Just For You: Cornell Notes on Steroids

Today, I simply want to thank you.

Thank you for reading my posts.

Thank you for educating and making a difference.

Thank you for being out there, in the trenches of parenthood.

Thank you for not accepting the status quo, questioning, and affecting change.

Thank you for believing in our children, their potential, and the future being brighter than ever.

Thank you for standing by my side as I work to improve their educational experience - you are my Legion of Boon. 

Below, is a tool, an idea, that started this journey for me. It is a note taking template I created based on the Cornell notes, which are widely accepted as the most effective way to take notes and learn. I wanted to help my students maximize their learning by sharpening their focus, improving their organization, and teaching them effective study skills. And so, The Focus Method Cornell Notes on Steroids were born.

More than just a simple twist on Cornell Note-Taking, the Focus Method Cornell Notes is a teaching method that supports teaching using "best practices" and a focused learning approach. And, recent research studies find that handwritten notes are more effective than digital ones when it comes to student learning. Technology is great, but not always better.

The template makes use of Dates, Page Numbers, Objectives, Cornell Notes, Summary, and a Homework/Test Log.

The Focus Method prompts the students to write down objectives to initiate focus and purpose for learning, provides ample space for note-taking, and makes use of multiple ways to process information. In addition, students are given space for a summary, questions to ask for clarification, and planning for homework and exams.  

I use Focus Method Cornell Notes with my chemistry students this year and most reported that it helped them with organization and knowing what they are expected to learn. I also use the note format myself when I am reading articles, watching videos, or taking on-line courses to enhance my learning and to remember what I learned better. 

You can DOWNLOAD the NEWEST VERSION of the Focus Method Cornell Notes template for FREE by clicking on the image below, print it, and give it a test drive.

And here's the Table of Contents that is used with the notes template:

And this is how the "guts" of the notebook look like:

So what you do is:

1. Print 1 copy of the Table of Contents (TofC) and as many copies of the notes as you wish (2-sided pages).

2. The picture above is how the entire binder (just punch holes) should look like when you open it.

3. The very first page, when you open the cover, should be the TofC page.

4. When the notebook is opened as in the pic above, it can be used for recording notes for 1 learning session.

I hope you can use it with your students or for yourself. It really makes a difference!

"The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action" – Herbert Spencer

Let me know what you think and please ask questions if you have any regarding how to use the template above. I will talk more specifics on how to use it to maximize student learning in my next post, so please SIGN UP for my NEWSLETTER if you would like to receive this update or future articles and infographics containing strategies and tips on how to help your students become better learners and how to increase your impact as an educator.

And Remember: You have the power to change the world. Use it often.