Note-Taking Skills

I am student teaching in a seventh grade Language Arts class at Hurricane Middle School. The teacher that I have been assigned to is wonderful! She keeps her students engaged in the learning process, and they adore her. At the start of my student teaching experience last week, the class was finishing reading the text, "The Watsons Go To Birmingham," for Black History Month. The teacher had broken down the sixteen chapters into sections of four chapters each. After each section was read, students were expected to take notes. The teacher had pre-made various styles of note-taking templates. I was surprised to see how receptive the students were to this process. Instead of simply telling them to take out a sheet of paper and take notes, the teacher had set them up for a win-win situation. Even those students who were more reluctant to take notes, seemed interested. Many times the pre-made templates had pictures on them. They were never boring to look at, and they usually had different shapes that students could write in. Chapter three of Marzano specifies the important of good note-taking skills. The chapter illustrates many different frames that can be used to achieve this. While this teacher did not use any of the frames that Marzano suggested, she kept the attention of the students nonetheless. I guess that goes to show that even the most simple diversion from the everyday norm in a classroom will get your students involved. I am excited to be working with this teacher. She is a seasoned teacher that has a lot to offer!