Flow Learning

Empower, Explore, Engage: The Flow Learning Journey

Flow Learning pioneers a transformative approach to education, placing well-being and deep engagement at its heart. Tailored challenges guide learners into a state of flow, enhancing their well-being. This innovative blend of inquiry-based learning and flow turns daily activities and lessons into powerful learning experiences. The result? Engaged learners who thrive academically and in life.

bookmark_border

Bookmark

play_arrow

Overview

Information on this page is provided by the innovator and has not been evaluated by HundrED.

Web presence

2024

Established

100K

Children

3

Countries

Target group

Teachers

Updated

April 2024

With Flow Learning, I envision a shift towards personalized, holistic education. It prioritizes individual growth over competition, integrates mental well-being, and connects learning to real-world relevance. This fosters engaged, resilient learners ready for success in both academics and life.

About the innovation

Why did you create this innovation?

Flow Learning stems from my deep passion for reimagining education to prioritize well-being and engagement. Frustrated with traditional methods that overlooked mental well-being, I sought to create an approach where learners naturally find their flow. My aim? To nurture engaged learners who flourish both academically and personally, driven by a genuine love for learning and well-being.

What does your innovation look like in practice?

Flow Learning is an immersive, learner-centered approach that leverages the world around us as a vibrant canvas for learning. Each powerful learning experience starts with what a learner sees, hears, feels, thinks or wonders; illustrating that learning opportunities are abundant in our everyday environment.
Educators, deeply versed in the curriculum, adeptly weave standards and learning outcomes into these real-life contexts. Flow Learning seamlessly integrates general, skillful orientations to thinking and learning—such as self-discipline, determination, intellectual humility, curiosity, skepticism, and imagination—into the development of specific skills like math, language and science.
Tailored challenges and flexible learning spaces align with learners' interests and skills, placing them in their optimal flow zone—neither too easy nor too difficult. Thought-provoking questions ignite curiosity, prompting learners to delve deeper into concep and seek understanding.

How has it been spreading?

The best thing about Flow Learning is that you can make it happen wherever you are, which makes it accesible for anyone. Since I started sharing about Flow Learning on social media and LinkedIn, educators and parents from all around the world have shared how this different approach has changed their view on teaching and learning. For a lot of educators it is still a huge step to (sometimes) let go of traditional workbooks and 'hierarchical teaching', but many have dipped their toes into the world of Flow Learning already by simply looking at and listening to their learners: What are they curious about? How can we use that as a starting point of learning something new? What do they already know? I LOVE spreading these tiny seeds and help them grow into happy learners all around the globe.

If I want to try it, what should I do?

Look at what a child is looking at. Ask questions about it. Let children come up with as many questions as they can about what is around them right now. Learn to recognize math, langague and science in what is (happening) around you. Link it to the curriculum and vice versa. It's all about wilding the tame and to make learning interesting and fun for all!

Implementation steps

Understand Flow Learning

Familiarize yourself with the principles of Flow Learning, emphasizing personalized learning, mental well-being, and real-world relevance.

Assess Learner Needs

Identify each learner's interests, strengths, and challenges to tailor learning experiences.

Create flexible spaces

Design adaptable learning environments that spark curiosity and encourage collaboration and creativity.

Integrate daily conversations about well-being

Incorporate mindfulness practices, daily journaling (write journal prompts about well-being and mindset), reflection sessions, and well-being discussions to support mental well-being. Model speaking freely about mental and physical well-being as an ecucator to invite learners to share their thoughts and feelings with you too. It is incredibly important to know how your learners are feeling and what they need from you to support them. No one can learn when they feel mentally unwell or unsafe.

Pose Thought-Provoking Questions (create a culture of thinking)

Encourage curiosity and critical thinking by asking open-ended, thought-provoking questions. By modeling this behavior, you invite learners to be or become active thinkers. Together, you train your deep(er) thinking skills and you create a culture of thinking. An easy way to practice deeper thinking is to ask 'what makes you say that' when a learner shares thoughts or ideas. Bonus: When you show your curiosity about their input, learners will feel important.

Design Tailored Challenges

Create challenges aligned with learners' interests and skills to engage them in their optimal flow zone.

Avoid labels

Focus on individual progress and growth, avoiding comparisons or labels like "fail", "fall behind", or "more gifted". Labeling affects the way children see themselves. The way adults label a child can have a lasting impact on how that child thinks of him or herself. When a child has been labeled, that label will become a part of his or her identity (self-fulfilling prophecy). Labels often do more damage than good by putting children in boxes.

Connect to Real-world Relevance

Relate lessons to everyday experiences and challenges to highlight their practical applications. Look around you! Learning opportunities are everywhere! You can connect anything from your curriculum to what you can find in the real world. Be creative! You can also ask your learners to make these connections between learning outcomes and how they could practice certain skills in a variety of real life situations.

Encourage Self-assessment

Empower learners to reflect on their progress and identify areas for growth, fostering self-awareness and responsibility. A powerful tool to do this is to create a 'My Learning Story'. This is a digital portfolio which documents the full process and progress of learning. It starts with what learners already know, want to know and how they will achieve that, and ends with sharing new knowledge and insights. Learners reflect on what, how and how much they have learned.

Celebrate Self-directed Achievements

Encourage learners to set and pursue their own learning goals, and celebrate their self-directed achievements, fostering motivation, confidence, and a sense of ownership over their learning journey. Again: The learners can create a 'My Learning Story' to document their learning goals, the road towards these and evidence of applying new gained knowledge and insights. When a learning goal was to think like a scientist, they can show evidence of when they experienced that way of thinking.