Contact:Dr. Dennis Shaw, Center Director
Huntington Learning Center of Ankeny
515-965-3860
ShawD@HLCmail.com
Huntington Learning Center of Ankeny
515-965-3860
ShawD@HLCmail.com
Ankeny.HuntingtonHelps.com
7
Note-Taking Strategies for High School Students
Ankeny,
Iowa June 1, 2017– A lot changes
when students transition into high school and one skill that becomes more
important than ever is that of note-taking. “In high school, students are
expected to become proficient note-takers, and those notes will become
essential study tools that they use to review material for quizzes and tests,”
says Doctor Dennis Shaw of
the Ankeny Huntington Learning Center.
“Note-taking should augment student learning and help students recall difficult
concepts more easily and remember what teachers teach. Our goal when working
with students is to share some of the basics that will help them retain what
they learn and study smarter.”
Dr. Shaw shares these seven strategies for effective
note-taking with parents and their teens:
1. Record
meaningful facts. The goal of
note-taking should be to summarize the most important parts of what a teacher
shares during a lecture: dates, names, places, formulas or anything else that
is emphasized. It’s good to write lots of notes, but teens should focus on
recording points that seem important, recurring themes or other details that
are critical to their overall understanding.
2. Group
ideas. Lots of “raw” notes may not
make studying any easier for a student. It’s a good idea to leave space on the
left- or right-hand side of the notebook for condensing and recapping concepts.
During class or afterward, teens can write down any main ideas on the side of
their notes, or at a minimum, subtitles of what was
discussed.
3. Think
quality over quantity. New high
school students tend to think good note-taking means recording everything the
teacher says. It’s a common challenge for students: focusing so intently on
taking notes that they forget to listen and process information enough to be
thoughtful about what they record in their notebooks. Big picture: notes should
concentrate on what the teacher wants the class to know. That may very well
mean teens’ pencils aren’t moving the entire class period, and that’s perfectly
fine.
4. Follow
along in the book if appropriate. When the teacher focuses on a particular chapter or topic, it can be
helpful later on to have page numbers to refer to for clarification or more
information. Teens should ask at the beginning of the period if the teacher is
referencing textbook material.
5. Date and
title notes. It’s a minor thing
that can make a huge difference: labeling notes will prove helpful when it
comes time to study for a test. Teens should always put the date, class name
and topic(s) discussed at the top of their notes.
6. Highlight
the clues. Teachers usually
point out information that students need to know and it is a smart idea to call
out these cues in notes. Teens should listen for phrases like the most important part, for example, in
summary, as a review and the only
exception to this is. These should trigger careful note-taking and teens
should notate these important points with an asterisk or other symbol.
7. Say it
another way. One of the most
important parts of note-taking is not the note-taking itself—it’s the
reflection process. Teens should write down complex points in their own words
so they are easier to understand later. This helps information “click” and
reinforces long-term retention.
Dr.
Shaw reminds parents that taking notes is not a natural skill—it must be taught
and practiced. “Organized
students tend to take cleaner notes, of course, but note-taking is meant to
solidify knowledge and make studying easier and more effective, and that
doesn’t come easily to many students,” he says.
Huntington helps students develop their study skills, including their note-taking
abilities. For more information, contact Dr. Shaw at
515-965-3864.
About Huntington
Huntington is the tutoring
and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized
instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle
school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps
for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington
programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students
succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in
1977, Huntington’s mission is to give every student the best education
possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For
franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com.
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LLC. Huntington Learning Center®, the
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