Homework and notes copies

mirrorwall14

Just wondering what opinions there are on running two copy systems in the classroom. It wasn't something I ever had in secondary school, I don't use it myself as a teacher but I was flabbergasted at the amount of copies a few of my first years had and apparently they had two copies for seven of their subjects. With the weight of schoolbags it just feels a little mad to me.

What's the big benefit? I can see that it would save keeping copies over the three years if you have one notes copy but is that not removing yet another responsibility from the student (minding their notes)?

Pinkycharm

Just for me and my subjects

for irish they have a homework copy/class copy and then a notes/grammar copy. i check the homework copy on a friday and then give a grade each month for all notes in the notes copy.

for geography a4 hardback and softback homework/classwork. i collect the notes copies on a friday to make sure they have everything or i get them to write it out 5 times. (nobody has had to do this yet so its good to put the fear into them ). I'm a bit ott with geography but its because its very theory heavy.

an irish teacher in my school insists on three copies though for her first years- homework, class work and a notes copy. but i think going over 2 is a bit crazy. in saying that we have ipads so they dont have books.

in school i just hated having my notes staggered in between homework etc and preferred them all in the one copy. i think to be honest its just personal preference of the teacher. i don't mind them writing notes in their homework copy as long as they are transferred properly!

evolving_doors

one copy, label the hell out of every page.
date, topic, CH/HW, important theory stuff highlighted.

Red Waterlily

I can't lift a class worth of hard backs so I banned them.

doc_17

Maths teacher, one copy only. The book is the notes copy.

Just going off topic a wee bit, I see some kids with the textbook written back out into notes copies. Honestly don't see the point in that. I think, in some instances, notes are a waste of time.

evolving_doors

doc_17 wrote: »

Maths teacher, one copy only. The book is the notes copy.

Just going off topic a wee bit, I see some kids with the textbook written back out into notes copies. Honestly don't see the point in that. I think, in some instances, notes are a waste of time.

I dunno, I'd go with the muscle memory thing and learning by writing/dictating.. same as I'd get the students to write out the question or draw a picture to get them thinking, rather than stare at a page and read the sentence a few times.. kinesthetic learning and all that...

Hazelnut Button

Science teacher here. My students would have 3 copies.

1. Experiment copy which they bring in at the start of first year and leave in the lab for the next 3 years.

2. Notes hardback.

3. Soft copy for homework and keywords test.

Like others mentioned above I hate homework amidst the notes. It can be very messy.

Regarding note taking, I have some very weak students. The textbook would be extremely difficult for them to read. Thus I give them short simplified notes to write in for each topic. I find it works for them.

Millem

For junior cert they have a copy for excercises, a workbook and a hardback for their recipes and evaluations.
For leaving cert they have a ring binder and dividers and write on a4 sheets.

doc_17

Armelodie wrote: »

I dunno, I'd go with the muscle memory thing and learning by writing/dictating.. same as I'd get the students to write out the question or draw a picture to get them thinking, rather than stare at a page and read the sentence a few times.. kinesthetic learning and all that...

I completely agree that that is necessary and beneficial for some students in some subjects. Kinaesthetic learning yes, taking down notes for the majority of the class that are already in a textbook that cost €30, no.

spurious

I always got them to make their own notes, even if it ended up in very simple English. Reading or copying my notes would have been a waste of time. Many of the lads I had could copy a boardful of ancient Greek for you without making a mistake, yet understand none of it.