Have you ever been faced with a difficult question in an exam and thought to yourself: “Wow, I wish I had paid attention to the teacher when they were covering this topic in class”? Well, believe it or not, most learning is done in the classroom. The more attention you pay to your work in class, the easier it is for you to revise that same material at home or later on. This means that you have to spend less time in the evenings and on weekends catching up on material, and you have more time to spend with friends or on your favourite past-times.
Who wouldn’t want to make the most of the time they spend in class? You can too, if you listen actively and take quick and effective notes. Active listening is the single most useful skill you can have in the classroom. Instead of just hearing what your teachers have to say, listen to it, pay attention and mentally process what is being said. In addition to this, good note-taking actually helps maintain concentration, and makes it possible to understand the information you are being taught.
Just remember; anything you can learn in the classroom, you don’t have to spend time learning at home.
Using the few simple classroom skills outlined below will make learning a lot easier for you.
Good preparation for class is essential:
No matter which subject or teacher, you can get a lot more out of class with a little preparation beforehand.
- Make sure you've completed all the homework due that day.
- Try to give equal priority to all homework, not just essays or other written work.
- Reading book chapters and teachers notes are just as important for your progress.
- You will find it easier to take clear and concise notes in class when you have read the text.
- Have a quick review of your notes from class that day to help retain the new knowledge.
- Have some questions ready. You can never ask your teachers enough questions. They are your greatest resource for the Leaving Cert – experts in the subject, and able to answer any questions you have or issues you can't solve.
Be effective in the class:
- Remember, the more you learn in class, the more you will gain from your study at home.
- Be a good listener. It is very important for you to be a good listener in class. Listening requires you to pay attention and think about what you hear.
- Listen with questions in your mind about the topics being covered.
- Ask yourself questions and try to put the material into the relevant context.
- Be ready when you come to class, with all the necessary books.
- Make sure you have completed all homework or previous topics covered.
- Read ahead if you know what material is to be covered.
- If you have a question to ask, ask it.
- Be willing to learn – your attitude is very important to empower you to learn, so come to class with a positive attitude.
Your seat in class:
Where you sit in class will have a great influence on your concentration and, in choosing the right seat, you can improve your in-class performance greatly. The easiest thing to do in class is to daydream or let your mind wander. This will result in reduced performance and will cost you a lot come end of year results. So, choose your classroom seat wisely. Bring a positive attitude to your classroom learning and you will reap the rewards.
- Avoid the back of the room.
- Don't sit beside the window, you'll get distracted.
- Stay away from the "messers".
Many see classes as a waste of time. However, this is where most of your time is spent, with the experts that specialise in their subjects. Don’t waste that opportunity. Make the most of it, stay focused and you will derive the value from it. Remember, you will get out of your class what you put in.
Be proactive in class - take good notes:
Many students take down word for word what the teacher says, but for the majority of students this is not the most effective way to take in the material from each class. Instead of writing notes as the teacher is speaking, try to listen to the point they are making in full, and then summarise it in bullet points in your notes, in a way that makes sense to you.
Here are some tips for accurate and quick note taking:
- Listen carefully for "key phrases" that tell you a certain point is important, ie "most importantly", "as a result", "to summarise", "on the other hand", "on the contrary", etc.
- Listen for points that the teacher repeats, emphasises or writes up on the board.
- Note any reference made to exam type questions and practise them at home in exam conditions.
- Jot down points quickly so you can include all the important information.
- Use rough brainstorms/idea maps with key words.
- Make margin notes when working from a text book.
- Circle or highlight important terms/ dates and details.
- Use abbreviations when possible (eg "info" for "information").
- Use symbols when possible (eg "%" for "per cent").
- Keep your notes short, in point form.
- It will be possible to go over your notes later and fill them in fully.
The five steps to quick and clever note-taking:
- You must listen actively.
- You must select the relevant information.
- You must summarise it.
- You must organise it logically.
- You must understand it (when revising).
The Cornell system:
The Cornell note-taking system, designed by Walter Pauk, is a well-known system for taking notes that many students use.
Active participation: how the 'A' student does it:
“A” students have several important techniques that help them do well in exams at the end of the year:
- "A" students are able to engage with their teacher about the material. They discuss specific topics with the teacher and identify areas in which they need work.
- "A" students listen closely to the words of their classmates – other students often ask good questions and make helpful comments which can help you understand things further.
- "A" students give the teacher their full attention and are genuinely interested in class interactions.
- "A" students consider the new material and try to ask themselves relevant questions about it, eg What do I already know about the subject? What do I need to know? What are the important details and how could I apply my learning in the exam?
- "A" students take good written notes about what their teacher is saying.
- "A" students listen actively, work through the class and repeat points they hear.
- "A" students use marking schemes and past papers from examinations.ie to identify exactly what is needed to answer each question and maximise their exam answering technique.
What to do after class:
- As soon as possible after your class, review the notes you made during it. Fill in any blank areas which you couldn't complete earlier and note any questions you may have for the next class.
- Do homework from the class now. Completing homework when it's fresh in your mind is a great way to make sure you do it to a high standard.
- If your class time handwriting is illegible then use the time when you are rewriting your notes as an opportunity to revise the material as well.