So I recently got re-interested in 'sketchnoting'. And I'm loving it!
I started trying to do this with my primary lessons a few years ago.
Sketchnotes just means highlighting the main ideas of a talk/speech/presentation in a graphic (and pleasing) way that will be more meaningful to you.
As a visual person - YES.
I have the book 'Sketchnotes', and it is great for motivation/inspiration. Mostly interesting to get ideas as to how other people do it.
I've been trying it again while re-reading General Conference talks (LOVED this one!).
Yeah, that way works for me. Not only did I get more out of the talk as I read it, but I remember it way better than if I would have just read it AND I am more likely to go back and re-read notes because they look kinda cool. And I wasn't taking notes so much that I was stressed out trying to record every detail, you know?
I tried taking 'live' notes during a lesson at church. Again, I got more out of it!
At first I was just using what I had - gel or ball point pens, neon hi-liter. For my bday, I got some nice highlighters and a micron02 pen. Like those MUCH better! Who would have thought I'd have such strong feelings about a grey highlighter... but it's my fave.
Another re-read - trying to get all of October's conference read before this one coming up! I often sketchnote at the library (that is also where I prepare Sunday School lessons) and it's working for me.
Last week I was fortunate enough to attend the women's session of conference at the conference center. Instead of filling a page per talk, I filled one page for the whole session.
Not that there weren't as many awesome things said (there were!) but I tried harder (cuz live) to just focus on main points and not worry about filling the space. By the way, Sister Oscarson killed it last week. Wow, her talk was amazing.
We had REALLY good seats.
My daughter and her friend tried out sketchnoting as well while we were there. While my daughter's brain doesn't work anything like mine, she found a way of sketchnoting that worked for her, and is excited to do more of it.
Last week in Sunday School I was talking to my 12yos about General Conference and taking meaningful notes, or finding a way to organize thoughts/impressions they had during the talks. I am hoping they all try it!
You don't have to have fancy notebooks or pens, you don't have to be able to draw, but I think this method is so amazing, so I thought I'd put this out there if anyone wanted to look it up before this weekend (Easter PLUS conference - yay!).
Sketchbook army (submission blog)
My fave notebooks are moleskine cahiers (large, plain)
my fave highlighters (except mine is the set with the grey one)
My flickr set of sketchnotes
My notes are meaningful to me now. They aren't book-worthy or anything ... though I hope I see them look cooler as I practice!