We have a pretty specific way of taking notes. Also, we teach this through modeling, group work, and lots of practice, but it's all geared toward getting the kids to be able to pick up ANY text and take notes on it. There are also 2 different ways we take notes.
First: Note taking based on headings: In the very first lessons, the students are taught how looking at the text features first will give us a good idea of what the text will be about. We talk about the different text features and what their purpose is. We then read the text features and discuss what this text will be about *based on the info we got from the text features* To set up notes, it looks very much like Cornell style, except on the left side goes the headings/subheadings instead of questions. The students set up the entire notes chart FIRST, so this leads then to looking at all the text features first. After they set up the notes, they then go back and take notes *on the text features only* this is to not only again get them looking at the text features first, but also to show them how much info they can get from just the text features and how they can build their background knowledge that way so they will have a better understanding of the text as they read. When they take these notes, I steer them toward the main idea of the text feture plus an important detail or 2. To get them to understand this, I tell them to look at the title, look at the headings, if it matches up with the big idea of the text, it is a main idea (we call this cross-checking). Also, in the early stages it helps them to use 2 different colored pens to take notes in. 1 color for notes from text features, 1 color for notes from running text. Then, they start reading the running text. They take notes on the main ideas and a couple important details. Again, they need to cross-check and make sure the info they are taking down in the main idea and some details. We then teach them to write a summary from their notes. The second way to take notes, is very similar but instead of setting up their notes from the headings, the students have a prompt, they then form questions based on the prompt - questions that will help them answer the prompt, and set up their notes with the question on the left, and notes on the right. Again, they look at text features first and take notes on them before the running text. It is amazing to see what these kids can do (it is all struggling readers in these classes) after being taught these methods! On Nov 24, 2007 4:39 PM, Bill IVEY <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi! > > One of my colleagues (a brilliant, solid, very promising young teacher) > asked me how I teach note-taking. I was all eager and set to answer when > he added that he knew about the different systems, Cornell and what not, > he was asking more about how you actually teach kids what to write down, > what are the important parts. A long silence ensued before I said, "Well, > now. There's a question!" :-) > > Eventually, I suggested doing a lot of think-alouds, modeling good > practice, reacting to the students' thoughts. I also know you're supposed > to teach note-toking from books before teaching note-taking from lectures. > But all that feels insufficient somehow in light of the focus of this > question. > > What other suggestions would y'all make? And is there a connection with > "Determining Importance" in the "Mosaic of Thought" skills which might > help somehow?? > > Take care, > Bill Ivey > Stoneleigh-Burnham School > > > _______________________________________________ > The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive > -- - Heather "The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man. Nothing else that he builds ever lasts. Monuments fall; nations perish; civilizations grow old and die out; new races build others. But in the world of books are volumes that have seen this happen again and again and yet live on. Still young, still as fresh as the day they were written, still telling men's hearts of the hearts of men centuries dead." --Clarence Day "While the rhetoric is highly effective, remarkably little good evidence exists that there's any educational substance behind the accountability and testing movement." —Peter Sacks, Standardized Minds "When our children fail competency tests the schools lose funding. When our missiles fail tests, we increase funding. " —Dennis Kucinich, Democratic Presidential Candidate _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive
