Newpaper's role in teaching Common Core

Introducing the concept of argumentative writing to seventh-graders can be challenging. “You take a stand,” I tell the students in my charge. “You're trying to persuade others to your view.”

I hold up an edition of the Daily Herald, turn to the Opinion page and point to the “Your views” section comprising letters to the editor. “Here, people offer their opinions about any subject important to them. You could write a letter, too, and if you were to make a good argument maybe it would get published.”

For a moment, the students consider the awesomeness of having their name in the paper. The newspaper. They understand that aura of authority: If something makes it onto the printed page, it must be worth reading.

As a long-term substitute teacher this year in Palatine Township Elementary District 15, I've considered the impact newspapers can have in the classroom. As the Common Core State Standards take root in curriculums across the suburbs, educators are strengthening the emphasis on literacy through nonfiction writing in English/language arts classes but, perhaps more importantly, in many other subjects as well. Newspapers in all platforms — printed, website, app — will continue to have a key role through these changes.

Remember the Friday current events quiz? There's still an important place for that, but consider these possibilities: A high school genetics teacher uses articles on stem cells to discuss potential policies that will affect generations to come; a class of fourth-graders reads about recycling to analyze the benefits to the environment; and middle-school language arts students clip printed advertisements to evaluate persuasion techniques.

Besides offering these perks to literacy training, newspapers keep students in the know, allowing theoretical concepts to become applicable to their lives and creating a basis on which to form opinions. Their skills in analyzing news will be critical to the well-being of our nation, as young people someday will be our voters, leaders and policymakers.

And with any luck, many will write an occasional letter to the editor.