A doodle a day…..
Have you ever caught yourself doodling? Have you ever watched a student drawing the whole time you were trying to teach? This is an age-old paradigm and one that definitely needs exploration. Drawing, doodling, mind mapping, brainstorming are techniques that bring what’s inside our minds out for us to view, evaluate, compare and uncover. They are tools in which to discover the way in which we retain information that is fed to us by various stimuli.
Mindmapping and Doodling in Class: It goes without saying, we love to doodle. It’s part of how we pass time, retain information and above all LEARN! How many times were you told in class not to doodle and pay attention….here’s the thing? Mindmapping, doodling (although not exactly the same thing) ignite similar parts of the brain and these parts like to see the relationships of the pieces amount to the whole. They are visual organizing representations. Pictoral organization methods help multi-disciplinary learners of all kinds build memory, brainstorm, problem solve and make real the knowledge that is being presented
Doodling is said to improve memory, concentration, relieve stress, keep one in the present moment and help us tap into our inner selves. So why not start your students’ day off with some drawing and watch what happens to their focus? Getting your students to draw for 10-20 mins every day will change the way you connect with each of them and how they connect to each other. For students that Don’t know what to draw…
Why is Visual Aids so important in the Classroom?
Dual Coding Theory explained here:
This is why a notebook, journal, sketchbook, is such a valuable asset for every student in your classroom. If presented and experienced in an exciting way, this book becomes more than just a repository of random notes, it becomes an extension of the students’ minds and thinking processes. It is a space to record the past, present and future. They can fill them with personal reflections, observations, dreams or ideas, these books become the canvas in which all learning comes alive.
Check these links out for great examples.