Casey Salyers

Casey Salyers

Snapshot

Engage Your Brain by Doodling in Class

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An integral part of my Math classroom has always been the “Math Journal”. Research shows that students learn and retain information longer when they write their notes by hand. In order to prepare students for the next level of mathematical learning, I need to ensure that they are retaining the information that I am teaching them. When neural pathways are stimulated the students are able to learn and retain the information. This year, I plan to introduce brain based learning by using doodle notes. I will create a template for note-taking for each mathematical skill using the iPad and apps such as Drawing Desk and PowerPoint. I will use the Apple Pencil to hand draw various visual cues that will help the students remember the information. I will print the template for the students so that they are able to write, color, doodle, and draw on their paper while they are learning specific mathematical skills which in turn will stimulate more neural pathways than just traditional note-taking strategies. This will also activate the left and right side of the brain. The communication between both sides of the brain will enable the students to focus, concentrate, be creative, and most of all retain the information they have learned. I will also digitally share the doodle note on Google Classroom for the students to view at anytime on their ChromeBook. I will give them a survey and a quiz on google forms to gather information on how they feel towards completing traditional notes to brain based learning with doodle notes and test their ability to retain the information. After I have collected information from both the traditional note-taking strategies and the doodle notes, I will analyze the data and the graphs from the google form on the iPad. Results from this study will be communicated at the Action Research Summit as well as with my fellow colleagues and principals. I will also include ongoing updates from my classroom within the Promising Practices Holler as well as the Math Holler. My work will also be showcased on my educator website which is featured on the Holler. It is my hopes that the work that I am doing in my classroom will be shared globally so that other teachers may find inspiration.