A one page system. I know it's hard to explain without any visuals! Amd the page isn't split directly down the middle, since they do need more of an area to take notes. So the left hand column is a little smaller than the right hand.
On Nov 25, 2007 10:07 AM, Alice Cortigiano <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > As a relative newbie to middle school education, when you say that you > have > the students write down headings and subheading on the left side, do you > mean the left side of one page? Are you dividing one sheet of notebook > paper in half or are you using a spiral notebook and on the left side > heading/sub and the right side page the notes. > > I'm a visual learner so I'm confused. You can only imagine how bad I am > when I have to read a manual to learn how to do something. > > alice > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Heather Poland > Sent: Saturday, November 24, 2007 7:17 PM > To: A list for improving literacy with focus on middle grades. > Subject: Re: [LIT] note-taking question > > 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 > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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
