As a new school year approaches (exciting!) I have been doing my typical preparation and have been trolling the faithful internets (sic) to see what is cutting-edge out there in the world of academia. Largely by happenstance, I found a website called Lifehacker (www.lifehacker.com) that features a ton of guidelines, tech tips, and shortcuts for living and learning well.
This week, the site is running posts with a Back to School Theme, and one of the most illuminating articles was about note-taking.
As a classroom teacher who relies on lecture/discussion, I am often dismayed at how little my students write down without prompting. Of course, they are then dismayed by how little they retain. AP Literature and Gifted English II are both content AND skill-based courses--you have to know details, terms, and applications. Merely being able to read and write skillfully isn't enough if you don't know the material. While most bright students are convinced that they can hold details forever in their brains, the reality is a stranger to the dream--your working memory only holds so much, and with seven courses informational overload is very possible without a solid note-taking system.
I encourage you to read the Lifehacker articles. They connect to another site that features PDF and Word templates for Cornell notes, which are a great way to prepare your study notes AND efficiently use your class time to summarize. Brigham Young University also has an online tutorial about study notes that links from the site: RECORD, REDUCE, RECITE, REFLECT, REVISE, and RECAPITULATE.
Perhaps you don't need intensive study notes. . .yet. Perhaps you haven't "hit level" where your prior knowledge suddenly isn't enough to carry you. But the reality of college is coming, and soon, and the best gifts you can give yourself as you launch into adulthood are A) remaining as debt-free as you can and B) having a solid sense of purpose and work ethic. Establishing good study habits now will pay off in the long run, and allow you to have the kind of job that will earn five times my annual salary in a week. Don't you want that kind of excitement?
