Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.
– Japanese Proverb
The importance of teachers in a student's life can never be sidelined. As they say, 'one child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world'. These words seem so true when we hear inspiring stories of teachers like Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. 5th September for the past 59 years is celebrated as teachers' day in order to mark the birthday of one of the greatest teachers and presidents that India has ever had. Dr. Sarvepalli was not only loved by his students but also by the whole world. Hence, even today his birthday is celebrated as Teachers’ Day every year. Stories like this do show the importance and role of teachers in a student's life.
The life of students is incomplete without good teachers as well as good notes. Unfortunately, teachers often find making good notes a hectic job. Don't worry, we've got you covered. Here are some easy and effective tips to make good notes for your students-
Five Tips to Help You Create the Best Notes
Highlight the key facts- While teachers make notes, they might have a lot of information to share as their knowledge on the subject is vast. But it gets difficult for the students to identify or remember the important points and facts. The teachers should highlight the facts that they think would be beneficial for the students. The teachers can also sum up(very short) whatever they have explained at the end of the topic. For example- If the teacher is teaching trigonometry, they can highlight all the important trigonometry formulas in order to help the students with the best notes.
Use graphics and diagrams- Ever noticed how easy it was for us to understand the complete digestive system with the help of that human diagram. The same topic was difficult for us when we tried reading about it. That is because diagrams and graphics are much more appealing and attractive. The teachers should definitely try including diagrams or infographics while preparing good notes.
Make use of flow charts- Remembering and understanding each and every family member, their name, and their relation with them seems to be the most difficult task for the students. But the family tree activity makes it much easier for them. The family tree can also be considered as a flow chart that helps the students understand the hierarchy and order well. Similarly, teachers should also use flow charts while discussing detailed topics such as animal kingdom, etc.
Explain the goals- It happens so many times that we go shopping but come back home without doing any actual purchase. Not because we didn't like anything, but probably because we didn't know what we were exactly looking for. This happens with the students when they go through their notes, the notes may be great but they don't know what to extract from them. So, if the teacher gives a clear goal or points of learning while getting started with the new topic in the notes, it would be really beneficial for the students.
Keep it short and organized- The students never love the concept of lengthy notes as it gives them a feel of reading from their long textbooks. What they expect is an organized and short overview of the detailed topics. The use of different colors and fonts can be an add-on while making good notes for the students.
Bonus tip-
Never overdo it- Sometimes too much information can also prove to be a problem. There may be some topics that might not have an end, but not all the points would be important for the students. In order to make study notes for such topics, the teachers need to differentiate between the important and less important information. Teachers should also understand that the students might get confused with too much information. Hence, maintaining balance is important.
Your students will forever be thankful to you for the good notes you provide them as, whatever the students learn at a young age stays with them forever. And as Henry B. Adams says: A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. So, do not let any stone unturned to become your student’s favorite teacher.
All the best and Happy Teaching!
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