How to be a student

I got in a big argument about taking notes today with a student who is doing relatively well in my class. Up until recently, I wavered, letting a couple of the students who have already taken the class sometimes do homework in class. However, it's always bothered me because 1) it gives the other kids the impression that taking notes is optional (and they REALLY need the notes) and 2) the students who are ahead often will attempt to ask me about the homework they are doing WHILE i'm lecturing (and I know I'll be getting to that point later in the lecture). But part of me felt bad for forcing them to take notes on stuff they mostly know (because they've taken the class before).

Anyways, this argument ended up in me assigning the student a detention (and him refusing to sign the detention slip)...and left me well...irritated. The frustrating thing is some of his arguments are semi-valid. Like "Oh, I'm only going to take notes on the parts that I don't understand." But then he says, "But since I understand everything I'm not going to take notes." To which I respond, "Okay, so you've taken this class before, and now it's easy for you. But one day, you'll run into something that's not easy and then you won't have the skills, so I want you to take notes to practice taking notes even if you already know the material.'' To which he responds, "Well, I'll do it then, what's so hard about taking notes? I don't need to practice."

You get the picture of how annoying this conversation was. It made me begin to think of all my students and their lack of study skills. I looked up this kid's grades in all his other class, and apparently he's doing the best in my class in PE. At least I have some fuel now to take back to class and be like, obviously, you DON'T have the skills you need to be successful, so try practicing in a class where it's easy for you so you can transfer it over into the classes that are harder...so you won't have to freaking repeat your freshmen year...

I'll be the first to admit, I'm not a great teacher...but if there's one thing I know how to be, it's a freaking awesome student!...so it's frustrating trying to get my students to be good students. The difference between some of my 9th grade Geometry students vs. some of my Algebra 1 students is just a matter of study/student skills, not a matter of intelligence. In high school, I never would have thought of not taking notes when a teacher asked me to...no matter how tedious or easy the material seemed. My 9th grade Geometry students are the same, they take the notes regardless of whether or not they think the material easy because they figure maybe it'll at some point be useful. Not surprisingly, I get fewer questions about things I've already answered. Whereas some of my "smart" (for lack of a better word) Algebra students lose points for carelessness, inattention, and laziness.

Anyways, I don't know where this rant was leading. I think I just needed to release some steam about the whole incident. I guess I'm just insecure because I'm really not sure how to handle the situation (i.e. students not taking notes and/or doing hw during lecture). Part of me knows it's partly because I am still not a skilled enough teacher to differentiate successfully and/or frequently and to do crazy activities that engage every student...so there's the guilt aspect, but part of me is still frustrated that these students are not on task...and part of me wonders am I actually doing them a disservice by letting them slide by during class and not take notes because what if they really do get to college only to find that they don't have the skills they need?