Upping Your Chessed Game #2 by Rabbi Yair Hoffman

One of the very best chassadim you can do is helping your own struggling child, grandchild or student.  The fact is that most of them were never taught how to take decent notes.  What follows is a handout to give them, or to go over with them.  Remember, the world runs on Chessed and the Nefesh HaChaim writes that we were put here on earth to help others.

5 STEPS TO TAKING AWESOME NOTES

This handout can really help you do well in school now and in future years.  Studies show that after just 20 minutes, you forget ½ of what you just learned. After one full day, you forget 2/3rds  of it! That’s why taking notes is important — they help you remember what you learned and do better on tests.

1. Come to Class Ready

“Always have a plan and believe in it. Nothing good happens without a plan.”  Author’s father.

Come to class prepared so you don’t miss anything important.

• Use a 3-ring binder instead of a spiral notebook. You can take put in extra notes you wrote at home.
• Bring highlighters. When your teacher says things like “This is really important” or “Make sure you know this,” highlight it right away. That means it will probably be on a test!
• Read your homework and look over old notes before class. If there are words you don’t know, look them up first. When you already know a little about the topic, it’s much easier to understand what the teacher is talking about and figure out what’s most important.

1. Get Better at Listening

• Walk into class with a good attitude. If you’re already thinking “I don’t want to be here,” you’ll tune out and miss things. Try to stay open and interested.
• Really try to pay attention. It sounds simple, but you have to make yourself focus to learn.
• Stay with the class even when it goes in a direction you’re not into. If another student asks a question you don’t care about, don’t zone out! The teacher might say something important, and before you know it you’ve missed it.

1. Organize – The way you organize your notes matters a lot.

• Start every new class on a fresh page, and write the date and page number at the top.
• Only write on one side of the paper. Then you can lay pages next to each other when you study.
• Leave empty spaces as you write. You can go back and add more info later.
• Keep your notes short. Don’t write full sentences if a few words will do the job.
• Make up your own shortcuts. For example, “w/” means “with” and “&” means “and.”
• Circle or star any words or ideas you don’t understand so you remember to look them up later.

1. Pay Attention to What’s Actually Being Said

• Write down details and examples that explain the big ideas.
• Copy definitions exactly word for word.
• Write down any lists of things the teacher mentions.
• Copy everything written on the board, including drawings and charts.
• If the teacher repeats something or slows down, write it down — that means it’s important!

1. Go Back and Fix Up Your Notes

• Look over your notes within 24 hours while the lesson is still fresh in your mind.
• Fix any words that are messy or don’t make sense. Write out any shortcuts that you might not remember later.
• Use a different color when you add things later, so you can tell what you wrote in class.
• In the left margin, write key words and questions to help you remember the big ideas.
• If something still doesn’t make sense, underline it so you remember to ask your teacher.
• Compare your notes to your textbook or your friend’s notes and fill in anything you missed.
• Think about rewriting or typing up your notes neatly — it really helps things stick!