Amping Up My Note-Taking

So I have an idea.  I’m always having ideas, and I try to implement as many as I can without causing complete mayhem in the classroom 😝.  I always tell the kids too, and get their feedback.  After all, they ARE the experts.  Some ideas fall flat, some are amazing. This idea, it’s not too exciting, but I’m hoping that it’s super successful. 

It all started after listening to Jennifer Gonzalez’ fantastic note-taking podcast. If you don’t listen to the Cult of Pedagogy podcast, you’re missing out on some of the best free professional learning. 

So, she talked about the best ways to take notes. Talked about the research. And it seems that the combination of all of the different types of note-taking, works best. Now that sounds like a muddle doesn’t it.  After all, how much stuff can we throw at our poor kiddos?!  What I mean by all of them is, we need to find ways to mix in scaffolded notes (fill-in-the-blank notes), with teacher notes, with students taking their own notes. All three types of note-taking have benefits, so it only makes sense that all three put together is the best way to teach. But then I thought, why not add another layer to the mix?  An area for ‘help needed’ or ‘questions I have’?  

One of my goals this year is to truly work on better feedback. I think that is probably a goal for every teacher, right?  I really want to better my feedback with my students. I read about these wonderful ideas, but I always run into time issues.  I try to conference, but never get around the room. I add reflection in there whenever I can, but then take up all my own time in reading and response.  I’ve thought about cutting my own time by having kids to prepare for conferences, but then that adds a layer of extra work to their already full plates, flies in the face of my desire to avoid homework, and the very kids who need the most support, will be the students who don’t do it. 

But reflection is vital to learning.

Feedback is my job.

Personal conferencing is best teaching practice.

So here’s what I’m thinking. To the side of the notes I just created, I have added an area for a student questions.  They will take notes initially in their composition books.  Then they will be given their prepared notes for their folders to ensure they have the information they might have missed in their note-taking (I need to add some scaffolded sections in there too), and then we’ll have a two minute reflection time.  

Wait!  

An even better idea has come to mind!  At the end of class, when we have our final five (my closing activity), they can revisit their questions and add to them, writing out their most compelling thoughts on an index card to submit to me.  That way they revisit the thinking after doing the work the notes were preparing them for - and I have an instant assessment of student thinking. Yes!  I like that addition!

Oh my goodness. Now I’m getting even more excited. So all that remains is for me to create these all-singing-all-dancing notes for all topics if this works. I guess I’ll be putting that on my to do list. 

Time to implement!  Let’s GO 🏃‍♀️