The interactive notebook has completely recharged my teaching battery. I adopted it about five years ago after flicking through Pinterest. While the method is loved by elementary teachers, I’ve modified it to meet the skill levels for my high school students.

Interactive notebooks work well for me because I am a very visual learner and teacher. Couple that with the humanities and we have a lot of opportunities to create an aesthetically pleasing, effective, and organized notebook that students are proud of.

The key is to create one ALONG-SIDE your students.

The benefits include:

• being able to show a polished finished product that they can strive for.
• keeping an accurate record of all your day-to-day lessons in one place.
• redrawing the notes with each class helps perfect your lecture and notes.
• doodling as you lecture helps slow down your speaking, giving students the opportunity to digest information and ask questions that pop up as they doodle too. Some students will keep pace with your doodling, while others need the time just to copy your notes.
• It reminds students that its OK to doodle imperfect pictures.
• When you redraw your notes with each class, you have extra notes for absent students.

If you can swing it, get yourself a set of flair pens (felt-tip) and get doodling while you lecture!

I’m always thinking of ways to have students interact more with their notebook and have them feel a sense of accomplishment with it. If you have any ideas, please share!

Do you doodle notes? I’de love to see!