Book Recommendations for Effective Strategies with Drawing, Teaching, and Learning
Effective teaching strategies are the cornerstone of successful classrooms. As educators, we must continually seek out new techniques and methods to ensure that our students are getting the best education possible. In a recent article on Shepherd.com, Mona Brookes reviewed several books that have been instrumental in shaping her teaching approach.
The first book that Mona recommends is her own “Drawing with Children, a creative method for adult beginners, too.”This book presents the Monart® Method, a groundbreaking technique for teaching drawing to students of all ages and skill levels. It provides extensive guidance on implementation and valuable insights into classroom dynamics for parents, educators, and university-level instruction.
The second book that Mona recommends is “Punished by Rewards, The trouble with Gold Stars, and Praise.” by Alfie Kohn. The book addresses the issue of excessive praise in educational settings and proposes alternative approaches to stimulate creativity and experimentation. As articulated by Mona, the proposed methodology is designed to cultivate creativity and experimentation while avoiding the impractical expectation that students should appreciate every outcome of their artistic endeavors.
The third book Mona recommends is “The Natural Way to Draw: A working Plan for Art Study” by Simon Nicolaides. This book encourages a creative style that captures the essence of the subject while also emphasizing realistic interpretation. Mona included Nicolaides’ quick sketching technique in her lesson plans to help students practice drawing shapes and emotions. The book is easy to understand with clear instructions and lots of illustrations.
The fourth book that Mona recommends is “Mapping Inner Space: Learning and Teaching Visual Mapping” by Nancy Margulies. The book highlights the efficacy of incorporating drawing in the process of learning, resulting in eightfold increase in both the speed and duration of information retention. In her article, Mona elaborates on how she implemented Margulies’ Mind Mapping method in her teaching.
Last but certainly not least, Mona recommends “Multiple Intelligences: New Horizons in Theory and Practice” by Howard Gardner. This book is essential for educators who engage with students facing learning difficulties or underperformance in specific subjects. Familiarity with Gardner’s work is crucial to comprehend individual functioning, which transformed Mona’s approach to challenging students.
In conclusion, the books recommended by Mona Brookes are an invaluable resources for anyone seeking effective teaching strategies. They provide a wealth of information and techniques to assist educators in improving their teaching methods and creating successful learning environments.
