Sketch notes? Doodle notes? Cornell notes? Pixanotes?
Which notes are right for your classroom?
Why do students even take notes?
And how can notes be differentiated?
I think you'll find that the #2ndaryELA nation tackled this and more in our Twitter chat about Note Taking.
Q1: Do you think secondary students need to take notes? Why or why not? #2ndaryELA
A1: I honestly believe students need to learn to take notes! Both during lecture and from informational texts. Secondary education is so innovative, but higher education is still based on lecture! #2ndaryela
A1: Personally I do think Ss need to take notes. BUT I do not think they always have to be from a lecture. Without notes, how can they study? How can parents know how to help? #2ndaryELA
I think some note taking is fine as long as it is not all class time and/or every day. #2ndaryela
A1: I think it depends on the nature of the class and the learning style of the student. I think giving students the option to is a good idea in general, and then if there is something of significance you want them to remember then you could have them take notes. #2ndaryela
A1: Yes, notes need to be explicitly taught to secondary students! It is an important skill that is applicable to all subjects and other life areas as well. #2ndaryELA
Yes, note taking is essential for college bound students - but for just learning material in HS... not sure it is. College is just so old school while HS is always changing.. hard to stay on the same page! #punintended
Q2: What types of notes do you use in your classroom? #2ndaryELA
A2 I use an interactive notebook for notes and also traditional notes. #2ndaryela
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A2: Cornell notes, double-entry journals, guided notes (words and pictures), brainstorm activities, chapter notes, annotations on text, etc. The style of notes depends on the purpose for the note-taking and even the preference of the student when appropriate.
#2ndaryELA
A2: I know that sketch/doodle notes are all the rage, but ironically my ADHD Ss do not like them. My more logical thinkers do, however. Both groups liked my picture notes because of the blend. #2ndaryELA
In science and history, I can see the importance of notes - but with literary elements and devices, finding and using them are paramount #2ndaryELA
I think of the notes as resources and I agree that using them is the key. I personally don't have my Ss just copy anything. #2ndaryELA
Of course my principal would say that notes are a "Teachable moment" in terms of stamina and increasing student attention spans. :) #2ndaryELA
I'd agree with your principal; especially, for students who are intending to go to traditional colleges. Outside of Ed classes, lecture is happening at the collegiate level. #2ndaryELA
You're right of course and we could build them up one chunk at a time until they have more stamina for a longer attention span. #2ndaryELA
A2: I am a fan of Cornell Notes but Interactive notes are great too! I combined the two and made my own Pixanotes - picture notes. :) #2ndaryELA
Q3: What do students use their notes for in your classroom or at home? #2ndaryELA
A3: In class, they are used as reference material for assignments. (Think personal anchor charts) At home they are used as study materials. #2ndaryELA
A3: Each S has a binder that has a resources section where all handouts and notes go for HW assignments and compositions. I’m not a fan of HW in its purest form - just reading. Read outside of class to lead to in class discussions. #2ndaryELA
A3: Notes in my class are mostly about concepts and students use these throughout units. At the beginning of a unit on social commentary in dystopian literature, students took notes on the concept and used it throughout the unit. #2ndaryela
A3: Notes may be used on many assessments, during presentations, as study guides, for partner talk, reference during games/quizzes - Pretty much anything! #2ndaryELA
Q4: Do you differentiate notes in your class and/or allow students to develop their own style? #2ndaryELA
A4: My picture notes are differentiated 4 ways - all the same content just diff. scaffolding. So I could have all 4 versions out in the same class at the same time. #2ndaryELA
I should add that these are guided notes with images and examples. #2ndaryELA
I modified Cornell notes to help my ELL and SPED Ss. #2ndaryELA
A4: Both, And. I have a large amount of ELL students and students who are multiple grade levels behind, so I change notes for these students. I do guided notes and provide it where they get to fill-in-the-blank. #2ndaryela
A4: Students are allowed to draw pictures, doodle notes, copy, and use technology to record notes – whatever works best for them. The only time I use a required type of notes is when I am teaching the actual skill. #2ndaryELA
Q5: Share your best note-taking resources. #2ndaryELA
Cornell notes are very popular with AVID programs. #2ndaryELA
AVID? @AnnMarieKumm is a master at Cornell notetaking!!
AVID is a middle school program to help Ss who want to go to college but need a little extra support. I will have to follow @AnnMarieKumm ! :) #2ndaryELA
A5: Check out Pixanotes here: http://bit.ly/2D6E9mJ with a video and free sample. #2ndaryELA
A5: The best resource I use is the Cornell Notes style. For students who prefer digital notes, I typically let them use whatever app they like. I am open to more resources though! #2ndaryELA
Remember, we keep the conversation going all the time at our Facebook group and we'd love for you to join the almost 20,000 other Secondary ELA teachers in our community!
Thanks for stopping by!