Today's Activities:
1. Watch this video:
Flow Theory: What is flow?
*This video explains the Flow Theory. As you watch it, reflect on times you may have reached a state of Flow (maybe during a professional development training, when learning a new sport, or when delivering a lesson).
2. Read this article's excerpt (page 1):
For Today's discussion:
After watching the video and reading the excerpt of the article Flow Theory and Student Management (above) explain in your own words:
1. What are the key elements for students to reach Flow? (in other words, what needs to happen in a lesson or school day for a student to achieve the state of Flow? You can refer to Monday's presentation if you need more help to answer this question).
1. What are the key elements for students to reach Flow? (in other words, what needs to happen in a lesson or school day for a student to achieve the state of Flow? You can refer to Monday's presentation if you need more help to answer this question).
ReplyDeleteIn order for a person to reach Flow, they must be engaged and have the want to learn without feeling bored. It is kind of like the comprehensible input i+1, where you must be challenged but enough to make you want to achieve higher. Such as Dean, the man in the video, the hobby was fascinating to him that he reached a deep concentration point where he worked around his daily work schedule to make sure he was able to work towards his goals in the sport. I order for Flow to occur one must Providing Clear goals and feedback; deep concentration must be reached where there are no worries about other things, and learning is fun where there is nothing that can hold you back. Reaching Flow can make people happy .
In order for our students to reach Flow, we as teachers need to provide an productive learning environment. The activities in the lesson need to be stimulating enough for the students to take control of their own learning. There needs to be clear objectives for which the students create a goal or purpose. We must facilitate an environment filled with encouragement, feedback and eliminate the stress levels of the tasks. There are times during the week, when the students and I are engaged in lessons and before we know it the time is up. I love to hear their anguish, when I say, okay times up you need to go to your next class. It is in those days that we reached FLOW.
ReplyDeleteWhat are the key elements for students to reach Flow? (in other words, what needs to happen in a lesson or school day for a student to achieve the state of Flow? You can refer to Monday's presentation if you need more help to answer this question).
ReplyDeleteFlow occurs when a person feels happy while doing something with attainable goals in mind. The person does not feel stressed nor bored. In the classroom, we can help our students reach flow by having positive, non-stressful, fun, goal oriented lessons that will inspire them to reach those goals and make them happy.
Flow happens when students are engaged in an activity and challenged enough that the challenge motivates them to attain more instead of frustrating them to quit. In this frame of mind, students enjoy what they are working on and get more out of it. When they are not in a state of flow, students feel bored and/or frustrated. They have no motivation to learn. I think this relates to Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development. When students are "in the zone" they find success in their learning. If the learning is too hard or too easy, students are frustrated or bored, respectively, and not learning.
ReplyDeleteHello everyone!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed looking at this video about Flow. The boy Dean in the video reminded me of a little kindergarten boy they placed in my classroom this year. He was originally placed with another teacher but was very challenging and disobedient so they tried him out with me and my partner. My classroom is set up in where workshops are in place with crafts and objects that they can manipulate with. When this little boy came into my classroom he was so frustrated and angry. When I placed him in workshops his little eyes just gleamed! He did not have anything to copy or write over and over he got stimulated in where he had to think about what was asked of him to create. I believe he reached FLOW. He got interested and was happy to engage in learning.
Wonderful example Norma! He was probably frustrated with goals that were unreachable for him. When children (and adults) get "hooked" to something, they concentrate on the task and their anxieties dissipate. In your class his skills were congruent with the demands of the activity, you might have also provided him with appropriate feedback that allowed him to change his behavior when needed.
DeleteThank you for sharing!
Key for students to reach Flow is creating learning environments with challenging activities requiring students to use his/her skills, staying engaged and focused on the task at hand, setting explicit goals, and providing immediate feedback. It is important that we meet the students at their proficiency levels to reduce their anxiety. To avoid students falling into boredom, we need to provide challenging tasks for those who have mastered their skills and are ready for the next level, being careful not to create stress.
ReplyDeleteWhat are the key elements for students to reach Flow? (in other words, what needs to happen in a lesson or school day for a student to achieve the state of Flow?
ReplyDeleteYou are in the "Flow" state when you are doing something that interests you. It interests you so much, that you are truly concentrated in your task and forget everything else (including concerns); being in the "Flow" state brings you happiness. During a lesson, students need to be engaged and of course motivated to reach the "Flow" state. Teachers need to carefully plan the lessons to provide clear goals, interesting activities, quick feedback, and positive/negative reinforcement. All teachers would like to accomplish this every time and during every lesson, but (being realistic) it is a very hard work. It is hard because the students in a class are different, they could be interested in different things and to provide each one of them with "interesting activities" it sure is a difficult (but possible) challenge for the teacher to accomplish. We need to implement the best possible strategies in all areas to gain students attention and motivation so they can reach the "Flow" state.
Silvia, I agree with you. This is an "ideal" state of mind. But it is impossible for teachers to accomplish it alone. Besides, based on my understanding, other people can not reach it for us. It must be ourselves. As teachers we can only provide with an environment that will facilitate the student's reach of Flow. What we can do is provide them with reachable goals (making sure to accommodate for those who need accommodations) and providing then with good feedback. Another way to help students would be through the mediation of metacognition skills that allow them to reflect on their goals, study skills, and strategies, so that they themselves can always reflect on what they need in order to master certain task, and even decide on which tasks are worth of their time and efforts for mastery, later in their lives.
DeleteIn order for a student to reach 'Flow" the teacher needs to plan lessons carefully to create an environment that will be challenging yet interesting for a student. We all know that if a student is interested in what's going on and engaged his/her learning increases. No matter what the objective is the student needs to be learning in a way that will bring them happiness, to some it maybe through hands on activities, using technology, or some even just working alone. Each student is definitely unique and will reach "flow" in different ways.
ReplyDeleteBrenda,
DeleteI completely agree with you, planning is crucial for the achievement of flow. theory, they also have to know their students and differentiate in order to meet every student needs.
Brenda, How do you reach Flow ?
I'm a visual learner! I have to see it then write it in order to be focused and reach that "i know this" level :)
DeleteIn order for a student to achieve the state of Flow he/she has to be interested in the lesson or the activity that they are doing. Teachers have to create a learning environment that is challenging for the students but at the same time is at their level where they want to learn and they feel good about learning. Students have to be engaged in the activity or the lesson and they have to enjoy what they are doing in order for them to reach "Flow". Flow = Happiness
ReplyDeleteVioleta, I agree that the environment has to be engaging to have flow. Having the same ol same ol just creates monotony and students are disinterested.
DeleteIt happens to us as adults too. If people pick careers that are not challenging to, but just do it because it is easy...people burn out from that career. You have to have passion and excitement to have flow too.
Thanks for sharing Violeta,
Angelica
Great point ladies,
DeleteDo you think this could be the main reason why teachers leave after one or two years teaching? Professionals that come into teaching thinking that it is easy and they want summer offs.
What is needed to attain "flow"?
ReplyDeletePOSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Clear goals that focus on challenges that require skills that that student has.(cognition)
Positive feedback (emotion)
Motivation or self determination to accomplish goal. (motivation)
GT students fall into a rut if they are not challenged. Challenge does not mean giving a student something super duper hard that they can not figure out, no. It means finding out what that student's strengths are and developing a challenge that will help the student grow and be pleasantly rewarding. This works for all students, not just GT students.
-Angelica
The key elements for someone to reach Flow are: deep concentration, full focus, the ability to fixate on one particular achievable goal, the feeling of being free from concern, and a high level of engagement that is difficult to break. In the classroom setting, in order for students to reach flow, a few things should take place. The classroom environment should be conducive to concentration. That could look a few different ways: maybe optimal concentration happens in peace and quiet or maybe the room has low chatter. Students should be able to fully focus on the task, problem, or project at hand. It is important that the students understand the achievable goal or outcome. It should not be too challenging so as to provoke frustration or anxiety. There should be safe learning environment. The activity should be interesting so that it captivates the students’ attention.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was viewing the video and reading the excerpt on the Flow theory, it reminded me of when the students say, "Wow, time does fly when you're having fun!" From my experience in the classroom, those are the times when students learn the most and remember what they learned for a long time (science experiments, social studies projects, readers theatre, etc are some examples). It takes work and careful planning by the teacher in order to create engaging lessons that will promote student engagement, motivation, and learning. When the students are actively engaged and motivated in the task at hand without realizing that they are learning and gaining knowledge, I believe that's when the students are in that FLOW zone/state. The key elements that will promote that flow state include: a stress-free environment, clear goals that are challenging, but not so much as to cause the student to stress out, and meaningful and interesting activities that they will gladly respond to (not like the "uughh's" that I get when I tell them that they will be benchmarking). I hope I got it right!
ReplyDeleteYou got it Viviana! I thought the exact same thing when I first learned about Flow. Those days when kids say: "What!, it is time to go already?". They felt happy, engaged, and eager to learn more. They key for these kind of lessons is to create them with goals that children feel are attainable, which brings us back to Vigotsky's zone of proximal development.
DeleteLike you said, Viviana, it takes work and careful planning by the teacher in order to create engaging lessons. Some teachers do not take the time to plan or create fun educational activities and then complain that the students do not want to do anything. I can think back to the time when it was "STAAR Prep" time at our school and the students shut down because it was not fun or engaging. They did not experience flow when they were reading passages or drilling for the test.
DeleteI think that that is why I love Fall, because school begins and there's not a lot of pressure (yet) of the STAAR test.
After watching the video and reading the excerpt of the article Flow Theory and Student Management (above) explain in your own words:
ReplyDelete1. What are the key elements for students to reach Flow? (in other words, what needs to happen in a lesson or school day for a student to achieve the state of Flow?
Students need to be actively engaged and work cooperatively with other students so that they can achieve or attain success without being bored. When students have a goal and they are given an incentive (for example no homework pass for 1 day) they will be more self driven to complete a task. When working with a partner or in a group, the students are more relaxed; therefore, their affective filter will be lowered and students will be more willing to work at ease. I have students say "this period always go by fast" and it's mainly the students that like math...but how can we get the other students to feel the same way when they ultimately struggle in a subject?
Arely, that is a very good question. I think us teachers already try to do this everyday when we do classroom accommodations. We are not lowering standards, but we accommodate the goals based on the student's skills. We cannot expect our students to find a same goal reachable. We need to get to know them and based those goals on their current abilities. I think it is important to remind ourselves that Flow is a state of mind. Even though it is an ideal set of mind (we would love all our students to reach it), it doesn't mean we can get all our students there (this is just my opinion). One way we can help our students get there is through metacognition. If we help our students think about their own thoughts, understand what their goals are, reflect on what they still need in order to achieve them, provide them with feedback on what they are missing or can do better, then are getting them closer to a Flow state of mind. Does this make sense?
DeleteFlow Theory.
ReplyDeleteFlow theory is when you build on information you introduced at the beginning of a unit/lesson. So whatever I introduced day 1 I need to keep referring back to. Everything must flow (connect) smoothly so as to ensure learning/processing of information correctly. This is just the Gagne’s nine phases of learning. When we implement his nine phases to lesson planning we are in turn making sure that the student is being provided with the best pedagogy ever.
Esmeralda
Putting the ideas from the video and page 1 together, a clear application and transfer of the Flow Theory to our classrooms or schools would be a clear learning goal both to the teacher and the learner (or, in the case of the school, a clear mission and vision in the school wide sense), the issuance of a clear feedback on the progress of our students (or campus-wide performance based on different indicators or measures), engaging them through purposeful activities (which in turn helps them to focus and concentrate on the task more), and challenging them with something new or novel, thus making them discover something new about themselves and the different entities around them as the learning process unfolds. As a result, this keeps them involved and responsible for their own learning progress, thereby creating a sense of self-fulfillment and satisfaction.
ReplyDeleteOn a more personal note, I really like the concept of flow. It is simply oozing with positivity and is very empowering. To think that it was conceptualized under the worst of situations (a war-torn era) is an irony, but also an affirmation that the human spirit is unbreakable; and the seed that bore fruit to this theory itself proves that if someone or something hits rock bottom, there is no other way to go but up. However, I would also like to ask: how do the ideas of both predetermination and predisposition affect or interact with this theory? The thought that some events are already charted and that some individuals are predisposed to live their lives more negatively than others is just counterintuitive to the Flow theory.
To my understanding Flow is a state of mind. Even though it COULD affect the rest of your life it does not mean that it changes your life completely. People who are predisposed to live their lives more negatively could still reach Flow at a certain time, within an specific task. For example, a person who experiences Flow when surfing does not necessarily live a life full of Flow in every aspect of his life. He might have reached Flow because he found a activity of his interest, where goals were attainable because of his physical predisposition to sports, and he might even had have friends who would provide him with good feedback to improve his skills. When he went back home, and sat down to study for school, did he experience the same state of Flow? Maybe not, maybe yes! I think what would help this kind of people is to access their metacognitive skills to reflect on what is helping them achieve goals on certain tasks that could also help them be successful in others. This is just my opinion after having learned about these theories :)
DeleteFlow occurs when one is very engaged in what they are doing. I can give you two examples:
ReplyDelete(1) My cousin practices Brazilian Jiu Jiutsu and has been for about 2 years now. Her mom has never really liked the sport, and I am not really a fan either, but watching the video, I can see how maybe my cousin has experienced flow. She loves working on her techniques and visits the gym every single day. She had never been so involved in anything as she is now. She is being promoted to a blue belt next week. :)
(2) My brother is an artist (on his free time) and he has told me that he'll paint until the wee hours of the morning outside on his patio and that he does not get tired. He only goes inside to sleep because his wife calls him in. From what I have read about flow, I believe that he experiences flow when he paints because he loves to do it.
Personally, I experience flow when I know that something is due soon and I concentrate on it. Nothing will bother me at that time, I "get in the zone" and actually feel satisfied when I am done with my task.
As teachers, it is important for us to make sure our students are engaged in a lesson at some point, and give them challenging but not frustrating tasks to do in the classroom.
Isabel,
ReplyDeleteYour examples are perfect!!! Flow is a state of mind that comes when an individual is enjoying and is immersed in an activity.
The same happens to me, I seem to work better under pressure, "I get in my zone", I reached my Flow, meet my goals and feel great at the end.
Gabby
Hello Guys!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like we are on the right track! For those of you who are still a little confused about the Flow theory please make sure you read your classmate's input. We have wonderful examples of Flow happening in classrooms, work and family situations. Tomorrow we will reflect on Problem Solving skills. As you solve the problem, think about how some skills needed to problem solve relate to Flow and Metacognition. Have a good night!
-Maria.
Students are in Flow mode when they are actively engage. It is important for students to be able to have fun in order to better understand what they are learning. If students like what they are learning they would put more effort resulting in flow mode. As teachers we need to make sure that we provide well plan and engaging lesson plans.
ReplyDeleteThis week I started a healthier way of life, at least I'm planning and really trying to stick to it. I believe this healthier way of life with better eating habits and more physical activity will put me a better flow mode = :)