THE WORLD'S LARGEST MIND MAP (19.45m x 10.63m)

Anne Jones, part-time Language Support Teacher at Regent College, Leicester, and a Licensed Buzan Instructor, reports.

Mind Mappers Unite!

It all began one Friday break in December 1996 when a small group of students met, as planned, in the hall of Regent College. We had a half-mile roll of five wide plain newspaper, some poster paint, £64 worth of felt-tip pens, some balloons, brushes, masking tape and wallpaper paste. But most of all, we had the energy and enthusiasm of the students of the committee.

The theme of our Mind Map was the City of Leicester, and straightaway a team of 'A'-level photography students started work on colouring in the central image - a photograph of the clock tower. Tim Holyoake, part-time photography student (and full-time bus driver) had taken the photograph, which represented a stunning starting point for the branches of our map. By lunchtime, the central image was already in place and students were deciding where to place the main branches.

Our research desk was organised by Vina Patel, who had been to the local tourist office to collect leaflets. The library staff had kindly collected together books about Leicester and printed out information from their CD ROM's, providing an ideal information platform for everyone to work from. The research table looked tatty, so we covered it with some of the Leicester Mercury's plain newspaper and put up a big sign, 'Vina's Research Desk' in purple letters, which covered the front of the table.

The event soon started to attract attention from the college at large. The hall is surrounded on three sides by glass doors and we could see their interested faces peering in. A number of students - often the ones who are not normally interested in study skills (or, for that matter, study) - came in to enquire about what was going on and to say that they would be along to take part when it was opened to the whole college on Monday.

At four o'clock we started the record attempt. We had high hopes that it would be a success, and the committee members were looking forward to being excused lessons to attend a radio interview with BBC Radio Leicester. They had all read Get Ahead and were ready to answer any question about Mind Maps.

On Monday we received a pleasant surprise - the BBC Radio reporter, Lucy, was a Mind Mapper herself! She had been taught this technique as a method of quick preparation for interviews.

During the day classes began to arrive by rotation and the Mind Map was soon growing fast. Each student who took part was presented with a certificate, signed by a committee member. One of the best aspects of the whole event was the fact that students with a wide range of abilities took part. One of the keenest Mind Mappers was a student with Special Needs, who copied the complicated logo of a city centre shopping mall flawlessly.

Tuesday was even more busy. As we added more and more layers, we had to be fairly vigilant that the one word per line rule was kept to. Inevitably there were some minor hiccups, but these were overcome by a tremendous spirit of co-operation, with everyone pulling together to help with the world record attempt.

Wednesday was the last day, and we had decided to finish before lunch. My tutor group were the last to work on the Mind Map and then, at the end, the Principal came to 'have the last word'. (Actually, the last two words: 'lifelong learning'.) Photographs were taken of the Principal and the committee, and of course the map itself, and then measurements were taken and press releases sent off - the world record had been smashed!

At last I had a chance to reflect on the event. I looked at the post-it notes the students had put on the display boards. 'Cool', 'This is going to change my life' and one signed by a student with Special Needs, 'This is the best thing I have ever done'. Two hundred and fifty students and staff had taken part. I thought about the spirit of the event - the wonderful atmosphere of co-operation.

What amazing, vibrant personalities students have! How few opportunities we give them to express their individuality, their identity and their culture! All three had been evident in the radiant spirit of co-operation which had created the World's Largest Mind Map at Regent College, Leicester, in December 1996.

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