I like to draw while listening to speakers. I take their message and illustrate it in a way that makes sense for me. While I may appear to not be listening to the speaker because my head is downcast and my pen is always moving, I'm truly engaged in the teaching. The drawing grounds me. It focuses me.
I had the honor of sketchnoting while Susie Larson shared her messages of faith, perseverance and freedom "Through God's Eyes" at the Appleton Alliance 2016 Women's Retreat.
I had the honor of sketchnoting while Susie Larson shared her messages of faith, perseverance and freedom "Through God's Eyes" at the Appleton Alliance 2016 Women's Retreat.
(You see that? ENGAGE YOUR HEART.)
I admit, I smiled to myself whenever I heard Susie talking about being engaged. While she was using the term as a reference to being accessible to God, I was making a connection to my classroom environment where I'm always talking about having students "engage and persist" in their art-making. I want my students to make art with confidence. I want them to engage their heart and care about what they create.
I admit, I smiled to myself whenever I heard Susie talking about being engaged. While she was using the term as a reference to being accessible to God, I was making a connection to my classroom environment where I'm always talking about having students "engage and persist" in their art-making. I want my students to make art with confidence. I want them to engage their heart and care about what they create.
I actually went to a session on this type of visual note-taking while at the Wisconsin Art Education Association (WAEA) conference in October 2015. It's called sketchnoting. I never really thought about teaching it as a skill to my students until I went to this session and heard all the supporting research. Even EdWeek.org has a post from January 2016 about The Benefits of Using Doodling and Sketchnoting in the Classroom. Written by Deidra Gammill, Ph.D, who suggests to start slowly:
Get comfortable with your own sketching so you can share your work with your students. I make a habit of including images in my note taking at conferences and meetings, which helps me grow and provides an example for my students to follow.
Well, there you go. That's what I'm doing. Sharing my work so others can be inspired to give it a try. My meandering doodles may not make sense to you, but I look at them and I remember Susie's words.
Get comfortable with your own sketching so you can share your work with your students. I make a habit of including images in my note taking at conferences and meetings, which helps me grow and provides an example for my students to follow.
Well, there you go. That's what I'm doing. Sharing my work so others can be inspired to give it a try. My meandering doodles may not make sense to you, but I look at them and I remember Susie's words.
So many of her messages would be beneficial to my middle school students, such as the desire to be part of an imaginary inner (social) circle. Even adults need to be reminded that the inner circle does NOT exist. Be brave. Be free from that notion.
In all honesty, the lemonade stand is a long stretch in relation to the main concept of Susie's message. She made mention of a lemonade stand and I thought "Oh! that is fun", and I began to doodle. I wove the image in as part of her apple/seed analogy that led into a reminder that we should all live a fruitful (full!) life where we laugh more and cherish our purpose.
In all honesty, the lemonade stand is a long stretch in relation to the main concept of Susie's message. She made mention of a lemonade stand and I thought "Oh! that is fun", and I began to doodle. I wove the image in as part of her apple/seed analogy that led into a reminder that we should all live a fruitful (full!) life where we laugh more and cherish our purpose.
THEN... at our final session with Susie, she talked about taking risks. Once again, I made a connection to my classroom. Are my students pushing themselves outside of their comfort zone with the art materials? Are they taking risks with their ideas?
I dare them to.
She also mentioned the importance of finding those friends who accept you without judgement. At which point, I nudged my sister-in-law sitting next to me. I've heard that statement from her mouth a many of times: "We won't judge!". Thank you, Jenn, for bringing me along for another wonderful, spiritual retreat, without judgement.
Speaking of judgement... last year at retreat, I embarrassed my sister-in-law by posting a photo of 19 Crimes wine with a "Praise Jesus!" on the FB. Sometimes I think I'm funny when I'm not. I blame my fun-loving parents who took my siblings and I to reconciliation at church, followed by an evening of family bonding playing Bull Sh(oo)t! because it's a game of lie, cheat and swear. You know... because we all just came clean with our sins, so we had to celebrate somehow. (Praise Jesus!)
I dare them to.
She also mentioned the importance of finding those friends who accept you without judgement. At which point, I nudged my sister-in-law sitting next to me. I've heard that statement from her mouth a many of times: "We won't judge!". Thank you, Jenn, for bringing me along for another wonderful, spiritual retreat, without judgement.
Speaking of judgement... last year at retreat, I embarrassed my sister-in-law by posting a photo of 19 Crimes wine with a "Praise Jesus!" on the FB. Sometimes I think I'm funny when I'm not. I blame my fun-loving parents who took my siblings and I to reconciliation at church, followed by an evening of family bonding playing Bull Sh(oo)t! because it's a game of lie, cheat and swear. You know... because we all just came clean with our sins, so we had to celebrate somehow. (Praise Jesus!)
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