Busy Streets

My son had to copy something written on the blackboard for him to use as reviewer for a test. He didn’t copy it at first as he said he did not have enough time as it was too long.

We found a way for him to copy it eventually and although sometimes, kids will try to get away from taking notes for schoolwork, it may be best to explain to children how taking notes will help them study their lessons.

Here are a few things that I have told my son about taking notes when it comes to school work:

1. It practices your handwriting: Taking notes gives kids a chance to improve their penmanship. Most things in life, we really learn by doing and by practicing. With computers and e-mail, our handwriting may not look as nice anymore as in the olden days so welcome the opportunity to write anything by hand and to take notes. The more notes you take, the faster it will take your children to write things down.

2. It is easier to understand your own notes than anyone else’s: It is different when you take your own notes and review them as compared to borrowing someone else’s notes and reviewing those. Different people process information in different ways. An effective learning technique for one may not be effective for the other. What stands out as significant for one student, may be immaterial for another. So take your own notes. They will be easier to review and they will mean more to you.

3. It is a good way to review your lessons: The very act of taking notes is a review of the lesson in itself. Rob yourself of the opportunity to take notes and you rob yourself of the chance to review a lesson. To take notes, you will have to read or listen and understand; repeat things to yourself so you will actually be able to note down things; write things by hand. In one instance, you have already used your visual, audio, and kinesthetic faculties by the mere act of note-taking.

So even if it tires you as a student, please take notes. It will help you understand and review your lessons. It will also keep you from getting bored (i.e. it gives you something to do if the lecture is boring).

Happy note-taking!