Page 177 - Keys To Community College Success

Listening and Note Taking

TAKING IN AND RECORDING INFORMATION

What Would You Risk? Norton Ewart

THINK ABOUT THIS SITUATION AS YOU READ, AND CONSIDER WHAT ACTION YOU WOULD TAKE.
THIS CHAPTER INTRODUCES YOU TO LISTENING AND NOTE-TAKING SKILLS THAT WILL HELP YOU
SUCCESSFULLY TAKE IN AND WRITE DOWN USEFUL KNOWLEDGE.

Norton Ewart struggled starting in fourth grade. In high not quickly put his inconsistent study
school, overwhelmed by the work and the level of indepen- habits behind him. He received Cs and
dence, he avoided risk by doing the least amount of work Ds in his calculus and physics courses
possible. He enrolled in a local college out of a desire to please during his first year.
his parents. Uninterested in his courses and not ready to work Norton was behind, but for the first
for the rewards of college life, Norton hitchhiked home each time he was determined to excel. He
weekend to work as a housepainter and left school 10 weeks found himself enjoying the creativity and
later. He then moved to his aunt’s house in Colorado, where beauty of math and how the mind interacts with it. On the
he skied black diamond runs, worked as a ski technician, and advice of an academic advisor, he spent a year in a civil tech-
tried to figure out who he was and what he wanted. nology program while retaking every calculus and physics
After two years, Norton decided he wanted to return to course. Aware that he was more motivated when working
college and moved back home. Thinking he might follow with others, he risked reaching out to a group of fellow engi-
the path of engineering, as had three generations before neering students. They created a study group called the
him, he decided to pursue an associate’s degree in math and “Engineering Defense League” and met daily to work
science at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, New through problems, drill one another on formulas and
York. Despite his newfound confidence and the fun of a problem-solving steps, and experience the struggle together.
state-of-the-art calculator his father had given him, he could To be continued…

SKIING AND WORKING IN
COLORADO GAVE NORTON
A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP
OF HIS SUCCESS AS WELL
AS A DESIRE—AND A
REASON—TO GET BACK
TO COLLEGE. YOU’LL Working through this chapter will help you to:
LEARN MORE ABOUT
NORTON, AND THE • Actively listen for meaning and important information P. 140
REWARD RESULTING • Record effective notes in class P. 145
FROM HIS ACTIONS, • Understand outline, Cornell, and mind map note-taking
WITHIN THE CHAPTER.
formats P. 150
• Identify which note-taking format will work best for
different situations P. 150
• Determine which note-taking format feels most
comfortable to you P. 150