Tips/great ideas using The News Tribune in the classroom.

Seven tips to get started using the newspaper in the classroom.

There’s no getting around it; the first few newspaper days are hectic. Students are excited that something new has come into the classroom and anxious to explore the pages of The News Tribune. Here are ways to keep things under control at the beginning:

1. First and foremost, the newspaper is a source of news: it is not just another kind of textbook. Teach students the intrinsic value of a newspaper.

2. Start from scratch. Do not assume that your students, even high school students, know how to use or handle a newspaper. For many students, you will be the first person to ever hand them a newspaper. Reading and handling a newspaper will be skills you will teach them.

3. Only give students one section of the paper at a time. This is especially useful for older students who may turn immediately to the sports or entertainment section while you are trying to get them to focus on another section.

4. For younger students, it is helpful to place three staples down the edges of each newspaper section, allowing for the section to open up like a book. After students are comfortable with handling a paper, you can skip this step. (Extra tip: many teachers "award" students the job of placing staples down the edges of sections.)

5. Help students locate information quickly by teaching them to use the index, to read headlines and subheads, and to know what each section contains. In The News Tribune Section A is main news and editorials, Section B is local news and editorials, Section C is sports, Section D is business, and features and entertainment can be found in Soundlife.

6. Provide bulletin board space for newspaper clippings. Encourage students to maintain personal clipping files on particular topics of interest: ecology, medicine, science, human rights, politics, music, art.

7. Newspapers can be used for reading and studying one day and for cutting and pasting activities the next. You may also pass along some of the newspapers to other teachers to be used for cutting and pasting activities, to. Try to use as much of the newspaper as possible.