Why Every Class Needs an “Idea Notebook”
A Building An Escape Room Must
In a recent post, I mentioned using an “Idea Notebook” in class, and I realized it’s worth taking the time to dive deeper into why this little tool can be a game-changer. If you haven’t already tried one, let me tell you: an Idea Notebook can save you a world of classroom headaches.
Here’s the thing: when you’re brainstorming with students, you’ll notice they come up with SO many fantastic ideas. They’re full of creative solutions, unique perspectives, and let’s face it—some hilarious suggestions too. But here’s the catch: if you ask them to recall those ideas even a few minutes later, it’s crickets. We’ve all been there, right? Without a solid way to record their thoughts, those ideas tend to slip away as quickly as they came.
This is where the Idea Notebook comes in. It’s essentially a class journal where you or a designated student can jot down every interesting idea, plan, or solution that comes up in discussions, games, or debriefs. Over time, it becomes a goldmine of their collective creativity. The beauty of it is that it’s always there, ready to jog their memory when you need it most.
Here’s how to get started: whenever you’re playing a game, solving a puzzle, or brainstorming together, have someone jot down the ideas your students like into the notebook. It’s simple, but it works. Having all those thoughts written down means they can refer back to them when they need inspiration or a reminder, whether it’s for a new project, a group activity, or just to build on a previous discussion.
So if you’re tired of losing out on those little gems of brilliance, give the Idea Notebook a try.