Getting Started with Homeschooling
Practical Considerations for Parents of School-Aged Children
© Beverley Paine
Index
Homeschool
Australia
Mind Mapping
The practice known as ‘mind mapping’ is a powerful, practical tool for using visual and spacial capacities when either planning activities, taking notes during researching topics, or for reviewing material for tests and examinations. It is like building a jigsaw, starting by putting the largest, most central idea in the middle of the page and linking this to pieces of information you recognise as important to your study. Remember, study doesn’t just mean an activity done with books or texts!
By developing mind maps you develop an overall picture of what your learning task is, and this helps you to organise your information, ideas and approaches. You may already be familiar with the terms ‘bubble’ diagram, chart, table, etc. In addition to providing patterns for learning, mind maps help you to link ideas, emphasise key points, illustrate relationships, and tailor your notes to the set topics. They can lead you into new directions and propel learning in other areas by revealing additional questions. A whole integrated program of study can be built from a single starting point with a little imagination using a mind map as a guide.
By developing the ability to use mind maps yourself, you are setting an example for your children. Mind mapping is considered a superior and excellent learning tool for students of all age groups.
The starting points for most mind maps are drawn from the interests of the learner. Children learn best when they are totally immersed and interested in an activity which in meaningful to them, and when they are using a variety of ways to learn, engaging all senses, not just visual and auditory. This leads to successful learning experiences, and builds confidence in the learning process.
Mind maps will work equally well for adult-initiated topics, and can provide much stimulation for extended learning. These often stem from the learner’s individual interests as a theme study develops.
When beginning the exploration of the topic, always start from the learner’s existing levels of knowledge and skills, discovering their existing concepts about the topic before planning your objectives.
Below is an example of a mind-map:
The following steps to mind-mapping will help you get started:
- Start in the centre of the page with the topic idea.
- Work outward in all directions (use your imagination and creativity to produce a pattern that reflects how your mind works and is comfortable for you).
- Have well-defined groups of words and link them clearly with a selection of different arrows, lines, etc., to show connections, and don’t get too cluttered with too many groups - keep between five and seven groupings.
- Use key words, symbols and images using colours and pictures to highlight for better memory retention.
- Print the words rather than write them for more distinct and memorable images, and put the words on the lines, not at the end of lines.
- Use one word per line, it is more concise and stands out more.
- Make the pattern noteworthy, even odd. The mind remembers things that stand out.
- Use personal short-forms, codes for fun and effectiveness.
- Build at a fast pace. It’s more spontaneous and you capture more associations as they occur to you. Remember to enjoy yourself!
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Excerpt from Getting Started with Homeschooling, Practical Considerations
© Beverley Paine, 1997
