Being Visual by Bette Fetter
I am a visual learner. While I was in school, I used to illustrate my notes. My notebook pages would be filled with diagrams and pictures that would help me understand the concepts we were learning. Until a teacher in middle school called me out on it. I was told that wasn’t the correct way to take notes and I attempted to adapt to their rigid, square box. For years, I took notes the “right” way.
I spent years struggling in middle school and high school because I couldn’t understand what we were learning. Words on paper didn’t cut it for me– I needed to see the pictures of my notes to help understand the concepts. When I got to college, I came to the realization… these are MY notes. If I wanted to draw and color on them, so be it. Interestingly, I graduated with my Associates on the President’s List, graduated with my Bachelor’s summa cum laude, and I am currently holding a 4.0 grade point average in my graduate program. Why? I believe it is because I take notes MY way – by illustrating the important topics.
Why did I tell you this story? Well, I recently read a book called Being Visual: Raising a Generation of Innovative Thinkers by Bette Fetter. Being Visual brings light to the outdated education system we have in this country. Bette discusses how there are two types of learners– left-brained and right-brained. The American education system mostly teaches to the left-brained students– yet, there is a whole population of the student body that is being neglected! These right-brained individuals will more than likely be our future inventors, scientists, and world leaders. But, they are not being encouraged to learn in the best possible way for their dominant brain side.
I’m not going to lie to you. I got this book from Bette and thought “this is nuts. No one learns like this.” But, the more I read of Being Visual, the more I realized I WAS right-brained! I was a visual-spatial thinker. However, I was pushed and shoved and molded into a left-brained education system. By reading Bette’s book– it all made sense. It validated my doodles and drawings on my notes. It made me realize I am not the only one. Most of the kids in the educational system ARE RIGHT-SIDED, VISUAL SPATIAL learners! Yet, the system doesn’t address this.
It’s rare I get excited about a non-fiction book. But, this book was an eye-opener and truly a must read for anyone with children or anyone who works with children. This book can also assist the parents and caregivers of children that have ADD, autism, and dyslexia. It helped me validate the way I learn best. It also helped me realize that I have both a visual-spatial thinker (Mo) and a linear thinker (Bo) in my life. This means I am going to have to help them understand the best way for them to learn and succeed in school and life.
If you would like to read more about Being Visual and Bette Fetter, check out the links below:
http://www.youngrembrandts.
http://www.being-visual.com/
https://www.facebook.com/
http://youtu.be/zacjqw3h6dk
Bette is letting me give away a copy of her book in either print or digital form to one of my lucky readers! Enter to win a copy of Being Visual below! Good luck!
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of Being Visual in exchange for this unbiased review. All comments and opinions are my own. All pictures and information used with permission.
