Sunday, September 21, 2008
How to Improve Your Note-Taking Skills
Sometimes students, especially AVID students, think that we "invented" Cornell notes as a special method of torture. But, Cornell notes have been around a long time, and they are very often recommended and taught at the college level. In this article on Questia.com, the Online Library of Books and Journals, the authors explain and recommend Cornell notes and then also refer to a Washington Times article which does the same:
"Struggling to record everything you hear during a lecture is a sure-fire way to miss important points and give yourself a bad case of writers' cramp. A far better approach focuses on capturing essential material and working with it to strengthen understanding and memory.
"Based on a technique developed by Cornell University professor Walter Pauk, The Cornell Note-taking System begins with the notepaper you use. Set up a note-taking column about 6 inches wide, and create a cue column about 2 ½ inches wide running down the left side of the page with a margin 2 inches deep across the bottom for your summary.
"Use the large note-taking column to record 'telegraphic sentences' from the lecture. ASAP after class, jot questions based on the lecture notes plus key words or phrases in the cue column. 'Writing questions,' says Cornell, 'helps to clarify meanings, reveal relationships, establish continuity, and strengthen memory.' Later, to review your notes or study for an exam, look at the cue column (cover up the note-taking column) and recite answers to questions or cue-words relating to facts or ideas. 'Reflect on the material by asking yourself…'What's the significance of these facts? What principle are they based on? How can I apply them? How do they fit in with what I already know?'' Setting aside at least 10 minutes weekly to review your notes will boost retention. And use the space at the bottom of the paper to write a summary of the notes on that page.
"Note-taking, says Christian Toto in The Washington Times article 'Taking Note of This,' should be 'marked by intense listening and occasional writing.' He cites American University's Kathy Schwartz, who recommends inspecting notes shortly after class to fill in the blanks or clean up handwriting because 'Our memories start to fade within two hours of learning new information.'"
"Struggling to record everything you hear during a lecture is a sure-fire way to miss important points and give yourself a bad case of writers' cramp. A far better approach focuses on capturing essential material and working with it to strengthen understanding and memory.
"Based on a technique developed by Cornell University professor Walter Pauk, The Cornell Note-taking System begins with the notepaper you use. Set up a note-taking column about 6 inches wide, and create a cue column about 2 ½ inches wide running down the left side of the page with a margin 2 inches deep across the bottom for your summary.
"Use the large note-taking column to record 'telegraphic sentences' from the lecture. ASAP after class, jot questions based on the lecture notes plus key words or phrases in the cue column. 'Writing questions,' says Cornell, 'helps to clarify meanings, reveal relationships, establish continuity, and strengthen memory.' Later, to review your notes or study for an exam, look at the cue column (cover up the note-taking column) and recite answers to questions or cue-words relating to facts or ideas. 'Reflect on the material by asking yourself…'What's the significance of these facts? What principle are they based on? How can I apply them? How do they fit in with what I already know?'' Setting aside at least 10 minutes weekly to review your notes will boost retention. And use the space at the bottom of the paper to write a summary of the notes on that page.
"Note-taking, says Christian Toto in The Washington Times article 'Taking Note of This,' should be 'marked by intense listening and occasional writing.' He cites American University's Kathy Schwartz, who recommends inspecting notes shortly after class to fill in the blanks or clean up handwriting because 'Our memories start to fade within two hours of learning new information.'"
Labels: Cornell notes, note-taking
Saturday, September 29, 2007
DODDS looking to give students AVID study habits
By Will Morris, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Wednesday, September 26, 2007
TORII STATION, Okinawa--"One world, one binder."
One of the first lessons AVID teacher Brian Swenty tries to instill in his students at Osan Air Base, South Korea, is about organization.
"Many of our kids experience immediate success just by getting organized," Swenty, 32, said of his Advancement Via Individual Determination class, an elective offered in DODDS middle and high schools.
The program is designed to help "middle performing" students develop the academic skills and personal character needed to be successful in the grades they are in and prepare them for the next academic step to come, including college.
Swenty was one of 35 AVID teachers who gathered last week at the headquarters of Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Pacific on Okinawa.
By all accounts, the program is successful.
Melanie Bales, 47, the Pacific AVID coordinator, said that when compared to their counterparts, a greater percentage of AVID students go to college and graduate.
Bales said about 10 percent of DODDS middle and high school students are enrolled in the program. Children either are recruited into the program, or are admitted after testing.
Ed Fielder, 56, a middle school teacher at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, said students in the program must agree to a set of terms, including taking rigorous classes. All the requirements are laid out and students must sign a contract agreeing to meet them.
Fielder said a large part of the program has to do with raising the expectations that the students have of themselves, and the second part of the program is helping them meet those expectations.
"We motivate them, and then we monitor them," Fielder said.
AVID teachers said they try to develop the academic infrastructure students need to be successful. Students are taught organizational skills, time management, the process of writing and Cornell Note Taking, designed to help students memorize course work and analyze it.
Along with academic skills, the teachers said, they help students develop aspects of their character that are essential to academic success, such as team-building and social skills, and personal responsibility.
Thelberstine Buford, 46, a teacher at Daegu American School in South Korea, echoed Swenty’s thoughts that organization is the key to academic success.
Successfully maintaining "The Binder," as it is called, is worth 50 percent of her students’ grades, she said. All the work that students do for class, including notes and homework, is required to be in the notebook.
A large part of classwork for AVID students is getting them ready to apply to college and be successful there. Students study for entrance exams, learn about financial aid and even go on field trips to colleges and universities in the States.
"We spend a lot of time just getting them used to the culture of college," said Swenty.
The program isn’t without its challenges, however. Swenty, Fielder and Buford agreed that the program has a high turnover rate because military children tend to move around a lot.
"In a stateside school, if [a student] gets in AVID in the seventh grade, they’re going to stay in for six years," Bales said, adding that many AVID students in DODDS stay in the program for only two or three years before they move back to the States.
Pacific edition, Wednesday, September 26, 2007
TORII STATION, Okinawa--"One world, one binder."
One of the first lessons AVID teacher Brian Swenty tries to instill in his students at Osan Air Base, South Korea, is about organization.
"Many of our kids experience immediate success just by getting organized," Swenty, 32, said of his Advancement Via Individual Determination class, an elective offered in DODDS middle and high schools.
The program is designed to help "middle performing" students develop the academic skills and personal character needed to be successful in the grades they are in and prepare them for the next academic step to come, including college.
Swenty was one of 35 AVID teachers who gathered last week at the headquarters of Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Pacific on Okinawa.
By all accounts, the program is successful.
Melanie Bales, 47, the Pacific AVID coordinator, said that when compared to their counterparts, a greater percentage of AVID students go to college and graduate.
Bales said about 10 percent of DODDS middle and high school students are enrolled in the program. Children either are recruited into the program, or are admitted after testing.
Ed Fielder, 56, a middle school teacher at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, said students in the program must agree to a set of terms, including taking rigorous classes. All the requirements are laid out and students must sign a contract agreeing to meet them.
Fielder said a large part of the program has to do with raising the expectations that the students have of themselves, and the second part of the program is helping them meet those expectations.
"We motivate them, and then we monitor them," Fielder said.
AVID teachers said they try to develop the academic infrastructure students need to be successful. Students are taught organizational skills, time management, the process of writing and Cornell Note Taking, designed to help students memorize course work and analyze it.
Along with academic skills, the teachers said, they help students develop aspects of their character that are essential to academic success, such as team-building and social skills, and personal responsibility.
Thelberstine Buford, 46, a teacher at Daegu American School in South Korea, echoed Swenty’s thoughts that organization is the key to academic success.
Successfully maintaining "The Binder," as it is called, is worth 50 percent of her students’ grades, she said. All the work that students do for class, including notes and homework, is required to be in the notebook.
A large part of classwork for AVID students is getting them ready to apply to college and be successful there. Students study for entrance exams, learn about financial aid and even go on field trips to colleges and universities in the States.
"We spend a lot of time just getting them used to the culture of college," said Swenty.
The program isn’t without its challenges, however. Swenty, Fielder and Buford agreed that the program has a high turnover rate because military children tend to move around a lot.
"In a stateside school, if [a student] gets in AVID in the seventh grade, they’re going to stay in for six years," Bales said, adding that many AVID students in DODDS stay in the program for only two or three years before they move back to the States.
Labels: Advancement Via Individual Determination, AVID, binder, Cornell notes
Friday, June 15, 2007
BJ Moving on to College
Congratulations to BJ Washington, a former AVID student at Sigonella HS during his junior year. BJ recently was graduated from high school in Virginia and will be attending either Benedict College or Morgan State University. He hopes to continue to play football at Benedict and is in negotiations with the coach there.
BJ writes: "Mrs. Pienta, you are a life saver. I don't think I would have been in college if it was not for you. Everything you taught me helped, especially the Cornell notetaking system you taught me. That helped me a lot. I understood what the teachers were talking about more by writing questions on my notes and having them answer it."
We at Sigonella all wish BJ the best in college and know that he will continue to succeed by using Cornell notes there, too.
Labels: AVID, Benedict College, Cornell notes
