The psychological phenomenon known as ‘flow‘ is characterised by complete absorption on a task. When in flow, our attentional awareness becomes entirely focussed on a single action, so much so that:
“Action and awareness merge. Time flies. Self vanishes. All aspects of performance –mental and physical – go through the roof.”
Steven Kotler, Director of Research, Flow Genome Project
In classrooms, the neurochemical and neurophysiological changes generated by flow states can have a huge impact on creativity, learning and performance. But our students can only be in flow when they are pushed to their limits – or slightly beyond. Working at this threshold, approximately 4% outside of our current capability, is risky – failure is a real possibility.
And this is why schools need to orientate themselves as learning institutions rather than performance institutions. When the explicit goal is to learn, risk and failure are normalised, tolerated, and even celebrated. When the goal is to perform, we foster a natural aversion to risk and failure.
The best educators create classroom environments where students feel safe and embrace risk.
Failing never feels nice. But flow does – and accelerated, exciting learning definitely does.
David's Blog 