Doodle Zone

I am 15 years old and currently in high school. Back when I was in elementary school, I always use to get in trouble for doodling. I was an overall good student, I never got into trouble, top grades, and always really quite. My teachers hated doodlers though, and it always got me into so much trouble. This article is really well written and definitely brings across the point that doodling is not bad. I am currently interning for a parenting website written by teens called Radical Parenting. There is an article in their databases that is similar to this one, but with some other opinions- http://www.radicalparenting.com/2009/05/23/the-most-underrated-and-over-abused-teen-activity-doodling/
Andrea

today during class i was punished for doodling. nobody understands that I've been dooding since i was much younger to keep myself from daydreaming. I had told someone what happened in class and how i felt and they told me there are proven studies that say doodling helps you pay attention. i got online and saw she was write. So I've decided to write a report and place it on the teachers desk in the morning. if anyone has good information i can put in my report i would be greatly appreciative. thank u

Doodle good for noodle.

good doodling

Doodling during class, sport meetings, and or any other lecture type setting, has always helped me remember some of the most important points made. When its time for me to use that information again a simple doodle can take me back to a note I made around the time I was creating that doodle. Doodling has helped me since I can remember. I'm also majoring in psychology. Plus it gives me something to do to stay awake in a boring class.

I'm an 16-year-old artist, and I draw in every class, church meeting and free moment. Except for math--which I'm going to suck at either way, so I put away the pens for that class. But the way my mind works is in the art itself--I can remember any word that was said while I was drawing. I'll look at a stroke, and remember the sentence spoken when I made it. I can look at pictures I drew years ago--and as old as they are, I can still remember exactly what was said while I drew them. It certainly works for me--but it seems that this particular ability is something of an oddity. There are a lot of people who would only be able to concentrate on drawing, or not retain the information as well. As for myself, I retain it all extraordinarily well--except math, which may as well be Greek for all it means to me.

This is something I've realized about myself for years. Whenever I gave concerted efforts to listen during my less interesting university class lectures, I would eventually either drift into daydreaming or half-conscious sleep. However, I took to doodling in the margins of my notebooks and was able to retain a good majority of what was discussed in the class; something that got me in trouble with my grade school instructors. Interestingly, when I discussed this with my child development instructor during my sophomore year of college, she rolled her eyes and said there was no basis for this supposition. I always felt otherwise. This approach is not for everyone; I have found that I absorb information like a sponge when I am able to be creative. Conversely, others may feel distracted by doing anything but concentrating solely on the lecture. Regarding phone usage during classes, take it from an experienced educator and accomplished student: texting is rude and distracting and should not be permitted.

This is something I've realized about myself for years. Whenever I gave concerted efforts to listen during my less interesting university class lectures, I would eventually either drift into daydreaming or half-conscious sleep. However, I took to doodling in the margins of my notebooks and was able to retain a good majority of what was discussed in the class; something that got me in trouble with my grade school instructors. Interestingly, when I discussed this with my child development instructor during my sophomore year of college, she rolled her eyes and said there was no basis for this supposition. I always felt otherwise. This approach is not for everyone; I have found that I absorb information like a sponge when I am able to be creative. Conversely, others may feel distracted by doing anything but concentrating solely on the lecture. Regarding phone usage during classes, take it from an experienced educator and accomplished student: texting is rude and distracting and should not be permitted.

I majored in art in college. Doodling served me in two ways. (1) It kept me awake in calculus, received a "B." (2) I was taking an abstract art class. I found that doodling freed my mind so that I could make art using my subconscious and emotions, rather than trying to think it to death. Got an "A" in abstract. I have actually blown up some of those calculus doodles and turned them in for abstract projects.

My 11 year old son is high functioning autistic (Asperger's Syndrome). He has been doodleing on every classroom assignment and every scrap of homework since he was in kindergarten. Some are in the margins and others embelish the pictures already on the handouts. His grades have always been As & Bs.

I'm a senior in high school and was always told not to doodle in class. So I quickly got rid of that habit. It makes me happy to know that I can go back to that in college. Often I'm doodling about whats going on in class, history is my favorite for sure. A lot to draw about. I find it easier to remember whats going on and what happened if I have something to reference to in my head, for example if I'm taking a test, I'll try and pull up the image I drew to go along with the fact or what have you. I'm printing this article and keeping it with me through college, and into my career as a teacher.

I'm a senior in high school and was always told not to doodle in class. So I quickly got rid of that habit. It makes me happy to know that I can go back to that in college. Often I'm doodling about whats going on in class, history is my favorite for sure. A lot to draw about. I find it easier to remember whats going on and what happened if I have something to reference to in my head, for example if I'm taking a test, I'll try and pull up the image I drew to go along with the fact or what have you. I'm printing this article and keeping it with me through college, and into my career as a teacher.

I'm a high school student and had A's and high B's all year. I doodle on EVERYTHING, and I agree that it helps memory. If I wasn't allowed to doodle on my notes, I'd go crazy. when a teacher tells me to stop drawing during class, I feel like my brain just shut off.

Besides, most teachers like to see my doodles and compliment me for them.

My mother was an executive secretary for over thirty years and alwaysd doodled when she was on the phone. I used to have samples of her doodles. They were very neat, always balanced and had a flowery element to them. They reminded me of pictures you could make using a spirograph toy. (Remember them! Or did I just date myself?) She has a pretty good memory for someone who is 85. I believe I have more senior moments than she does.

I always practiced my cursive handwriting while in class. Over and over. Making it showy, loopy and with a lot of flourishes. I too did very well in school and good grades came easily for me. I have the memory of an elephant when it comes to names, numbers and details. I detest having to look up a phone number more than once anf find it easier to just memorize it!

All through school, starting in gradeschool, I doodled constantly and always did very well on tests with very little studying. It wasn't until I had psychology in high school, that I realized my doodles acted as a mnemonic device for me. Whenever I had to remember anything that I had written notes on, I would recall a doodle from the pages with the notes pertaining to that topic and I would recall the entire page almost photographically. I now have children in middle school and high school and the the younger one who doodles in her notebooks gets slightly better grades than the older one, who rarely doodles, did in the same classes. Most likely it is just coincidence.

I'm so glad someone decided to do this study! I doodle in class alot, it helps me to focus on what is being said and keeps me from getting antsy. I also doodle in church every now and then, on those days when I'm really tired. It keeps me awake and helps me to really be engaged in what the pastor is saying. Sometimes I illustrate what he's saying too, with stick figures. It makes it much more interseting. It also keeps me from getting distracted by all the people around me.

I'm so happy someone decided to do this study. I always doodle in class because I'm a very visual person. It really is alot easier to focus on what's being said when I'm drawing little stick figures! I do it in church too, on the days when I'm tired. It helps me to listen and stay awake and sometimes helps me to keep from looking around at all the people and getting distracted by them.

Here's my theory. Doodling is using the right side of the brain and freeing up your left side to listen and understand the lectures. The right side of the brain is the artistic side and deals with shapes. The left side is the side that deals with understanding words. Another good example is having deep conversations while driving. Some of our best conversations are done while driving the car. I seem to "listen" better to my wife and am more engaged while talking and driving on a long trip. Your right brain is focused on the road and your left brain is freed up to listen and understand. There is a book called "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" that I read years ago, and if I remember correctly deals with this right side and left side relationship.

Absolutely true...I'm glad someone's finally done a study on it. Doodling frees my mind to listen more closely to what's being said. Taking copious notes, on the other hand, never works for me--I'm too busy writing down the last point to give adequate attention to the current one. Also, scribbling down notes breaks my ability to appreciate the lecture as a connected, flowing narrative rather than a bunch of separate points. Even a math or physics lecture benefits from doodling instead of constantly transcribing, although in those kinds of courses some note taking was necessary for formulas and such. Throughout school, fellow students would wonder how I aced every test when my notepads were filled with drawings...