Writing a Teaching Note is not like writing a full-length article. The most noticeable difference is the length. Teaching Notes are usually no more than five pages long, double-spaced. So, that raises the obvious question: how can you get your teaching idea across in such a short space?
The first thing to understand about a Teaching Note is that much of the material needed to implement a classroom activity can be found in a separate document or on a website of your creation. This allows the Teaching Note to become a summary of the activity. Below are three different examples of Teaching Notes.
1. The website Teaching Note:
Perhaps the simplest note explains the content of a website. For example, Geerling, Mateer, O’Roark, and Smith (2024) explain in one page what is on their website. The note is short primarily because the material of interest is found on the website. Be aware that reviewers of these kinds of notes will spend the majority of their review time exploring the contents of the website so make sure it is ready for prime time. Reviewers typically have little patience for a shoddy website.
2. The lesson plan Teaching Note:
The other common form for a teaching note is sharing a lesson plan. Trudeau’s (2025) note on teaching about short run production and costs provides an excellent example of this. The paper provides a brief introduction, including literature review, indicates what is needed to conduct the activity, explains the activity, offers some variations and tips, and wraps up. It includes handouts and a table of definitions (not included in the page count) for the reader.
3. The Combined Teaching Note:
This note combines the first two types by providing access to a lesson plan online. Cusack and Kirts’ (2024) note is a prime example of this. The note itself provides a brief literature review, but focuses primarily on explaining the purpose and outline of the activity. The reader is directed to a website which hosts the material necessary to carry out the activity.
What makes a good note? Notes first and foremost are short, but they are also impactful. Notes provide resources that can be put into practice very easily. The activity being referenced will usually not take a great deal of time in a classroom. Essentially, an instructor could implement a Teaching Note’s featured resource or activity the day after reading about it. If that’s not the case, the idea is probably more suited for a longer paper.
For more information, see the full list of Teaching Notes.
If you are interested in writing a Teaching Note, be aware that JET can host the materials you need to attach to your note, be it handouts, Excel files, or nearly anything else. We do not, however, have the resources to build a website for you.