High School Students: Art & Journaling Workshops / Creative Note Taking and Art Journaling

With all this Home Schooling, and New Parenting... it's hard to keep track of what to do, when to do it, and how to do it... and how to do it effectively.

I find myself re-visiting tricks and suggestions I learned in college, and often thought, why didn't anyone teach this to me when I was in Elementary, Middle and High School.  Not that it was not taught, but not taught in the creative way that made sense to me.  I'm a visual learner.


I recall a time in 7th grade, when I really "BOMBED" a test.  It was an Oral Memorization type of quiz/test and really way out of my comfort zone.  The teacher then gave me an option.  Retake the oral quiz, or rewrite (yes... re-write) the entire chapter of part of the text book.  He wrote his own text book and it was excerpts from Alice in Wonderland.  Whoo-hooo!  I grew up with my father reading Alice to me.  I have a collection of Alice in Wonderland books, and most have beautiful Illustrations.  Therefore, at the time of my 7th grade brain... the idea of spending an entire weekend handwriting the book was not a punishment at all...  A weekend with Alice and the White Rabbit.  I remember that I chose the passages that involved the Dodo Bird, the Walrus and the Carpenter, and the Oysters...

Bring on the Calligraphy Pens and Creative Art Journaling.  

In college, in my very last semester, I had a strange yet rewarding class.... It was directed to all the students in a variety of majors, that all involve "human interaction" - So that basically covers teacher, hospitality workers, human resources, interior designers (me), and psychology majors.  If your profession involves face-time with other humans, then this was where EVERYBODY had to be.

Task number 1 was to take our notebook (which was one of those thick, college ruled, 5 section books) and with a ruler, make a vertical line down each and every page of the first 3 sections.
The Left Side of each was for Taking notes in class.... When she (the professor) said "Highlight" you did take out the Highlighter and mark the word or phrase... this indicated that on the Right Side of the line you would need to research and expand on those notes for homework.   In the days before internet, then it really did mean homework and research!  We had to turn those notebooks in for "Check"

So now, as a mom, as an art teacher, I've developed a method to teach my own kids, and at least share this with all of their school counselors.  I'm an advocate for constructive doodling in the notebook.  There's a right way, or there's the distracted way, and there is a difference.  My goal is to help the Visual Learner use their talent to build upon what they are learning, and yet stay focused!

Please join my "CREATIVE ART JOURNALING" workshop

Customized Schedule for the High School and College Students, and Adults.

Custom Calendar!!!

You will need:  A Composition Book / Notebook

White or Natural Paper

Selection of Pens, Pencils, Colored Pens, Markers, Sharpies.

Glue / Stickers 

Research Ahead of time: YOUR TOPIC OF CHOICE