Natural Learning
Origin story: This started when I was looking for a way to help my kids write papers in school. I found The Mind Map Book in a local bookstore, and I was instantly hooked. I think the first major use was for my son Tim's elementary school report on Gutenberg. It was an amazing success. We took his assignment requirements and made a mind map. There was a branch for Gutenberg's home and family, one for his discoveries, one for the global impact, etc. At the library Tim used the map to guide his research. He gathered the information needed for each branch, and we added it to the map. When that was all done, we redrew the map, moving some smaller branches around, and added details and colors and doodles. Then he went and wrote the paper by himself. Instead of the normal struggle, he just dove in and did it. And, every word was his. All he had needed was the underlying structure and information, and the mindmap had it all laid out for him.
I eventually expanded what we had learned from this (and later on from his brother Andrew's and sister Megan's school experiences). I built it into a community education class called High Performance Learning, which was streamlined to become Brainpower, which was simplified again to become the 8 tools and Natural Learning.
I eventually expanded what we had learned from this (and later on from his brother Andrew's and sister Megan's school experiences). I built it into a community education class called High Performance Learning, which was streamlined to become Brainpower, which was simplified again to become the 8 tools and Natural Learning.
Natural Learning is a deceptively simple set of 8 tools that can dramatically improve learning ease, effectiveness, and yes, even FUN! Great for students, and I still use them every day in professional settings. Some of them can seem like the tools of children, but in fact they are the tools of the learning brain. Adding colors and little drawings to notes really works. Taking frequent short breaks really works. Taking mindmap notes instead of longhand or typing is much faster and really works. Using mindmaps instead of notecards or slides to give presentations really works.
And did I mention fun? After a one-hour introduction to these techniques, my son Andrew's 6th grade class asked to stay in from recess so they could keep mindmapping. True story.
And did I mention fun? After a one-hour introduction to these techniques, my son Andrew's 6th grade class asked to stay in from recess so they could keep mindmapping. True story.
Click below for a summary.
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I have taught these techniques to kids individually, to an entire accelerated 6th grade class, to marketing departments as a way to collaboratively capture meeting notes, and to small adult learning groups within the companies I've worked. I promise you will surprise yourself when we unlock you or your kids abilities with these fun, natural, and effective tools.