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I can remember back to eighth grade. It was the spring semester. Only two quarters to go before I could say to heck with junior high; I’m a high schooler now. But before all that could happen, I had a new class on my schedule. Not just me, every eighth grader had it. If my memory serves me correctly, my section of the class was right before lunch once a week. The class even taught by a high school teacher. The title of the course. Study skills.

Some might be thinking, what on earth is study skills while others might be nodding their heads thinking of a similar course they took. I have found over the years that study skills was called various names depending on the school, but the fundamental principles never changed. It was a class that centered around note taking. Concepts like how to abbreviate words to write faster and how to pick out the main idea that is worth writing down.

My guest today realizes the value of note taking as a skill and a learning tool. I found Hank Barbour through an article he wrote about how he incorporates note taking into his classes. Today he joins us to discuss more a practice he uses and truly believes in, and it is centered around note taking.

About Hank

Benjamin “Hank” Barbour is a librarian and social studies teacher at Fairview High School in Fairview, Pennsylvania. He holds a BA in political science from Boston University, an MA in library science from the University of Pittsburgh, and a MS in secondary education from Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania. He writes regularly for Edutopia and has also been published in Norton’s K-12 Education Blog and Education Week. 

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Home » Take Note: Using Note Taking as a Teaching Tool with Hank Barbour

Take Note: Using Note Taking as a Teaching Tool with Hank Barbour