In a ninth-grade Language Arts class, Ms. Bohórquez, their teacher, introduced an innovative strategy to prepare students for a summative test: an annotation technique which fosters creativity and autonomy, and allows students to organize information according to their specific needs.

From the beginning of the school year, students were informed about the chapters that they would be assessed on and were challenged to create a personalized annotation system using colors, markers, and sticky notes, to highlight key concepts and important excerpts from their reading.

The impact was remarkable. The activity became more than just individual work, students began sharing their notes and collaborating as they reviewed for the test. During their exam, many consulted these visual records to easily recall specific details; the success of this method was reflected with confidence in their smiles as they submitted their evaluations.

This experience demonstrates how a well-implemented note-taking strategy can transform academic preparation while also inviting students to engage in a shared learning process.