The Best Educational Practices

The past several weeks I have been working on my portfolio, carefully deciding which

articles and artifacts reflect my effectiveness as a teacher. Currently, I am a content area

teacher with specialized training in Exceptional Education. It gives me an edge among

other social science colleagues. I love teaching the content! It shows in my planning, my

presentation, and my rapport with students. I have a natural enthusiasm for teaching my

content, with the exception of World Studies I! The Prehistoric Era to Renaissance is not

my strongest area of expertise. Also, I despise “curriculum by the box,” meaning that the

pacing guide, instructional materials and assessments are packaged and distributed

among the schools. My disgust for a prepared curriculum is where the specialized

training with disabilities is an asset for the following best practice: annotated notes.

My instructional environment is challenging. An overwhelming majority of my high

school students read at least two grades behind age and grade appropriate peers. Another

hurdle is their attendance record once leaving such a structured environment as Juvenile

Detention. Recent statistical data indicates that criminality is closely aligned with low

reading skills. To change the current trend, educators need trained personnel in

exceptionalities for changes to include all students in the curriculum and assessment

process.

The primary reason why annotated notes are a best instructional practice is literacy. The

average stay of a resident at a local secured detention facility is 21 days and dependent on

the severity of criminal charges. As a content area teacher, it is not in the best interest

of the student to keep pace with the more traditional setting. Instead, the best

instructional practice is the literacy component. When the activity is completed on a

regular basis in the social science curriculum, for example, students will take class

writings across the curriculum to another level: critical thinking. I discovered during my

Internet searches that annotation, or writing side notes, is a timeless educational strategy.

It is done through words and symbols, with highlighter or a pen. In my personal

readings, I write additional notes or draw an image. Below is an example of a Primary

Source I read in preparation to teach U.S. History students about the Cold War.

The late Margaret Thatcher delivered a speech at a Conservative Party conference in

1980, approximately 6 months after assuming the role of Prime Minister. With

technology, I used the BOLD print option to draw attention to a rather interesting point.

Within Microsoft Word program, the review tab enables the user to insert “New

Comment,” allowing users to annotate notes within the document. For example,

Thatcher mentioned in the speech support for Geoffrey Howe’s bold economic initiative

“Under Geoffrey's stewardship, Britain has repaid $3,600 million of international

debt, debt which had been run up by our predecessors” (Thatcher, 1980). Based on

my undergraduate knowledge of the content, I questioned to whom Britain owed?

Immediately, I thought of the United States and the Marshall Plan, the European

restoration plan after the Second World War. From its context, I was piqued by the word,

“predecessors.” Further questions included if Thatcher was speaking from the

Conservative Party platform or in generally on the effects of war on Western Europe.

There are several reasons why annotated notes are an invaluable skill across the curriculum,

regardless of educational environments. Highlighting text is a passive act and does not fully

engage the student. “Annotating will help you stay focused and involved with your text. It will

also help you to monitor and improve your comprehension” (Wisconsin Luther College--

www.wlc.edu). Writing is not the only mean for annotation. Suggestions also include

(www.wlc.edu):

Underline important terms Circle definitions and meanings Write key words and definitions in the margins Signal where important information can be found with key words or symbols in the

margin Write questions in the margin next to the section where the answer is found Describe your reaction to the text Write connections you make to the text (text to self, text to text, or text to world).

To summarize, “annotation is a lot more than a summary! (www.scu.edu)” Within reading and

writing, students are more descriptive and commentary in nature, activating and actively

stockpiling knowledge.

Resources

Santa Clara University, (n.d.). Writing an annotation. Accessed 8 April 2013 from

http://www.scu.edu/library/research/general/upload/writingannot.pdf

Thatcher, Margaret. Speech to Conservative Party Conference (This lady’s not for

turning: the reason why). Brighton, United Kingdom. 10 October 1980: Keynote

Accessed 8 April 2013 from

http://www.margaretthatcher.org/speeches/displaydocument.asp?docid=104431

Wisconsin Lutheran College (n.d.). Annotated note taking. Accessed 9 April 2013 from

http://www.wlc.edu/uploadedfiles/success/annotatednotes.pdf