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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.