Re: What kind of notes do you give and how do you give them?
Posted by: Michael on 7/01/09
Greetings All,
How goes it?
Honestly, not trying to stir the pot.
It's just a popular topic where I teach that pops its head up
from time to time and I am still searching for a reason other
than note-taking is an important skill (I cannot think of any
other skills that are practiced so rigorously and regularly,
aside from general reading and writing) and students need to know
the foundations of a particular subject.
My experience finds that those who support it the loudest are
those who have been teaching the same way for many years and
don't want to change, not as much because they get results, but
it means coming up with new ideas and doing more work.
A professor once told our class that if you are teaching the same
way you were 3 years ago your methodology is outdated. I kind of
like "reinventing" myself and my style, and despite the daunting
task, I believe kids do much better in a student-centered class
where they aren't practicing to be scribes nearly every day.
True, there are probably some out there who make note-taking
interesting, but my guess is still that "most do it because it's
the easiest way to control a class." (Direct quote from several
principals I speak with.) Sort of like those who over-rely on
PowerPoint; at the risk of upsetting another group of teachers.
Sorry if it came off if I were making assumptions about
individuals' teaching styles. I guess my words come off louder
here than they are meant. I just cannot understand how with so
much research and proponents that support other means aside from
daily direct instruction why it's still embraced so dearly.
Also, I'm not a supporter of all this way or that way - obviously
a one-size-fits-all approach is doomed for failure. As they say,
we know our kids best (I was challenged when I brought this
comment up at a recent faculty meeting by a supervisor who
replied that "kids are kids wherever") and it is wisest to pick
and choose what works best for THEM, not for US.
(I hate all capital letters too, but can't figure out how to
italicize here.)
---michael "looks like it might actually not rain in Jersey
today" :)
