to think doodling is fairly innofensive and sometimes quite helpful?

[AtYourCervix]

DD gets told off daily for doodling. It seems to particularly irritate one teacher.

Why? Is it so bad?

I'm a doodler and find I can doodle down the margin and yet still be listening and concentrating.

Is doodling really the worst thing a 12 year old can be doing?

There was a case being made a year or two back for allowing children to fiddle with bluetac during lessons to aid concentration for some kids. Can't remember if it was aimed at any specific behaviour, such as ADHD or whatever.
Have to say it did my head in, on the odd occasion I tried it, as invariably the bluetac got flicked at someone, or dropped on the floor and trodden into the carpet, or shared out amongst the group, or moulded into rude shapes or..........
Not sure there's the same scope for irritation with doodling. Although when my KS2 kids do it on their individual whiteboards it makes their pens run out quicker. That's irritating.

That's funny, we were actually talking to my 12yo DSD about this last night!

Apparently some research has shown that doodling can help you learn better. I'd hazard a guess it's because if you are a natural fiddler (which DSD definitely is!) it sort of allows a release of the hands' need to DO something, therefore leaving the mind clear to listen to the teacher?

Or it could be something to do with levels of processing theory - which showed that the more cues you have in different forms, the better you encode something into your memory. For example my psychology coursework was based on this - I gave lists of words, but for one list the participants also had to draw a picture for each word. This significantly improved recall.

Perhaps the doodling, even if not directly related to the subject matter, provides a subconscious cue? So the physical memory of doodling is linked to the auditory memory of the teacher talking?

she is a massive fiddler - but i'm also fairly sure she drifts through most lessons anyway (not sure she's actually learnt anything for years).

She loves bluetac for fiddling but that might push poor teacher over the edge.

I would talk to the teacher and ask why she has a problem with the doodling. If it's just because it gets on her nerves, then I might argue your DD's case for being allowed to continue. But if she's doodling and daydreaming and therefore not paying attention, then then teacher probably has a valid point.

DS1 and DD1 are both kinetic learners. i.e. they need to be doing something whilst they learn. DS is a pen clicker, fine once we found a pen with a quiet click! DD is a doodler, teachers give her an extra piece of paper in lessons and exams as she works so much better when she can doodle when thinking. They are 18 & 16, definitely works for them. If she's daydreaming, try a stress ball, it might just help her focus a bit more.

Im a fiddler, I am yet to find a pen with a silent click, I am always getting told off for clicking during meetings

I love a good doodle to, some of my best art work has been done whilst doodling during a phone conversation or the like.

Oh what a good thread! I have always wondered about this.

I was a massive doodler and I was lucky as I went to a school that tolerated it.

I remember making myself not doodle during a lesson and completely sinking into a daydream world! I HAD TO doodle in order to listen.

I found that taking notes was also a good way of keeping me concentrated though. I am the same now tbh.

Good luck to your DD, I know how it feels!

(PS if it helps, I was very academic, so maybe that's why they tolerated it!).

I have 3 children in my class who have 'tangles' to play with. These allow fiddle with minimal distraction, no sharing potential and silent!! Kinaesthetic leathers have rights too!!!!

please tell me where to find a pen with a silent click! Poor ds is contantly in trouble for this.
He used to be allowed blu-tac at primary to help him focus but secondary school, he gets detention after detention for not paying attention, when in reeality, if he is NOT doodling, pen clicking or the like, he definitely is NOT paying attention!

I am the same w/r doodling.
Now in meetings, I write down every single word which is spone (shorthand) so as to look very busy and impressive, rather than doodling.

Laura - what are tangles?

Look up www.tangletoys.com. They are avaliable from amazon etc. I got mine from Hawkins bazaar a couple of years ago. They have loads of different kinds, to suit everyone!!

thANKA LAURA. DO most schools know about them?
Ie how likely is ds to get in trouble for 'playing' do you think?
He is 12.

ooo this is really interesting - I'm a doodler - usually nothing to do with what I'm listening/talking/learning about - usually little cubes, nd spheres, basic geometric shapes.

But I've noticed that if I've been in a meeting and doodled - I remember more of what we discussed. I thought I was just really odd (well I am - but that's another thread ) - you mean there might actually be a reason for me doing it !

I can picure my next parent's evening...

'so mrs x, how do you integrate kineting learners into your teaching style? Do you allow for differing levels of processing theory amongst the students?'

They were actually flogging those tangle toys atschool a while back. DD has loads. she's not allowed them in class either

Clam - that is interesting. I have a little ball of bluetac on my desk at work and I am constantly fidling with it while concentrating. I have it in my hand now!

yes - noticed another note in her planner this morning - told off for throwing pens again.

if her hands were busy doodling/blutacing they wouldn't feel the need to flick pens around (sometimes at least)

I'm a doodler. I never taken notes, but have been known to draw some pretty impressive, and huge, pictures across my workworks while in courses/lessons etc.

I was told off for it once on a study course when I was in my early 20's. It was a seriously in depth, technical letcure and I have completely covered several sides of A4 in little pictures with the odd formula worked in somewhere. The lecturer told me I was wasting mine and everyones time...and pissing my employers money down the drain.

Did I rub it in when the exam came and my marks were in the top 5 in the world? Why yes, yes I did

You do have to learn to make it work for you though, otherwise it can be a way of zoning out.

INOFFENSIVE

When I was younger I got told off for doodling in my jotter. Proper red pen circlIng the doodles angry note to parents jobby.

My mum who is also a teacher was furious because she knows about different learning styles, so sent a message back on the note apologising for defacing the school jotter, and that she has provided me with post-it notes to stick in my jotter to facilitate my doodles.

Teacher never mentioned it again!

What was she doodling on ?
Was the teacher speaking to DD at the time ?

Desk/Yes YABU
Paper/No YANBU

You might suggest that the lessons should be sufficiently information-rich that everyone should be note-taking anyway.

Wasn't there a case recently where a juror was found in contempt of court for doodling? I too am a prolific doodler and find it helps me to concentrate.