Two years ago, I was building a new reflection unit for my sophomores, and I really wanted them to walk away with an understanding of the best modality of reflection for them, so we spent a class exploring written, verbal, and visual reflection. You can preview the ports here. Since my preferred modality for reflection is writing, I didn’t have any experience with visual reflection. I reached out to the Director of Mathematics in my district, Mary Kemper, who just so happens to be a sketchnote pro. And because she loves being in the classroom whenever she can, she offered to stop by one of my classes and spend a few minutes giving us a sketchnote workshop. Mrs. Kemper helped us to understand several key things about sketchnoting, and gave us some great tips to get started. 1. Get Organized One way to really simplify your sketchnoting is to develop an organizational structure that works for you. If you happen to have the outline or notes for a presentation from the beginning, it's easy to plan your sketch accordingly. Three main points turn into three-columns in your notes. Six points become three sections on top, three on bottom. I use a template for my notes that is helpful in reminding me to make note of where my information is coming from in case I want to reference that presentation or presenter later. The template came from my favorite app to use, Paper 53, although I've modified it a bit to suit my notes better. I like to include space for:
I also tend to include the title of my presentation in the center of the page, with all of the details surrounding it. This works well, particularly in those instances where I don't have the outline of the presentation ahead of time. 2. Practice in a Low-Risk EnvironmentThe first time I tried to sketchnote, I was so focused on the drawings themselves that I realized I wasn't actually paying attention to what I was supposed to be learning, which pretty much defeats the purpose. Instead of trying to learn to sketchnote while learning, I started sketchnoting while I was at home watching Netflix. I would make a storyboard of whatever I was watching. It allowed me the opportunity to practice writing notes without the stress of missing information. If you want to try sketchnoting, I highly recommend you practice first! When the time comes for you to make notes as you're learning, you'll be be more efficient and better able to focus on the presentation and take great notes! 3. Don't Sweat the TechniqueWant to know a little secret about sketchnoting? You don't have to be an artist to create artistic notes! Really, you don't! Part of the reason I use the app Paper 53 when I sketchnote is because it makes my notes look more artistic than they really are. Paper 53 allows you different ways to draw, such as:
This summer, Mrs. Kemper shared that a lot of people ask her how her handwriting is so neat when she sketchnotes. She shared a really cool video using Apple Clips that shows you how to zoom in and out to make your text nice and neat. Be sure to check it out! I also remember her telling us in the workshop that she has developed some "stock" sketches that she uses frequently, like people, trees, etc. When you start to see the kind of doodles you use frequently, it becomes easier and quicker to draw them, so I recommend thinking about what images, patterns, and shapes you visualize frequently. 4. Remember Your PurposeThe point of sketchnoting, like any form of note taking, is to help you remember what you learned. It's not really about how pretty it is - although that is one reason it's fun to do. However, if you find that you're consumed with drawing the perfect images and not really what the images represent, you might be missing things. When I sit down to take notes, whether it be during a presentation at a conference or simply as a reflection on something else, such as a Podcast I've listened to, I think about what modality will best serve my learning. Typically, a keynote address or speech is really meant to inspire. They are full of stories, but not necessarily the "nitty gritty." I like to sketchnote for this type of presentation because I can so easily connect my drawings to the stories that inspired me. This is the first sketchnote I did while watching a keynote address: I didn't have a great organizational structure in place at that time, so I failed to identify the speaker and, I'm sorry to say, I can't remember who it was. But I can tell you that the dark forest in the top corner represents a story he told about his experience in education. He shared that, in school, he often felt like he was lost in a dark forest. His educational experience left him feeling alone and unsupported, with no direction for where to go or how to get there. I remember being deeply saddened by his story, and wondering how many of my own learners felt that way. I thought a lot about how to identify those learners and how to ensure I was a guiding light in their dark forest. And that is the power of sketchnoting for me. It's the immediate connection I can make to a powerful moment in a learning experience. It's walking away from a learning experience not with just a what and a how, but with the most important thing - the why. Are you thinking of trying sketchnoting, or thinking about how it could help your learners make and retain meaning?
I'd love to hear from you! Share in the comments!
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