"It Matters"

Does your high schooler know how to take good class notes?

Many high school teachers present information in a class lecture. But if students don't know how to take good notes, they may not remember the important facts until they are expected to provide them on a test.

Basically, listening to a lecture is like "reading with your ears." Some of the same techniques that help your teen remember what he reads can be adapted to help him take good notes during a lecture.

Teens who learn best by seeing need to make the lecture visible on the page. They may draw pictures (not doodles of the girl in the next row). Or use different colored markers to highlight important topics.

Some teens learn best by hearing. For them, it's important to focus on what the teacher is saying. They jot down key words or points. After the lecture, they write down as much information as possible.

Many teens draw a line down their page, leaving a blank column on the left. They take notes in the right column. Then later, they go back and write key points in the left column.

Reprinted with permission from the November 2009 issue of Parents Still make the difference!® (High School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2009 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Gail Wood, How to Study, ISBN: 157-68530-8-X (Learning Express, www.LearnATest.com).