Searching for Flow courses are designed to have an immediate impact on the daily professional life of participants.  By rethinking time and how the use of time impacts our overall experience in a school, participants will be asked to consider how they can organize time with a focus on designing creative, productive, and inspiring learning environments.  How can our use of time maximize the Flow potential within a given group of people?

Participants should expect to leave the courses with practical examples that are relevant to their daily teaching experience as well as conceptual models that will have a lasting impact on how learning is designed and delivered.  Each course begins with an analysis of how time is being used and how our own personal biases influence the way in which time is structured.  Our focus will then move to examining one or more specific topics; Pedagogical Philosophy, the Power Paradigm, Structural Staples or Environmental Parameters;  discussing how each connects to managing time, enhancing a student’s overall learning experience, and finding Flow.  Courses are rooted in research based models and practices.

 

PEDAGOGICAL PHILOSOPHY:

How can the design of curriculum act as a gateway to invite FLOW into our classrooms?  By carefully considering how we design and prepare curriculum, Flow can have a consistent presence in our classrooms.  In this workshop, we will consider how inquiry based teaching allows for students’ own interests and motivation to take over the learning journey.   Our exploration will examine the inquiry process by considering different models of inquiry, looking to develop a shared understanding of inquiry specific to your school. We will then examine ways of designing curriculum around conceptual understandings, looking to make connections to and build on the current teaching happening in the school.  While discussing this backwards by design framework, we will consider how different types of inquiry can be used to help students experience Flow throughout their learning journey.

THE POWER PARADIGM:

How do our relationships act as a key to unlocking the FLOW potential in our environment?  In every classroom there is a balance of power that impacts the likelihood of students experiencing Flow at school.  Through our behaviors, routines, and interactions, students understand how much control an individual teacher needs.   In this workshop we will consider the idea of giving up some of the control.  By giving the students more control over what happens (agency), they are more likely to encounter a state of Flow during their learning journey.  This resulting state of Flow yields greater engagement, productivity and efficiency, and thus a greater overall experience for the learner.  Participants will reflect on their own behaviors, routines and biases as they look to make changes that give each learner more agency in the classroom.

STRUCTURAL STAPLES:

How does the way we engage learners allow FLOW to part of their school experience? Designing meaningful opportunities for students to engage with learning, be assessed on their understanding and experience feedback directly impacts the ability of students to encounter Flow at school. In this workshop participants will develop an understanding of how different Cultural Forces can impact the learning environment, looking specifically at how utilizing learning related routines can support a student’s ability to enter a state of Flow. Participants will examine different research based thinking routines while also considering the effectiveness of their own routines. The workshop will also include an examination of the school’s current assessment practices to ensure assessment and feedback are being used to their fullest potential as a means to cultivate a culture of Flow.

ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS:

How can the physical environment be used to further an individual’s FLOW experience? The way space is organized should communicate a clear message to students that finding Flow is a priority. In this workshop we will look specifically at how space is used within your school and how this space allows for students to find Flow as they learn. Participants will discuss different theoretical models of spatial design and identify how these different models connect to the Flow experience. The workshop will continue with a look at different spaces in the school and the message communicated by these spaces. The examination of these spaces will take in to consideration the power paradigm that exists within different learning spaces and what this means to a student. Before finishing the workshop participants will have the opportunity to identify creative ways to maximize the Flow potential within different spaces in the school.