How to Use Drawing to Improve Learning in all Subjects

Posted in Homeschool students, the high school perspective

Do you know how to take notes that help you learn?

When I started teaching AP Art History, I found that students were excellent at filling pages in their notebooks with notes. However, as I looked over their notes, they were simply re-writing what they were reading. They weren’t demonstrating that they understand what they read, or writing it in their own words.

When it comes to taking notes, it’s easy to feel like you’re spending your time wisely or doing a lot of work when you have pages and pages of notes, but when it’s just copied, it’s almost always a waste of time.

I started teaching students to add color and images to their notes.

This video, The Powerful Effects of Drawing on Learning from Edutopia, as great information sharing why drawing increases learning.

Tips to start using drawing as a form of note-taking:

  • Don’t worry about what the drawing looks like. It’s the process of drawing that helps. You’re processing information as you think about what you can draw that will represent what you just read, saw, or listened to.
  • Use color as a way to demonstrate connections.
  • Take your time. You can start by writing out some notes, then go back in and add drawings

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