Teachers, we all know how hectic our days can get, especially when juggling multiple meetings, parent conferences, and planning sessions. But did you know that jotting down notes during these meetings can make a huge difference? Here’s why:
1. Improves Memory Retention
There are SO MANY studies that show this, but our favourite is the study by Mueller and Oppenheimer (2014) which found that handwritten notes lead to better recall and understanding when compared to typing.
The cognitive effort required to capture ideas by hand enhances memory retention, which is crucial for recalling meeting details.
This study is also a really handy one to trot out when students ask why they can't just take a photo of the board (sigh).
2. Keeps You Focused and Engaged
Using a digital device in a meeting increases distractions, while handwriting notes keeps us focused and engaged, leading to more productive meetings (Association for Psychological Science, 2016).
Also, on average, it takes 23 minutes and 15 seconds to refocus on a task after being distracted (Mark, 2008).
3. Enhances Organisation and Workflow
In the chaos that is classroom teaching, having good processes and systems is essential. Research from the Journal of Organizational Behaviour (2019) emphasised the importance of organising notes by date and context for easy retrieval and follow-up.
Keeping consistent meeting minutes in a planner on a weekly basis allows you to track progress, follow action items, and reference discussions without the hassle of searching through a separate notebook or disorganised pages/programs.
4. Shows Professionalism and Respect
Now this one is a bit of an added bonus! Studies in the field of workplace communication show that people who take notes or perform other active listening behaviours during meetings are perceived as much more attentive and engaged (Burgoon, Birk & Pfau, 1990).
Taking notes during important conversations and meetings can also be perceived as a demonstration of respect for the speaker and their message (Pennebaker & Graybeal, 2001).
References:
- Association for Psychological Science. (2016). Why taking notes by hand is better for memory and focus. Retrieved from https://www.psychologicalscience.org/
- Burgoon, J. K., Birk, T., & Pfau, M. (1990). Nonverbal behaviors, persuasion, and credibility. Human Communication Research, 17(1), 140-169.
- Journal of Organizational Behaviour. (2019). The role of note-taking in organizational efficiency. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, 40(4), 573-584.
- Mark, G. (2008). The cost of interrupted work: More speed and stress. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 107-110.
- Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). The pen is mightier than the keyboard: Advantages of longhand over laptop note taking. Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159-1168.
- Pennebaker, J. W., & Graybeal, A. (2001). Patterns of natural language use: Disclosure, personality, and social integration. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 10(3), 90-93.
Let’s be real here: teaching is a demanding job. But with a little help from your planner, staying organised and on top of things doesn’t have to be.