Is Note-Taking Really Necessary? Encouragement for Homeschool Parents Navigating the Process

Is note-taking actually necessary for our children? And what does “taking notes” even look like in the age of digital resources, moving targets for handwriting, and the many variations in our children’s learning styles and abilities?

This is a question that comes up time and time again among homeschool parents. Maybe, like me, you have vivid memories from your own school years—everyone sitting cross-legged on the floor, diligently copying outlines from the chalkboard. “Here’s what’s important,” the teacher would say, “Copy it down.” Maybe you thrived in that structure, or maybe you found yourself frustrated and lost.

Note-Taking: Not One-Size-Fits-All

Dr. Cason began homeschooling as an “emergency stopgap” for her neurodivergent daughter, only to find that the personalization homeschooling allowed did more than just fill gaps—it let her daughter flourish. This adaptation wasn’t limited to what they learned, but also how they learned, with note-taking providing a prime example.

Is note-taking necessary? Dr. Cason offers an enthusiastic yes, but urges parents to shift the focus from a rigid product to the process itself. Note-taking is, she explained, our “thought process made external”—and in her classes with homeschoolers, she sees how freeing it is when we, as parents and educators, allow children to experiment with what works for them. Whether it’s color-coded highlighters, outlines, mind maps, stick figures, or scribbled lists, there is no single “right” way.

Organized Chaos, Collaboration, and Camaraderie

I was right there with Dr. Cason, recounting my own attempts at supporting my son’s note-taking as we watched Shark Week together. Gone was the classic outline format I had come to love; instead, he flourished with sketching and visuals. There was some “dismantling of myself” needed as his learning style diverged from mine, but there, too, was an opportunity: experimenting side by side. As Dr. Cason pointed out, comparing how we captured ideas opened doors for conversation, correction, and insight.

This process is only messy on the surface. Behind the scattered papers, unfinished outlines, and half-drawn doodles was real learning happening—synthesis, memory, even metacognitive growth. Just like a group of kids at a co-op—some moving fast, some frustrated, all in various states of activity—the camaraderie and depth come from working through it together, differences and all.

Strategies for Adapting Note-Taking to Your Learner

As you guide your children, especially those who may need explicit instruction, consider introducing a range of strategies. Dr. Cason shared some approaches proven (by both research and experience):

• Cornell Notes: A flexible, structured system that breaks the page into sections for rough notes, key points, and summaries.
• Sketchnoting: Adding drawings, diagrams, or visual flow to illustrate connections.
• Guided Notes and Templates: Outlines, mind maps, Venn diagrams—print or design templates for your learner to grab and fill in as needed.
• Annotation: Writing in the margins (or on sticky notes in favorite books) to highlight, react, and synthesize in-your-own-way.

And don’t be afraid to let go of expectations. The best notes are the ones your child will actually take. If handwriting is a struggle, experiment with typing, dictation, or color-coding, and remember: handwriting supports memory for many learners, but it’s not the only path to success.

The Heart of Note-Taking: Reflection and Ownership

Ultimately, as Dr. Cason beautifully illustrated, success comes when we give our kids the space to reflect, compare, and choose what works for them. Whether it’s through reviewing notes with a friend, tinkering with template designs in Canva, or developing their own annotation “language,” your children are building skills that support lifelong learning far beyond the homeschool room.

It may not look like a quiet classroom with neatly aligned notebooks and silent concentration, but in your family, your co-op, or your living room, you are nurturing thinkers, communicators, and independent learners—one page (or sketch or sticky note) at a time.

OT is IN #73: Rethinking Note Taking: Strategies, Mindsets, and Making It Work for Your Child

I am joined by Dr. Michelle Parrinello-Cason, a seasoned homeschooling mom and English professor who specializes in reading and writing instruction. Together, we dive deep into the world of note taking—what it really means, why it’s essential, and how it can be tailored to fit every kind of learner (yes, even the ones who love doodling during Shark Week!). Michelle shares her personal journey of transitioning from traditional teaching to homeschooling her neurodivergent daughter, and how this experience shaped her approach to individualized learning. The conversation covers everything from the benefits of classic note taking methods like Cornell Notes, to the creative freedom of sketchnoting, to practical strategies for kids who struggle with handwriting or prefer digital tools. Whether you’re a homeschooling parent, an educator, or someone just curious about how to help learners capture and process information in ways that work for them, this episode is packed with actionable tips and a refreshing reminder: the best notes are the ones your child will actually take.

In this episode you’ll hear about:

• Brief overview of Michelle’s background as both a homeschooling parent and a college professor
• Michelle’s unexpected journey into homeschooling due to her daughter’s needs
• Comparison of homeschooling environment vs. public school and college-level teaching
• Transition from traditional teaching to online homeschool classes for middle and high schoolers
• Community and philosophy behind her educational approach
• Michelle’s Teaching Platform and Community
• Introduction to Dayla Learning
• Description of available classes, resources, and the supportive parent community
• The Role and Value of Note Taking
• Addressing parental concerns about note taking and working memory
• Is note taking necessary in the digital age?
• Emphasis on note taking as a process rather than a product
• Value of making thought processes external and the variability among individual learners
• Anecdotes demonstrating different note-taking styles (color-coding, outlines, etc.)
• Importance of experimentation and flexibility with note taking
• Note Taking Methods: Personal Experiences
• Sarah’s experiences teaching her son to take notes using Shark Week as a topic
• Reflection on traditional outline format and contrast with her son’s drawing/sketchnoting style
• The challenge of letting go of preconceived ideas about note-taking formats
• Research and Best Practices in Note Taking
• Explicit Note-Taking Strategies and Teaching Approaches
• Sketchnoting
• Visual note-taking as a supplement to standard methods
• Use of mind maps, columns, bullet points, and illustrations
• Customization and Flexibility in Note Taking
• The value of having multiple templates and options for different subjects (e.g., timelines for history, concept maps for analysis)
• Encouraging learners to create their own templates and systems
• Handwriting vs. Digital Note Taking
• Research indicating the benefits of handwriting for retention, with caveats regarding digital natives
• Prioritizing accessibility and separating skills as needed (writing vs. synthesizing content)
• Supporting students who struggle with handwriting through guided notes and breaking down tasks
• Annotation as a Note-Taking Method
• Benefits of annotating texts (writing in books or using transparent sticky notes)
• Michelle’s personal annotation symbol system and its long-term usefulness
• Annotation as a lower-pressure way for reluctant writers to engage with content
• Practicing Note Taking Across Formats
• In-class practice: taking notes on articles, videos, stories, and visual materials
• Self-evaluation of strategies to foster metacognition and executive functioning
• Recommended Resources and Tools
• Prepped Cornell Note material (printed or drawn)
• Direct instruction resources (e.g., YouTube library tutorials)
• Hands-on, personalized approaches (choosing or designing their own materials)

Links and Resources From Today’s Show

• Why Should I Seek Occupational Therapy?
• Connect with Sarah Collins on IG
• Games That Teach Executive Function
• Executive Functioning For Teens Course
• Verbal to Visuals: Sketchnoting With Cornell Notes
• Cornell Note-Taking System From Cornell Itself!
• Middle School Writing Foundations Series: Setting Up for Long-Term Academic Writing Success!
• Connect With Michelle On Facebook
• Daya Learning
• Episode 10: Streamlining Your Space: Organizing for Better Executive Functioning
• Episode 11: Exploring Unique Learning Paths in Homeschooling with Guest Amy Bodkin
• Episode 12: Executive Functioning in Homeschooling: A Teenager’s Experience with Organization and Planning
• Episode 43: Collaborative Problem-Solving in Education and Parenting
• Episode 59: Translating OT Concepts: Creating a Children’s Book for Sensory Processing Awareness

Connect With Our Guest, Michelle Parrinello-Cason

Michelle Parrinello-Cason is a writer, educator, and lifelong seeker of stories that embrace tension and complexity. She holds a Ph.D. in rhetoric and composition from Saint Louis University, where she studied agonism and the interplay of oppression and freedom in remedial writing instruction.

After years in higher ed, she now creates ELA courses for the secular homeschooling community through her platform, Dayla Learning — a space for “homeschooling the humanities with humanity.” Her work centers on writing as a reflective process and literature as a way to navigate ambiguity and meaning. A homeschooling parent and academic, Michelle helps students read critically and empathetically, especially when engaging with challenged or banned books. She believes students can approach complex texts with care, curiosity, and evolving ethical insight.

Her work has appeared in Pretty Much Pop and the Secular, Eclectic, Academic Homeschoolers magazine, and she has presented at academic and homeschool conferences. Her interests include pop culture as text, educational equity, neurodivergent learning, and empowering all readers and writers.