| Students take notes. It's a well worn path to the | | | | around you. You need to be clear about what the |
| learning experience. Despite the age of | | | | teacher is saying so that you can quickly analyze |
| computers, the advancement of visual aids in | | | | which of the material you think is going to be |
| class, and the plethora of books on any subject | | | | important, and also identify anything that you |
| known to man, the greatest aid any student can | | | | don't quite understand. If the teacher makes |
| have when it comes to writing up an assignment, | | | | special emphasis on any area of the lesson, such |
| or revising for a test, is a set of well written | | | | as writing it on a whiteboard, or having it on an |
| notes. Note taking can be done by anyone who | | | | overhead projector sheet, this should be copied |
| listens to a teacher speaking about their subject, | | | | into your notes. |
| but there's a skill to effective note taking that | | | | Develop a type of shorthand that you completely |
| requires some effort before and after the class | | | | understand. This will enable you to note take |
| as well as during it! | | | | accurately, but fast. Keeping your sentence |
| Before the Class | | | | structure short will also help you write at speed. |
| Prior to your class make sure that you find some | | | | Be sure to ask any of the questions you have |
| time to read through the notes from the previous | | | | either from this class or the one the week |
| week. If you know in advance that you didn't | | | | before. If you don't want to do this while the rest |
| really understand what was covered in that | | | | of the students are in the room, stay behind for |
| week's lesson you should do some additional work | | | | a few minutes until the room clears, and then ask |
| during the week so that you go into the new | | | | the teacher if you can clarify the points then or |
| class with at least a basic understanding of what | | | | make a time when you can meet with her. |
| was previously learned. Most classes follow a | | | | After the Class |
| structured timetable of content so that each | | | | Write up your notes into a legible format so that |
| lesson builds on the previous one -- failure to | | | | you can easily read them. Doing this while the |
| understand the previous one means that you | | | | information is fresh in your mind will help you to |
| probably will find the new one even less | | | | remember what the shorthand relates to as well |
| comprehensible! | | | | as prompt you about anything you remember but |
| Read through any assigned reading material. You | | | | didn't make a note of. |
| will be expected to have done this before | | | | Test your understanding by asking yourself a |
| entering the class and so it is probably going to be | | | | couple of questions on the lesson material and see |
| relevant to the learning within that class. Make | | | | if you can answer them. If not, read through your |
| sure that you don't just read it, but that you | | | | notes again. |
| understand it. Make a list of anything you don't | | | | Developing note taking skills isn't just something |
| understand so that you can raise these questions | | | | that will help you to achieve better understanding |
| as the class progresses. | | | | at school; it'll also help you in taking instruction |
| During the Class | | | | when you're in a workplace environment, so it's |
| Focus on what the teacher has to say. Don't get | | | | well worth taking the time to develop a good |
| distracted by classmates, whatever's happening | | | | technique. |
| outside the window, or any other distraction that's | | | | |