"Flow" is a delicate balancing act of familiar and unfamiliar. Plan for It!!

Musicpainting requires an eight week formal plan. This includes the layout of the room, the exact materials in use, how and when and by whom the tea will be served, what is the drying time of work, where can it be safely stored and most importantly for the hospital who cleans up and restores the room exactly as it was found? Once everything is thought about, then the whole experience is relaxed and I can concentrate on all the in the moment decisions (differentiated teacher time) that help each individual gain confidence in their work, improve their skills, increase their personal challenge and achieve the state of ("Flow") happiness and satisfaction.

As you'll notice from the plan, I spend a lot of time evaluating. This helps me to remember exactly what happened and then I am able to plan properly for the following session. As my knowledge of individuals increases and I get a sense the plan actually works, the evaluation decreases. It's no use ploughing unnecessary energy into paperwork after a while, you have to save that for the sessions. It's similar to the actor rehearsing the play....... then being on stage every night. The need to rehearse diminishes as the weeks go by!

And Don't Forget the Refreshments !!.... use your fine whiteboard pen for the beginning and end of the session.