ignore the newspaper because it is one of the great many evidences that shows where time and memories collide! I mean, isn’t it cool to read a great story or see an image and realize you just witnessed history? We’ll never jump all over time and see things as they happened, as each event was once very new and many times shocking, like the Time Traveler. But, we can go back in our minds and create our own idea of what was by reading the “living” history book: the newspaper.
  

• Communi-cayseeon!

  By Elaine Riner

  I have to laugh every time I hear Kevin James give emphasis to his words when his character on “Kings or Queens,” “Doug” talks to “Carrie.” He gives a little “French” twist at the end of a “-shun” word to let all those who are listening know that he means business. “Infor- mayseeon!” or “Navi-gayseeon” – it cracks me up! All this just to explain the title of this blog, so that you don’t think I’m completely nuts. (On a side note, that is way too many parenthesis' for one little paragraph. Ugh!) Anyway….
  
  Communication. This is a big part of my job because I am constantly showing kids how the newspaper is great way to communicate with everyone in a time-efficient, concise manner. People begin to communicate from the time they enter the world with a first cry of “cover me up – I’m freezing!” and “feed me now!” My little one year old boy tries so hard to form words as he babbles on about something he wants to know more about, or try and tell you about – but he can’t quite get the message out yet. He tries so hard to point at something and jabbers on like he is giving me an explanation. I’m sure he makes perfect sense to himself, but others around him can’t quite grasp the importance of what he’s saying. He will learn with time, but he is so eager now because he craves being understood. Communication is vital to life, something I’m learning more and more as I’m living.
  
  Communication doesn’t mean just saying words or writing down facts, feelings, or fluff. No, it is much more than that. It means repetition. It means consistency. It means detail and thought and being selective. My mother always used to say “don’t write it down if you don’t want others to know about it.” And she was right. Communication will make or break a situation. Just look at Romeo and Juliet. Because one piece of communication was a little too late, they both died tremendously sad deaths (sorry for that spoiler – go read the play!).
  
  I try my hardest to read the newspaper every day. Using the online edition helps me a lot because sometimes I can’t get my little paws on the current print copy. It gives a lot of facts, makes points, gives opinions, and while it may seem that the black and white daily ritual seems outdated, it allows us to unknowingly cultivate the art of communication. How so? Well….
  
  1. Repetition. There are some people out there who hate to repeat themselves, but they are missing the mark of how to communicate effectively. For me, e-mailing, message leaving, verbal one-on-one communication, saying something two or three times is the stuff of good communication. Is it mundane and annoying? At times, yes. But it is needed to get the point across or even simply to have people listen and understand. Where am I going with this? The newspaper is a great way to having the same information to digest over and over and over again. The words won’t move, they won’t update….they are perpetual, as long as you take care of it!
  2. Skim, not 2 percent. If you suffer from the I-have-to-read-every-word syndrome, then the newspaper will help cure you of that! It is a great way to get you skimming, and skimming is a fast way to get a bunch of information (infor-mayseeon! Ok, I’m done). Why is this? Because not everything in the newspaper will appeal to you, so you won’t read it all. It will make your eyes skim through to find what means the most to you. I find the art of skimming through books, magazines, and articles most beneficial because it saves me time and helps me get to the information that matters most to me at the time. That is invaluable.
  3. EMPHasis. When you talk to others, do you often find yourself placing importance on certain things….things you may want to stick? I know I do. Whether texting, leaving a message, e-mailing, speaking, I will let that person know, by placing emphasis on something, what needs to be remembered. This doesn’t really need to be taught, but we can see just how universal of a need this is just by skimming a newspaper (see what I did there? ). Headlines are a great way to understand the emphasis of a story. Images and pictures allow a reader to see the emphasis of the day in color. Without it, not only would life be duller, but highlights would be missing, pertinent information would be left to the side, and communication wouldn’t be what it is.
  4. The newspaper communicates, duh! You know it and I know it. I realize that many think the world is getting worse and worse, but if we didn’t have the newspaper to communicate that to us, we would be less informed, and less informed is dangerous. Socrates, the Greek philosopher, once said, “There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.” While I do not 100 percent believe this, I do believe he was on to something – that knowledge is so essential to life. The more I learn, the more I know, the better decisions I make, the better off I am (I am not saying me, this is YOU too). We all have a common need to know and to gain knowledge; the newspaper is a communcation vessel.
  
  Yes, “communcayseeon” is fundamental. Thousands of books have been written on it. The World Wide Web would be nothing if not for our messaging system. Universities have entire graduate programs on it. Yeah, I think it is pretty darn important.
  
  How does this relate to children? Like I said before, we have the desire to communicate from a very young age. Children learn how to do it from what they see and hear around them from the time they are little. It is our responsibility to teach them the right way to send and get messages. There is interaction, reaction, non-verbal communication and the newspaper . Well, ok, the newspaper is a tool rather than the method, but it is a great way to get kids learning how to read and write and COMMUNICATE. Of all the children I’ve come across during my classroom visits (and most of them are on the younger side), I have witnessed a tone of eagerness to know what the newspaper holds. They ask questions about photos, headlines, and want to know what the stories are trying to tell them. They want to know and understand and learn and communicate. It’s really awesome to see that proverbial light blub go on when they get it; yes, it’s the best part of what I do!
  
  So now, here’s me wanting you to get communi-cayseeon!! I’m no expert, and will NEVER claim to be on the subject. But it is one major facet of what I do in my job and what I explain to students as to why the newspaper is important. I am so lucky to have my job, and can’t wait for a new year of classroom visits with kids, working with them, and communicate on some small level how the newspaper is important in life!
  

• Newspapers in the Classroom - Say What!? LOL :)

  By Elaine Riner

  School is almost back in session and we are getting ready for the sounds of little (or big) feet to pitter-patter down the hall! Teachers, are you excited!?!!? Maybe scared? Maybe tired?! I understand the feeling because I’ve been there myself. This year may be a great one, a tough one, a hyperactive one No matter what it is, NIE likes to arm teachers with a great teaching resource that will get kids ready for adulthood.
  
  Using the newspaper in the classroom might not seem like a feasible idea, what with all the paperwork to be done, tests and papers to grade, about 27 student materials to keep up with and all the planning and decorating your classroom to think about. Teachers have a lot of their plate, and I think anyone should/would NEVER deny that. I certainly respect teachers and the job that they do because they really deserve a lot of credit.
  
  So how do you use the newspaper in your classroom and not feel completely overwhelmed? There are well seasoned teachers who do it, but they have been in the classroom and have the hang of things, right? Well, yes, but they had to start somewhere. When I was a teacher in a special education setting, I went unaware of NIE; however, the school did have a subscription to get newspapers everyday and once I noticed they were coming, I made a point to use them with my students when I could. I would read them the serial story of the week (they loved being read to), have them pick out stories and locate facts that were of interest to them (sports or community stories), and then had them to do activities regarding the newspaper. Even before I knew about NIE I knew it was important to try and get a newspaper under their little noses; looking back I would have tried to do more, if I could do it again.
  
  First, I want to tackle the “why.” Not only has it been proven that students who are exposed to a newspaper grow up to become more aware and well read, but they are more likely to pick up news sources and find out what it going on for the rest of their lives! Just by allowing students to have that print (or online) copy available to them for reading once or more times a week gives that child the edge they need to be confident in learning, whether it is news or other parts of the newspaper. Take the comics, for instance. It is a great way to teach kids not only humor, but irony, satire, idioms, expressions, and evaluation are all intertwined when kids pick up the funnies. Even the littlest of newspaper readers can pick up those comics and color them in, giving kids a positive association with the news (Also, these activities can be extra-curricular, and not a main lesson for every week).
  
  When a student does read a newspaper, they don’t have to follow a page order, read the whole thing, but rather they can pick and choose what holds interest for them. Other kids won’t be asking “what page are YOU on?” because it won’t matter! No one is considered farther ahead or behind when you read the newspaper. You just read what you want, and at your own pace.
  
  Let’s also not deny that fact that reading a newspaper also leads to better reading skills and a better vocabulary. Most newspapers are geared toward a middle school reading level, so that most people will grasp the content with ease. For anyone younger than this range, it will only lead to an enjoyable challenge. Will there be words some students do not know? Of course, but that is what www.dictionary.com is for (I love this website!). Will there be confusing topics or touchy issues that you might not want your students to read about? Probably. I have always tried to handle touchy things with grace, but only to fall flat on my face. I once had a kindergartener ask me about a front page headline. I, unnoticing the caption and mug shot, said, “Oh, well, this person tried to take another child who lived in ______ County.” The little girl, completely innocent of understanding what I was saying, said, with a distraught look “but, but……..my grandma lives in _______ County!!! Will she be ok?” And flat on my face I fell 
  
  Yes, I realize there can be content that is tough to talk about. I just keep it “G-rated” or as simple as possible. It is ok! The newspaper has to report of things that we don’t want to hear because those things cannot, and should not, go unnoticed. We can’t just turn a deaf ear because we don’t want kids to “get it.” The teachers is the trustworthy person, many times, who is the voice of security and truth, and that goes for all things, good or bad.
  
  I really could go on and on, but to spare you, here are some other (concise) reasons WHY a newspaper should be used in the classroom:
  
  1. You will not find another piece of literature available that has a pointed interest as you will in a community newspaper. The common flair is the local taste, something that people of any age will definitely enjoy.
  2. This is a given, but the local newspaper will have things that only the locals will not only understand but all be able to participate in. Major news sources are not going to give the time of day to relevant obituaries, personal messages, specialty advertisements, special contests, family opportunities and more. If I could count how many things the Kingsport Times-News offers in terms of sponsorships, fun competitions, opportunities for special messages, and more, it would be a loooooong list.
  3. Newspapers provide a non threatening way of learning, helping students’ process information without the pressure to get a good grade.
  4. It gives students a different way to look at learning. Put away the text book, notepads, folders, and binders! We’re going to write on our “living” text book today – let’s even use markers and pens!
  5. Because using the newspaper will get those students’ fingers inky and give them a desire to know more. I’ve see it for myself.
  6. Newspapers really do apply to life. Of course, from local news to local ads, newspapers have a place in our lives. BUT, they provide one thing that many other resources do no: they change every single day and become obsolete from one 24 hour period to the next. People change too! We are constantly changing and growing and learning – look at our culture. And students are going to feel that change the most.
  
  There are many valid reasons for using the newspaper in the classroom. I think you can see that. I look forward to the time in my job when I can go to a classroom and spend time with students and help them learn more about news. It is the best part, hands down, of what I do here at the newspaper.
  
  As for the HOW do you use newspapers in the classroom? Well, if you want to know, you can find out, but you have to call on me for that. We have a great website with a lot of materials: www.timesnews.net/nie or you can call me, Elaine Riner, and we’ll give you a taste of NIE. We have a lot of great opportunities for your kids, too. Writing contest (to get Dollywood Tickets!), a weekly writing column, drawing contests (for money!) and more. We start up soon, so don’t wait to get signed up with NIE!
  

• Extra, Extra, Facebook All About It!

  By Elaine Riner

  There are many times while going through normal life I think in terms of “Facebook.” Yes, I have, and enjoy, my Facebook account, and am one of the millions to make an effort to check it everyday. Throughout the day, I find myself looking on daily experiences, no matter how mundane, and thinking, “that would make an excellent status.” For those who are unaware, a “status” is a personal “headline” for the day. You can login and make up a description of what you are feeling, doing, want to do, will be doing, how you will do it, etc., and every one will see it. It is our way of giving news to all our friends and family what is most important to us at any given moment. And, it almost sounds ridiculous when I type it out, but status creating is almost as fun as actually reading over the statuses of other people. I love skimming over the last 24 hours of status updates with a good glass of sweet tea and my shoes kicked off. Hi, my name is Elaine, and I am a status addict!
  
  But, this is a newspaper blog, and I am supposed to be writing about newspapers and how they relate to education. Well, school is out, students are having a blast, teachers are getting their well-deserved break (at least, I hope they are) and not much is going on….yet. So, why not talk about something that a lot of people not only know about, but use regularly. I think we can pull some similarities between the ever popular Facebook and the newspaper and see that people still want the same thing: information. We certainly are living in the middle of an information age, which makes most people willing to soak up all they can (well, I hope most people. When you stop learning you really start to loose function, I think.) Let’s check out the commonalities:
  
  Current Events. Facebook opens up a world of detail on those who choose to participate; newspapers open up new pieces of information every DAY, making it very relevant to the knowledge-thirsty mind.
  
  Both have HEADLINES. Headlines, as I describe to students as they tour the newspaper or to students in a classroom visit, is like a title. It’s a title that has words that are going to shock you and make you want to know more.
  
  Photos. A newspaper always has photos of local happenings; from a blistery winter’s day to our adored Funfest event, the newspaper will have candid shots form around the community – I love this feature! Facebook will almost always have updated pictures of babies (my current fave!), family events, pets, travels, and more.
  
  Advertisements. While these ads are not placed by the “Facebooker,” there are still always advertisements lurking around with each click. Newspapers thrive on ads.
  
  Selective reading. I would venture to say that 99.99 percent do not read the whole paper cover to cover. Why? Not all of it pertains to us……we’re not interested in it all. A newspaper is great for that. Facebook is perfect for selective reading; it is easy to navigate and choose what you want to read.
  
  Editorials. Newspapers always have editorials. Some kooky. Some well written with great points. Facebook allows its users to write their own “notes” which is a great way for self-expression.
  
  I certainly could go on, but we can see how these two sources line up. Why is this important? Because I think in a time when many see the newspaper as becoming obsolete, it is important to realize that people don’t change in terms of where our general interest lies. Old or young, newspaper or Facebook, each generation wants to know what is going on. Even though numbers have declined, our audience is not lost because we can see how ultimately we will always want the same thing: News.
  
  Will some get their information for free? Yes. T.V., Internet, Radio…it’s out there. But a local newspaper holds more than those big conglomerate news sources: a local, community, familial feel. The local newspaper is valuable because is has so much more freedom. Freedom to skim, to “listen to” what you want, and to not be bombarded with worthless opinions or coverage of a 12 day funeral. Freedom to go away from phone and connection lines and still be connected! Freedom to think what you want and not have a commentator field questions, causing you to fight with a T.V. or computer screen (don’t deny it, I’ve done it too!). Freedom to question and e-mail a journalist and most likely get in contact with them!!
  
  I am not trying to sell the newspapers or get anyone on board with reading it. I just think sometimes we need to see the big picture and realize that it is a great asset. I’m always telling my teachers the newspaper is a great asset, and using it just one day a week will open up a child’s mind. That will lead to getting a Facebook account one day. That will lead to getting the newspaper….they are connected as they fuel the general peoples’ interest…
  
  …News.
  
  (For those interested in knowing more about statistics of how many people read the newspaper, please go to this link (it is a really cool presentation):
  
  http://www.naa.org/docs/advertising/presentations/The_newspaper_industry_today.ppt)
  

• N.I.E.: New to the World of Blogging!

  By Elaine Riner

  It seems as if everyone everywhere is going “Hi-Tech.” Heck, if you’re reading this, you most likely have a MySpace or a Face book account, you may use Twitter, know what LinkedIn is, enjoy texting, have at least been offered to add the internet option to your $500.00 cell phone, and know what the acronym GPS stands for. I do most of those things and I don’t really consider myself to be technologically sound. Just the opposite really. But these things are really a part of lives today. Millions of people have computers, are involved internet happenings, and millions blog. I am new to this experience, and so far so good.
  
  Out of all the aforementioned millions of people who are joined in on all this computer whiz stuff there are many, many, many students out there who are finding these nuances a major way of life. Today, kids are born with headphones stuffed in their ears and can’t get enough of new ways to use these forms of technology, and who can blame them? They are relatively easy to use + kids have time on their hands to learn them and earn them = millions of people who are savvy. An eight year old could probably live off of giving demonstrations on how to use gadgets and more. Should we accept it or not, it is life and instead of trying to fight the currant, N.I.E., like it or not, cannot deny it.
  We are choosing to move with it for the sake of students and the future of their education.
  With that said, N.I.E. is new to the world of blogging and we are happy to be there! We hope that students will want to read and comment and give their opinions or even suggest topics that we can explore.
  
  For those who are new to the world of N.I.E. (Newspaper In Education), we are an program with the Kingsport Times-News that works with students and teachers to get the newspaper into the classroom for learning and enjoyment purposes. The newspaper is a great way to learn and expand reading skills, and we have faithful teachers and students who love using our program.
  
  We offer the print version of the newspaper, but we also encourage teachers to have some availability for students to use the online content as well. It is great – a direct replica of the daily edition of the newspaper, with the ability to go back several days to catch up on lost news, or even check out the archives to track stories or just see how it was “way back when.” N.I.E. also offers some great contests: Dollywood writing contest, Editorial Cartooning contest, Halloween art contest, high school writing contest, and more! We have a weekly column that comes out for all eligible students with the chance for students to get their name in print –we love having this for students and they love being in the newspaper!
  
  N.I.E. is sponsor run, and for that we couldn’t be more grateful. We have excellent sponsors who help maintain this program all year long. Teachers do not have to pay for their newspapers, thanks to the great companies who give to our program, and we live to recognize them regularly for their efforts.
  
  Happy to announce but sad to say (because summer just arrived) but we are gearing up for a new school year and that means something for the teachers: Workshop In-service Day. June 18th was the magic day and we had a great turn out. Tom Tufts from Florida came and shared his wonderful novel with us; he taught on inter- and intra-personal communication, inference, and rejuvenated the teachers by reigniting the fire to get students to “get it.” He was truly amazing, and I hope we can have him back. Check out the pix (like my tech-lingo?) of the event! Go to:
  
  http://s592.photobucket.com/albums/tt3/newspaperlady
  
  When teachers attend the workshop they become eligible for sponsorship and will receive up to 30 newspapers a week for the entire upcoming school year. Many teachers in this program use the newspaper to help aid in teaching all subject matter; when I was a teacher, I tried my darndest to use the newspaper by getting students to read stories, evaluate a picture, or even read the serial story chapter for the week. We have a lot for teachers to use with their students and try to help re-energize and refuel their teaching tanks for when they reenter those double doors.
  
  We give out goodie bags and have a door prize give-away at the end, which teachers really love. Our best prize this year was four Dollywood Tickets (2 per teacher) and it was a hit! We hope the workshop helps the teachers by giving them materials they use that are fresh each year, but that can be a challenge. Our goal is to make it different a little more each time; our speaker this year was great, and he brought a new dynamic of interactive learning – we couldn’t have asked for better this year!
  
  Yes, NIE has a lot going on, and with that, we need to move forward. So, bottom line, N.I.E. is going computer, internet, what have you for the kids. As we’re getting ready to start another school year, we really want to be a presence online. Oh, and I am the Coordinator, Elaine Riner. I’ll be working all summer to set up our teachers for the 2009-2010 school year and to prepare myself for this new networking way of blogging. This is going to take some adjustment, but I think I can do it.
  
  Signing off (MORE tech-lingo!) for now!