1st Training – Double Doodle Play

I attended double doodle course conducted by [Glenys Leadbeater](http://breakthru.academy/people/glenys-leadbeater)

Double Doodle Play, a window that enters into the world of Edu-K through a unique two-handed learning. It was introduced in the 1980’s when the book of Brain Gym®: Simple Activities for Whole-Brain Learning was published. And now it is an 8 hour elective course in the Edu-K programme by Gail E. Dennison. Double Doodle Play is a unique kind of art experience, for the most part different from fine art, yet like all art endowing us throughout our life by supporting our artistic pleasure and aesthetic appreciation, as well as providing a foundation for academic skills.
Breakthru Academy

What I learn in Double Doodle Play Course?
I love to draw since I was young, especially in face sketch. This is my first learning to draw a pictures using both hands at the same time. In the warm-up, I had the difficulties to “twist” my mind to coordinate my hands (L-Left; R-Right) and eyes to doodle in different directions (left to right ; right to left ; up to down ; down to up and diagonal)

Warm-up activities for personal two-handed doodling, starting from doodling different patterns to writing own name (right picture)

I was firstly drawn to the Brain Gym concept to help students with special learning difficulties (SEN). The educational model of “drawing out” will help the SEN in developing Spatial awareness and depth perception. I also integrate this model as an Ice-breaking activity before my teaching in BEST centre. As a father, I also introduced this drawing concept to my 5 years-old daughter.

Marks created by the key hand movements

Double Doodle Play is filled with activities that keep everyone moving. In 8-hours, I discovered how to draw and paint with both hands (bilateral drawing), as well as exploring visual experience of colour, shape, texture, depth and movement. I also learned different marks in doodling like Stirring, Notching, Sweeping, Tapping and Meandering. Later, I integrated these skills in doodling animals like owl, rabbit, fish, crab, dog and many others.

“Animals” by Caleb Chang, drawing done with coloured pencils

A Nines Game and Conductor Doodles (right picure)

The cooperative games quickly build a sense of community. I partnered with a teenager and allowed him to draw on my back. He lightly “drew” by moving her hands up, down, out, in or diagonally within an imaginary. At the same time, I was the seated person followed along by drawing, within the nine dots on the sheet, the same patterns I felt being drawn on my back. This objective is to develop and refine skills of visual and kinesthetic mapping. Listening to music while doodling at the same time is another interesting activity. Followed the rhythm of the music, I drew symmetrical images on the sheet by experiencing hand-eye coordination and kinesthetic awareness of arm and hand positions.

“Amazing Ocean,” by men-team, captures the sunny seashore and mysterious undersea of two-handed doodling.

Learning to doodle in a group is quite challenging for our men-team, joining of teenagers and adults. Our theme is ocean as pictured above, which covered both the bright side above the ocean and hidden side undersea. The teenagers extended the creativity by thinking out of the box. This picture reflected our prayer for the reveal of the Missing flight MH370.

The last but the least, I want to give thanks to Glenys Leadbeater and my team in participating Double Doodle Play. The simplicity and variety of the Double Doodle activities really encourages participation and lots of fun.

References:
Gail E. Dennison. (2008). Double Doodle Play: A Window to Whole-Brain Vision Student Handbook. Ventura, CA: Edu-Kinesthetics.