Sketching Success: How Doodles Improved My Students’ Comprehension

Written by Jenni Lamb, 11th grade ELA teacher for Livonia Public Schools

A Struggle with Engagement

In a post-pandemic world, my students often rush through assignments, filling in reflection and comprehension questions with nonsense answers they mindlessly searched on the internet (or worse, had AI write for them). They joylessly slog through even the most high-interest texts in our curriculum and opt out of most enrichment activities if they require interaction with other students.  Yet, one new task, sketchnoting, brought about a remarkable change. It stopped them in their tracks this spring, sparking a newfound engagement and understanding! 

A New Vision for Math: Equity and Inclusion through the Michigan Early Math Essentials

Do you have any memorable experiences from your preK-12 math classes? What specifically stands out to you? How did those experiences make you feel? For me, one standout moment was when I memorized my multiplication tables in third grade to go to McDonald’s with my teacher as a reward. My best friend and I planned to pass on the same day to enjoy lunch together. I also recall geometry being quite challenging when I was a freshman. The different shapes and properties were difficult to remember, and I didn’t enjoy it. However, I found Algebra 2 to be enjoyable since I was good at memorizing the rules. Like chess, Algebra is a game where you must “win” by getting the correct answer. I loved that aspect of it.

Historically, students would observe their teacher solving math problems, understand the steps involved, and then attempt to solve the problems independently. They would sit in their seats, facing the front, and take notes or practice the steps quietly on paper. The storylines of students created by these experiences categorized each of them as either “a math person” or “not a math person.”