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To insure support is provided to all students

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To insure support is provided to all students

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Teacher Explains How to Reach Difficult Students as an Educator

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Teacher Angela Nichols shares her strategies for reaching difficult students. We learn that each child will not be reached in the same way, and each will not share the same experience with us. Challenging students require a different approach, and are often the result of poor learning or academic skills.

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New School Accountability Systems in the States

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New School Accountability Systems in the States

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Not too long ago, low-income students, students of color, English learners and students with disabilities - who had long gone underserved in our schools - were invisible, swept under rugs and behind averages. Parents had no way of knowing how well their schools were serving their children, equity advocates had no way of knowing whether students were getting the necessary learning opportunities and resources, employers had no way of ensuring graduates they hired would be equipped with the right skills for the job, and states had no real way of identifying schools that needed help to improve and setting them on a course to do so.

But in 2002, sweeping federal legislation changed all that and declared an end to the days of not knowing - and not acting. It introduced one of the most powerful tools at our disposal to ensure that all students - regardless of their race, family income, home language, or disability status - get the education they need and deserve: accountability systems that measure student and school performance, identify schools in need of support, and prompt action to raise student achievement.

Accountability systems are our main vehicle for communicating
expectations and spurring action. They set expectations for what it means to be a good school.

In the 15 years since, our schools have made substantial progress, especially for low+income students, students of color, students with disabilities, and English+language learners. But despite that progress, there is still a long way to go to eliminate long+standing inequities in opportunity and student outcomes in our education system. In short: This is no time to stop.

Accountability systems are our main vehicle for communicating expectations and spurring action. They set expectations for what it means to be a good school. And they can - and must - send a clear signal that states, districts, and schools must raise achievement for all groups of students, and must make more progress for groups of students who are behind.¹

But the way accountability systems are designed matters a lot. If these systems create the wrong priorities (shifting the focus away from improving student outcomes, for example), create too many priorities (so schools have to chase 40 priorities instead of just focusing on a few important ones), or set expectations so low as to be meaningless (or so high as to be unachievable), we lose the power that these systems have to drive change.

The new 2015 federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) challenges states to draw on lessons from the last 15 years and to refine their accountability systems to provide the right combination of pressure and support for school improvement. In the coming months, as state leaders hash out what those accountability systems will look like, advocates must actively participate and stand guard to ensure that these new systems focus squarely on raising achievement for ALL students.

What exactly is an accountability system?

An accountability system is the set of policies and practices that a state uses to measure and hold schools and districts responsible for raising student achievement for all students, and to prompt and support improvement where necessary. Accountability systems have two closely related parts: 1) a way of signaling how well schools are doing (like A-F grades, or 1-5 stars) and 2) the actions that must result from those ratings, including rewards or recognition for high-performing schools and districts, and resources, supports, and interventions for those that are struggling.

Of course, accountability systems themselves don't raise achievement or reduce inequities in opportunities to learn - only the hard work of districts, school leaders, and teachers can do that. But accountability systems can do several important things. They can:

Set a clear expectation that schools must raise achievement for all of their students, not just some.

Communicate whether schools are meeting those expectations - both for students overall, and for each group of
students they serve.

Celebrate schools that are meeting or exceeding expectations for all groups of students, and prompt action in those that are not.

Direct additional resources and supports to struggling districts and schools to help them improve.

We've been working on improved standards and assessments for a long time. How does accountability fit in?

In recent years, states across the country - often with pressure and support from advocates - have put in place new, rigorous academic standards and assessments. The standards specify what students need to know and be able to do in order to be ready for college and a meaningful career, and aligned assessments measure whether students are on track to meet these expectations.

Accountability forms the third leg in this three-legged stool. While standards and assessments tell us whether students are gaining the skills and knowledge they need, accountability systems say that if they aren't, schools and districts have to take steps to improve. This expectation of action is critical if we want all students to graduate high school ready for whatever they wish to do next - be it attend college, train for a job that will allow them to support a family, or pass the gateway exams they must take in order to serve in our country's armed services.

What does ESSA - the new federal education law - require of newly redesigned accountability systems?

ESSA requires all states to hold their schools accountable for the achievement of all groups of students. Below is an overview of the requirements. (For more information, please see Every Student Succeeds Act: What's in It? What Does It Mean for Equity?)

States have to set goals for improving student performance on state assessments and graduation rates for all students and for each student group. These goals must require bigger gains for groups of students who are further behind. States must also set goals for progress toward English proficiency for English learners.

States must then assign ratings to schools based on how they perform against these goals, as well as two other measures:

1. another academic indicator for elementary and middle schools; and

2. an additional indicator of school quality for all schools.

School ratings have to be based on how schools are doing on each indicator for all students and for each student group. Moreover, if a school is consistently underperforming for any group of students, its rating has to reflect that.

States must also identify three types of schools for support and improvement. These include:

1. Schools that are very low-performing (in the bottom 5 percent) for all students, or have low graduation rates;

2. Schools that are consistently underperforming for any group of students; and

3. Schools that are very low-performing (in the bottom 5 percent) for one or more groups of students.

Each of these types of schools must take action to improve. Districts must work with these schools to develop and implement improvement plans. If the lowest performing schools do not improve after a number of years, the state has to take action as well.

Why do advocates need to pay attention?

When it comes to accountability, details matter. While a well-designed accountability system shines a light on educational disparities, a badly designed one can actually hide achievement and opportunity gaps, and enable schools and districts to sweep underperformance - for all students or for individual student groups - under the rug.

ESSA requirements provide some important protections for historically underserved student groups. For example, the fact that ratings have to be based on how schools are doing for all groups of students will make it harder to conceal schools' failure to adequately support some groups of students behind higher averages. But the law also leaves many important decisions - including what exactly to measure, how to define "consistent underperformance" for a group of students, and how to support low-performing schools - up to states.

States are already under lots of pressure to water down their accountability systems, and that pressure is likely to get worse in the coming months. States will be pressured to include lots of measures that make all schools look good, to give as many schools as possible high ratings (even if they're failing to serve some of their students), and to require as few schools as possible to take steps to improve.

As advocates, we must push states to measure what matters most, to maintain a laser-like focus on the progress of all groups of students, and to expect any school that is not making progress for a group of students to improve.

What decisions will states need to make in the coming months?

In designing their school accountability systems, state leaders will have to make key decisions. Here are some of the main questions they will need to answer:

Which indicators should we use to measure school performance?

How do we combine all of the indicators we're measuring into a school rating? How do we make sure that these ratings meaningfully reflect how schools are doing for all groups of students?

What should states and districts do to ensure change in the lowest performing schools? What about schools that are doing okay on average, but are not making progress for one or more student groups? What role should parents and the community play in these decisions?

Each of these pieces - indicators, ratings, and the supports and improvement actions that result from them - are critically important for creating an accountability system that expects all schools to focus on improving outcomes for all groups of students, and on accelerating learning for students who come in behind.

Where can advocates get help?

The resources in this packet - produced as part of the collective work of some of the nation's most important civil rights, disability rights, education reform, and business organizations - are aimed at helping advocates and states answer the first question: Which indicators should we use to measure school performance? In the near future, we'll be releasing additional resources to help think through how to put these indicators together into a rating system, and how states and districts can support their schools to improve.

¹ "Groups of students" refers to students from each major racial/ethnic group, low-income students, English learners, and students with disabilities.

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New School Accountability Systems in the StatesBoth Opportunities and Peril - The Education Trust

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Not too long ago, low-income students, students of color, English learners and students with disabilities - who had long gone underserved in our schools - were invisible, swept under rugs and behind averages.

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How to Create an Accountability System in Your Classroom

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How to Create an Accountability System in Your Classroom

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written by: Amanda Smith * edited by: Elizabeth Stannard Gromisch * updated: 7/12/2012

Accountability is one of the most important concepts to teach a child. Teaching students how to respect one another and work together as a team will help them succeed throughout their academic and working career. Here are seven steps to help create an accountability system in the classroom.

1. Redefine Group Work

Almost all students have had some experience working in groups. They have most likely worked in groups to complete large projects or worked with partners to complete smaller assignments. As the first step in creating a classroom accountability system, it is important to educate your students about what it really means to work in groups. Teach them how working with others holds them accountable. It is also a good idea to set up standards for group work in your classroom. Encourage students to hold each other accountable by limiting the amount of teacher facilitation. This will help students find ways to solve problems on their own and support one another during the process.

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7 Easy Steps for Creating a Classroom Accountability System

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Check out these seven easy steps to teach your students how to be accountable in the classroom. This is essential in helping students grow and succeed in their future endeavors. It is also a great way to create trust and team building in your classroom and may even cut down on bullying.

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Seven Levels of Accountability for Student Success

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Seven Levels of Accountability for Student Success

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With No Child Left Behind (NCLB) off the table for at least 32 states in the U.S., accountability measures will be left to states and local school systems. NCLB has been clear about closing achievement gaps between groups of students considered at risk. To ensure that there is an ongoing focus on school improvement, accountability should continue to be rigorous and focused on achievement gaps along with whole school improvement.

Clear accountability systems have to be in place at seven different levels to ensure student success now and in the future. Goals, beliefs, values, visions and actions must be aligned similar to what one may find in a balanced scorecard. If these things are not operating in tandem, then the system may be doomed to fail.

The seven levels of accountability for student success are: 1) state; 2) school system; 3) school; 4) principal; 5) teachers; 6) parents; and 7) students.

Level 1: STATE

All states should have a strong plan in place to measure accountability. Out of the 32 states approved for No Child Left Behind waivers, eight states have a conditional waiver, meaning they have not yet satisfied the Obama administration's requirements for a new principal/teacher evaluation system, incorporation of College and Career Readiness Standards and other stipulations. If these states are granted waivers, it is imperative that they have a plan in place so that all educators, parents, students and other stakeholders understand how schools will be monitored and what criteria will be used to determine school improvement.

Many of the states that have received No Child Left Behind waivers have developed impressive accountability plans.

According to the Kentucky Department of Education, their new accountability model is a more robust - next generation model that holds all schools and school systems accountable for improving student performance and creates four performance classifications that determine consequences and guide interventions and supports. School and system classifications are based on the following measures: 1) Achievement (Content Areas are reading, mathematics, science, social studies and writing.); 2) Gap (percentage of proficient and distinguished) for the Non-Duplicated Gap Group for all five content areas; 3) Growth in reading and mathematics (percentage of students at typical or higher levels of growth); 4) College Readiness as measured by the percentage of students meeting benchmarks in three content areas on EXPLORE at middle school; 5) College/Career-Readiness Rate as measured by ACT benchmarks, college placement tests and career measures and 6) Graduation Rate.

Level 2: SCHOOL SYSTEM

For school systems located in states where NCLB is still active, the accountability standards remain the same: required scores in key subject areas, test participation rates at 95 percent, attendance, graduation rates and adequate performance of special populations such as disadvantaged students and students with disabilities. What will be the accountability of school systems in states with waivers? The measures should certainly be well aligned to the state accountability plan components that we monitor and hold systems accountable for. In many cases, the new accountability measures growth over a period of time. Superintendents, boards of education and school system leaders will need to be visionary, progressive thinkers who are well versed about what is happening around the country and how to keep their school system on the cutting-edge of transformation.

A strong strategic plan that communicates the school system vision, mission, goals, beliefs, values and objectives should be transparent for all to see. The metrics embedded in it should communicate what the system is holding itself accountable for. There has to be a whole school system focus on building a culture of continuous improvement.

Curriculum, instruction, assessment and professional learning are critical success indicators for school systems. All levels of system operation have to link back to improvement of student achievement. High expectations must be in place for school system leaders, principals, teachers, students and their parents.

Level 3: SCHOOL

An important question for a school to ask: "How do we know if our students are successful and what actions will we take if they are not?" Schools with an answer to this question and an accountability plan in place will have the greatest level of success. Generally, the school improvement plan is the accountability plan for the school. It outlines the same components one would find in a school system strategic plan; it is clear about the actions that will take place to address the question posed earlier. There should be an action plan for improving each content area based on current school realities or baseline data from the most recent school assessments; a professional development plan aligned to the action plans; a technology plan; a plan for improving student attendance and parent involvement; and a plan that outlines how data will be utilized, analyzed and interpreted.

Ensuring student success in schools means holding teachers and other staff accountable for quality work directly impacting student achievement. Identification of root causes for lack of student success and aggressive interventions to address areas of weakness must be implemented. Use of research-based practices in all key areas of instruction, leadership and school operation should be evident in schools aiming for high levels of student success. Innovation and creativity are not only encouraged but celebrated.

Level 4: PRINCIPAL

It is often said that principals must be strong instructional leaders. That is only part of what principals should know and be able to do. They also must be change agents, capable of dealing with vast ambiguities; human relations gurus; school culture shapers; savvy budget administrators; and outstanding performance managers. If principals are knowledgeable, courageous and willing to hold everyone accountable for keeping their students at the center of everything they do, success is bound to follow.

An effective principal is needed in every school building of a school system striving for excellence in education. These principals understand the complexity of their position, perform duties and responsibilities at a high level, and are able to multi-task, fitting all of the interconnected pieces of school life together for the good of their students. They are results-driven and accept no excuses from anyone. Success is the only option and mediocrity is simply not acceptable in a school run by a strong leader.

Many states have new leader accountability instruments that will be used to evaluate system and building level leaders. Principals operating at the proficient to exemplary level of these accountability systems will have the most positive impact on student achievement.

Level 5: TEACHERS

Research is clear about the damage an ineffective teacher can do. It can take years of instruction with an effective teacher to turn that damage around. Schools and school systems will need a laser-like focus on building the capacity of teachers through strong induction programs, job-embedded professional learning, support for implementation of the new Common Core Performance Standards with accompanying assessments and teacher evaluation programs linked to student achievement outcomes. Teaching children at a high level of proficiency should be the core work of every teacher.

All teachers should continue to be highly qualified to teach the subjects and grade levels they are assigned. Use of varied instructional strategies, effective assessment techniques, data utilization and integration of technology are a given for teachers who want their students to be successful. Teachers should be held accountable; however, their success begins with holding students accountable for learning what is taught.

Level 6: PARENTS

The outside curriculum of children does matter. This curriculum has to do with how they spend their time away from school, what they value, the support systems they have in place and how parents involve themselves in the school. What is learned in schools can be easily unlearned if not sufficiently enforced at home, in the community, ingrained in character and properly supported.

Parents need the requisite skills to help their children succeed in school. The local school and school systems should provide these skills through parent education workshops, parent involvement meetings, adult education classes and engagement in volunteerism. The Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets is a good starting point, along with the six types of parent involvement established by Joyce Epstein.

The chances of children being successful increase when their parents are fully vested in the school community; capable of monitoring school work; communicating effectively with teachers; and able to identify resources to help with social, emotional health issues and other impediments to school success.

Level 7: STUDENTS

Students must be taught to be responsible and take ownership for their education. Personalized learning environments are significant when it comes to establishing schools where students can thrive and be successful. Working with teachers who understand the importance of building relationships cannot be overemphasized. We must remain steadfast in our mission to prepare 21st century students in our country to compete in a global economy. Failing to do so will be detrimental to not only the individual child, but to our future as a nation.

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Seven Levels of Accountability for Student Success

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With No Child Left Behind (NCLB) off the table for at least 32 states in the U.S., accountability measures will be left to states and local school systems. NCLB has been clear about closing achievement gaps between groups of students considered at risk.

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Classroom Responsibilities: Management in the Active Classroom

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Sharing responsibility in the classroom with classroom jobs

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Sharing responsibility in the classroom with classroom jobs

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“Real World” Class Jobs: Sharing Responsibility in the Classroom (Virtual Tour)

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Students complete applications and performance reviews to obtain and keep classroom jobs that match their skills and interests.

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 Stimulate Group Involvment in  the Classroom

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 Stimulate Group Involvment in  the Classroom

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Group Discussion Topics & Tips app for android. Download Group Discussion Topics & Tips .APK in AppCrawlr!

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5 WAYS TECHNOLOGY CAN ENCOURAGE CLASS PARTICIPATION

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5 WAYS TECHNOLOGY CAN ENCOURAGE CLASS PARTICIPATION

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Ideally, the classroom should be a place where everybody feels comfortable and free to express themselves - regardless of their abilities. In reality, there are some students who find it hard to participate if they feel embarrassed asking for help, or believe speaking in front of everybody will bring unwanted attention to them. While students should never feel pressured or forced to speak up in class, the lack of contribution to class discussions can hinder a person's learning, as suggested by various studies (Carini et al. 2006). Participating in class discussions allows students to:

Build their confidence

Learn how to articulate their thoughts to other people

Receive feedback on their response

Work collaboratively as part of a group.

From the perspective of a teacher, a lack of class participation can make it difficult to identify who has a good understanding of the lesson content, and those who are struggling. Consequently, quieter students may feel excluded from class if they fall behind.
1:1 learning using internet connected devices is set to revolutionize teaching. Interaction between the teacher and all students are facilitated through the easy exchange of information and ideas between the mobile devices, allowing teachers to provide individualised feedback. Solely relying on traditional pen-and-paper learning techniques is no longer effective; technology has the ability to engage learners in innovative ways, as well as efficiently produce and share learning resources. Along with the support and encouragement from teachers, the wide range of technological resources available can help facilitate student participation through different methods. Here are five ways technology can be used to increase class participation:

Use 1:1 mobile devices for class quizzes

Simple question-and-answer learning activities can increase student participation. The thought of sharing one's response in a formal setting such as a classroom can be very daunting; students may feel as though there is little margin for error, and that their peers will judge the quality of their response. However, the learning environment can be made more fun by integrating games into the lesson. Kahoot is a quiz-based gaming platform where students answer questions set by the teacher using a mobile device. Points, called Kahoots, are awarded for answering correctly, and scoreboards for the top five players are displayed at the end of the game. This encourages students to engage with their learning in a fun and stimulating manner. Kahoot can also be used collaboratively by putting students into groups so they can work together to score points. Socrative is another example of a great tool which uses 1:1 devices for quiz-based learning. The teacher uses the Socrative Teacher app to ask a question, which is displayed on students' mobile devices. Users can then answer using the Socrative Student app. This fosters inclusivity by encouraging everyone to join in with class activities, rather than the select few who are picked by the teacher to speak.

Encourage whole group discussions

Online participation is another way to increase a student's involvement in class activity. Students can share their response with the whole class and with the teacher using Padlet. Padlet is a collaborative tool which acts as an online pinboard; anyone with a link to the pinboard can add text-based comments or images. It is easy to use to and quick to launch; integrate it into class discussion by posing a question which students respond to using their mobile device. If you would prefer to create a more structured board, you can also upload templates which students can add to. Pupils are encouraged to participate in class without the worry of verbalizing their thoughts, meaning they can still be part of the conversation and not feel left out.

Collaborate on projects and presentations

Collaborative learning methods are key to an inclusive learning environment. Together, students can construct knowledge through sharing their responses with one another to solve a problem or question. However, student participation does not have to be limited to whole-class verbal discussions. Explain Everything is a screen capturing app which animates presentations, ideal for group projects. Using their own tablet device, each group member can create screencasts and then upload them onto Dropbox or Google Drive to share the creation with the rest of the team. These files can then be imported and collated into one project, resulting in a screencast which is produced by a group of people. Explain Everything can also bring lesson resources such as slideshow presentations to life. Add annotations, comments, and even voice recordings which students can engage with and reflect on when they view the screencast. Alternatively, try using Nearpod - an app where teachers upload presentations which are synchronized with any internet-connected device. Students can enlarge pictures; answer questions with drawings or by selecting a response from a choice of answers; and browse websites which teachers choose to display on their device. By allowing students to freely explore lesson content using their personal device, there are more opportunities for students to contribute to class discussion.

Blendspace is a tool which allows you to pull in resources anywhere from the web. This can be used within the classroom for seamless transition from one piece of content to the next. Blendspace is also great for group work, as collaborators can be added and change the project - similar to Google Docs. By using a note-taking app such as Notability, students can create visually pleasing documents which are especially useful for revising exam material. Users can draw pictures to illustrate their notes; and even record audio which are automatically transcribed. Students are less preoccupied with taking notes and are able to fully engage with what the teacher is saying, opening up opportunities for them to ask questions. The app can be used for group projects, as Notability has a sharing function whereby team members to easily share their creations via email, Google Drive and Dropbox.

A reason for a student's unwillingness to participate in class may be a lack of conviction in their response. Praise can boost a student's self-esteem and empower them to continue engaging in classroom activities; whereas constructive feedback helps the student to understand how their response could be improved. Technology has improved the efficiency of assessing work. For instance, Kaizena is an app where educators provide feedback on pieces of work uploaded to Google Drive via voice recordings, allowing for more in-depth commentary compared to written comments. Its other features include a messaging system which students can use to query their teachers about specific comments.

Monitor and reward participatory behaviour

Monitoring behaviour is not just about discipline and obedience - it is also linked with participation. ClassDojo is a tool which aims to increase the ease of communication between teachers, students, and parents. It has a Randomizer feature which randomly selects a member of the class, and rewards participants with a point every time they share a response. By giving students an incentive to participate, they may be more willing to fully engage with the lesson. The randomizer feature does not mean the student is obligated to provide an answer - but they are at least given an opportunity to share their thoughts.

Technology can be a great way to increase student engagement in class discussion and activities. 1:1 learning has changed the dynamics of class participation by allowing teachers to interact with all their students - not just the dominant voices. However, Spiral have gone further and brought collaborative learning apps into the third dimension, utilising a unique three-way view where responses are shown on the whiteboard; the teacher's device; and the student's device. As responses are anonymously displayed on the whiteboard, students can participate without the embarrassment of getting answers wrong. The teacher's view from their personal device allows them to view each pupil's response - allowing teachers to give individualized feedback. This immediate feedback is displayed in real-time to the student's personal device, enabling them to see whether their answer requires more development, or is correct - helping to build their confidence. By identifying how well the class understands the lesson content, teachers can adapt their teaching methods to best suit the learning needs of the class. Along with on-going support from their teachers and peers, technology can help facilitate the voice of all students so that they can benefit from class participation.

Photo Credit: Brad Flickinger/Flickr under the creative commons license

References

Carini, R. M., Kuh, G. D., & Klein, S. P. (2006). Student engagement and student learning: Testing the linkages. Research in Higher Education, 47(1), 1-32.

Jessica is a marketing assistant at Spiral and is also a student at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. You can contact her at jessica@spiral.ac.

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5 Ways Technology Can Encourage Class Participation | Think Inclusive

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Ideally, the classroom should be a place where everybody feels comfortable and free to express themselves - regardless of their abilities. In reality, there are some students who find it hard to participate if they feel embarrassed asking for help, or believe speaking in front of everybody will bring unwanted attention to them.

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Group Discussion Simplified-L app for android. Download Group Discussion Simplified-L .APK in AppCrawlr!

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 Five Ways to Boost Student Engagement with Flow Theory

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 Five Ways to Boost Student Engagement with Flow Theory

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John Spencer

Posted on December 3, 2017

If we want students to develop a maker mindset, we need to empower them to hit a state of creative flow. Flow Theory explains what happens when we hit that place of "optimal experience," where you are fully engaged, present, and focused. The following blog post explores what it means to help students reach a state of flow. A word of caution here. Student engagement is a very personal, internal thing. It starts with the student. You cannot force your students to be engaged in their learning. They have to own it. In other words, the highest place of student engagement isn't really engagement. It's empowerment.

But you are the architect that can build the systems that make flow a reality in your classroom. If you're interested in this, check out the free Flow Theory Blueprint and Toolbox at the bottom of this post.

It was the first game of the 1992 NBA Championship series. The Trail Blazers were pulling ahead of the Bulls when Phil Jackson called a timeout. Michael Jordan emerged from the timeout with a sense of intense concentration. In the next eighteen minutes, Jordan sunk six three-pointers. At one point, he looked to the sidelines and shrugged his shoulders, seemingly shocked by his own performance. He later described this experience as being "in the zone."

Players in every sport describe a similar experience of being "in the zone," where they tune out the crowd and the noise and the distractions and play at their top performance. But this sense of "being in the zone" isn't limited to sports. Artists, authors, musicians, and engineers all experience this experience this same phenomenon. It's a strange paradox where time seems to stand still and yet it seems over in an instant. It feels effortless even though it's an extreme challenge. There's a sense of relaxation but it's also intense. You seem more present than ever but you can lose your sense of self.

Chances are you've seen this in the classroom. A student suddenly gets "in the zone" in the midst of a project. Time seems to simultaneously slow down and yet speed up all at once. There's a sense of challenge and urgency but also a sense of relaxation. You can feel it intuitively. Student engagement has hit a new level.

There's a term for this. It's called being in a state of flow.

Unfortunately, I notice this happening more often outside of the classroom rather than in it. Kids often hit a state of flow on the basketball court or in theater or at a skate park. But if we want students to be fully empowered to own the creative process, we need to understand what it means for students to reach a state of flow in their creative work.

Although the idea of flow has existed for thousands of years, Flow Theory began in the 1970's and 80's when Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi became fascinated by artists who were so lost in their creative work that they would lose track of time and even ignore food, water, and sleep.

Through his research, he noticed a similar experience with scientists, athletes, and authors. It was a state of hyper-focus and complete engagement that he described as "optimal experience."

Csikszentmihalyi, puts it this way in Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience

"The flow experience is when a person is completely involved in what he or she is doing, when the concentration is very high, when the person knows moment by moment what the next steps should be, like if you are playing tennis, you know where you want the ball to go, if you are playing a musical instrument you know what notes you want to play, every millisecond, almost. And you get feedback to what you're doing. That is, if you're playing music, you can hear whether what you are trying to do is coming out right or in tennis you see where the ball goes and so on. So there's concentration, clear goals, feedback, there is the feeling that what you can do is more or less in balance with what needs to be done, that is, challenges and skills are pretty much in balance."

I realize this might seem "out there," but chances are you've seen in your classroom - even within a whole group. You're doing a maker project and suddenly, the whole class seems locked into the same task. You're doing silent reading and the twenty minutes become an hour and you lose track of time and space. Your students are working on Scratch, putting together the blocks of code, and it seems to be as close to 100% engagement as possible. In these moments it feels like magic.

Note that researchers do not have one single working model for flow theory. However, the following are five factors identified by Csikszentmihalyi and Nakumara as vital for achieving a state of flow.

#1: It needs to be a task that you find intrinsically rewarding.

You probably aren't going to hit a state of flow while mowing the yard or cleaning a toilet. Well, unless that's your jam. In which case, have at it. But if you're going to remain intensely focused on a task, you have to start with something that fits your passions, interests, talents, or desires. It can be solitary or in a group. It could be competitive or non-competitive. It could be athletic or artistic. But it has to start with an internal drive.

#2: You need clear goals and a sense of progress.

There's a sense of intentionality to flow experiences. You know what you are doing and where you are going. So, the task typically starts out with a real clear picture of what you plan to accomplish. As you move through the task, there is a sense of progression.

This is why a sense of agency is so important. You need to feel that you have a command over what you are doing. In the moment, it can feel effortless. However, it's often an exceptionally challenging situation. You're often doubtful of success ahead of time. But this uncertainty is part of what makes the challenge fun. Csikszentmihalyi makes a subtle distinction between choosing tasks where you have complete control versus tasks where you are forced to exercise control. He describes it this way, "what people enjoy is not the sense of being in control but of exercising control in difficult situations."

#3: The task needs clear and immediate feedback.

Flow theorists are quick to point out that the flow experience involves having a clear goal in one's mind and constant, immediate feedback. In other words, it should be easy to figure out what's working and what's failing.

Note that you don't have to stop what you are doing to receive feedback. Unlike a classroom, where feedback often disrupts the learning process (especially with tasks), the idea here is that the feedback is immediate and that you modify and adjust what you are doing based on this instant feedback. When you're "in the zone," you often don't seem aware of the feedback. You're not stopping to analyze it. Your success almost seems mysterious. Perhaps this is why Michael Jordan, in the midst of his epic NBA Championship game against Portland (where he kept hitting three-pointers) shrugged his shoulders in confusion.

#4: The challenge must match the perceived skills.

This requires a sense of personal control or agency over the task. In 1987, Massimini, Csíkszentmihályi and Carli published the following 8-channel model of flow in Finding Flow: The Psychology of Student Engagement in Everyday Life.

Note that if a task is too easy, you might experience apathy or boredom but if a task seems too hard, you'll be anxious.

#5: Flow requires intense focus on the present moment.

Often, in the state of flow, you experience hyper-focus. You seem intensely aware of what's around you. At the same time, you are capable of tuning things out entirely. At times, you don't even feel like you're concentrating at all. Things are just clicking and you hardly notice how intense your focus has become.

When someone is experiencing flow, they often have a sense of "losing themselves." As Csikszentmihalyi describes, "they often stop being aware of themselves as separate from the actions they are performing." At the same time, these moments when you have "lost yourself" are the very moments where you feel most alive.

This sounds great but it can be challenging to reach a state of flow in a school system with bells, tight schedules, curriculum maps, and testing?

So, for the last few years, I've been reading up on the theory of flow and consciously trying to create an environment where this happens in my classroom (formerly as a middle school teacher and now as a professor). I wrote a book on this topic. But I'm still learning. I'm still trying to figure this out. There isn't an instruction manual for this. On some level, flow experiences will always be serendipitous. But we can create an environment where flow experiences are more common. So, here are some of the ideas. I also have a set of Flow-related resources in the free Flow Theory Blueprint and Toolbox at the bottom of this post.

#1: Provide the right scaffolding

One of the key ideas in flow theory is that the challenge has to match a student's perceived ability level. Too often, kids give up because what they are doing is way too difficult and there is a sense that they will never learn it. Other times, students are bored and the excessive scaffolding becomes a hurdle they have to climb over.

Here's where it can help to have students self-select the scaffolding. Instead of providing all the scaffolding for each student, you can provide tutorials, sentence stems, and graphic organizers that any student has access to. It might take some time and guidance for students to get used to it but eventually, they can own the intervention process and they learn to determine what they know, what they don't know, and where to find additional support.

#2: Tap into Intrinsic Motivation

It's not surprising that students hit a state of flow when they are out on the ball field or in a theater or while playing an instrument. Not only do they feel competent (because of the right amount of scaffolding) but they also love what they are doing. I can get lost in writing a novel or making a sketch video. I will never get lost in the moment of fixing a sprinkler system or trying to put together furniture from Ikea.

This can be a challenge in the classroom, where the system is designed around extrinsic motivation. Everything from the tight curriculum map to the PBIS system to the traditional grading system seem to push compliance. In fact, as Phillip Schlechty pointed out, often what looks like engagement is simply strategic compliance. Kids become adept at playing the game of school while they lose the drive to learn for the sake of learning.

However, we can use these limitations as creative constraint. Yes, we have a curriculum map, but what are the ways we can get students excited about learning the standards? I remember doing a motivation audit of my unit plans when I taught 8th-grade social studies. Suddenly a boring economics unit became a chance to do simulations and challenges. I remember doing History Mysteries that tapped into a sense of wonder and curiosity. Other times, it was about asking big questions and tapping into existential big ideas through Socratic Seminars. Often, it meant tapping into creativity, as students created podcasts, blog posts, and documentaries.

But it also meant little things, like infusing fun, goofiness, and humor into the curriculum. We had goofy rituals and inside jokes and all of this helped create a culture of intrinsic motivation.

This was a hard paradigm shift. It was the idea that I had to create the conditions where students would want to learn rather than have to learn. Often, this meant shifting toward student-centered projects. Which leads to the next big idea of student choice and agency.

#3: Embrace student choice and agency

When you reach a state of flow, you are not only intrinsically motivated, you also have a sense of control over what you are doing. This is why I love the idea of student-centered creative projects.

This might involve scrapping weekly tests and devoting that time to choice-centered Genius Hour projects, where they get to choose the topics. It might involve letting students chase their own questions with the inquiry-based Wonder Day or Wonder Week project. You could also allow students to own the creative process through a long-term design thinking project. Or, if you are short on time, they could do a maker challenge or engage in rapid prototyping.

Ultimately, we want to empower students to own their learning. So, it goes beyond simply providing choices and into a place where students can ask the questions, own the assessment process, and self-select the scaffolding. It can help to ask the question, "What am I doing for students that they could be doing for themselves?"

#4: Minimize distractions

I often hear people say that creative classroom are filled with "controlled chaos." There's probably an element of truth to this. When students are making things, they will be moving around and talking and it might even get loud. However, this can also be distracting. It's not a bad thing to reduce clutter or decrease noise and allow students to reach that state of hyper-focus.

It can also help to slow down. Here's where you provide longer learning opportunities with fewer interruptions. In my first few years of teaching, I thought student engagement required an action-packed classroom. I didn't realize that my frantic pace was actually getting in the way. Students never had the chance to focus in a leisurely, relaxed way. Since then, I've realized it's less about action and more about suspense. If there's a true challenge that feels meaningful to students, they are more likely to stay focused and get lost in what they are doing.

#5: Help Students with Metacognition

If you want students to determine goals and then monitor and adjust their approach, they need to engage in metacognition. Although there are many models for metacognition, most of them share some sort of variation on a cycle with the following components:

Assess the task

Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses

Plan the approach

Apply strategies (and monitor progress)

Reflect on whether the approach is working - in order to adjust and assess again

As an educator, you can model metacognition by talking through the process of assessing the task and determining an approach. It can help to ask students to visualize what they will do in order to accomplish a task. This can be as complicated as a formal plan or as simple as a quick pair-share. You can also incorporate reflection into things like exit slips and self-reflection surveys. When working in collaborative groups, students can engage in metacognition through the project planning process.

But this requires a shift in how we think about assessment. It means students will need to engage in frequent peer feedback and self-assessment. It might also mean pulling students aside for quick one-on-one conferences.

Making It a Reality

There is no magic formula for reaching a state of flow. These flow experiences are rare in the classroom, partly because it requires total buy-in from students. We can't make students hit that state of hyperfocus or fall in love with the learning process. But we can create the conditions that make it possible for students to reach a state flow. And when they reach a place of creative flow, they are more likely to fall in love with the creative process and continue with that maker mindset even when they leave your classroom.

You are the architect. You can design the structures that take student engagement to the next level, where they aren't simply engaged in the task but truly empowered to own their learning.

If you are passionate about seeing students develop a creative mindset and you love those moments where they reach a state of flow, would you share your story in the comment section below? Would you also share any questions, tips, and ideas for anyone else?

You can also sign up below and get the Flow Theory Blueprint and Toolbox, with free resources you can use to help your students reach optimal engagement. Also, I wrote a book on this topic if you're interested.

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Five Ways to Boost Student Engagement with Flow Theory

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John Spencer Posted on December 3, 2017 If we want students to develop a maker mindset, we need to empower them to hit a state of creative flow. Flow Theory explains what happens when we hit that place of "optimal experience," where you are fully engaged, present, and focused.

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 UNDERSTANDING THREE KEY CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT THEORIES

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 UNDERSTANDING THREE KEY CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT THEORIES

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Understanding Three Key Classroom Management Theories

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Spread the loveBy Tricia Hussung How teachers manage their classrooms is an important part of achieving an effective learning environment. Educators know that all students learn differently, and choosing the right instructional style can mitigate behavioral issues and make good instruction possible.