The FAMOUS Strategy: Focus On What Matters

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• Focus on writing down big ideas, major concepts, important dates, and names of people rather than trying to copy word for word everything the teacher says, writes on the board, or shows on a screen.

• Avoid writing first names, adjectives, nouns, and adverbs unless they are essential to the meaning or understanding of the topic.

  • Teacher says, "Very quickly, Jane Austen, such a beautiful lady, became a skilled author. Her works were read all over the place. Today, nearly everyone knows of Jane Austen."

  • You can simply write, "Austen b/c skilled author. Widely read. Well-known today."

• Make a plan for when the teacher covers more information than you can write. Be prepared so this will note stress you out.

  • For example, if your teacher tells you Jane Austen lived in Victorian England and wrote Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, and Love and Friendship, there is a good chance you cannot remember all of the titles to write down.

  • Instead of trying to write all the titles, just write the following: "J. Austen wrote at least 5 novels. Look up names."

  • Now, you can move on to writing about a new point of discussion, you have recorded the important information, and you have notes to help you know what gaps to fill in later.

• Only take notes on the material being discussed at the moment. Do not try to skip ahead or you will only find yourself frustrated.

• Use abbreviations

  • Months of the year (Jan, Feb, Mar, etc.)

  • Write numbers rather than spelling them (1, 2, 3, etc.)

  • Because or became = b/c

  • Write a person's full name the first time and every time following, use their initials. (Jane Austen = JA)

  • Place jobs, dates, places, important connections, relationships, etc in parenthesis after a person or place's name

    • Example: (mom), (dad), (Atlanta), (Michigan) (baker), (farmer), (1995), (religious), (atheist), etc.

  • Use arrows to show relationships or sequence of events

    • Example: Jane Austen's brother was Henry. Henry served in the militia = JA --> bro. Henry (militia)

• Stay focused from the beginning to the end of the class period. Teachers tend to give some of the most important pieces of information at the beginning and end of the class period.

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