Creating a Process Chart

Process Chart for Starting a New Book

A colleague asked me, “Why all the post-it notes on that chart?”

My response was simple, “It’s a process chart.”

There was some confusion during the exchange and I never fully articulated my reasons for WHY.

This conversation prompted me to create this post and the accompanying video to explain the purpose and actual design of a process chart using post-it notes.

Kids need process charts, we need process charts. For real. It helps them streamline systems of strategic action for any discipline.

We need process charts. For real. Think about it, when you make that steaming bowl of Mac n’ Cheese, what’s the first thing you look at on the side of the box?

A) It’s a process chart!

So, teaching certain processes for reading, writing, or math is no different than making your next bowl of Mac n’ Cheese. There are steps to certain strategies that can greatly impact retention and automaticity for the skills we are teaching.

So, why create your own process charts?

1. Meaningful Impact

2. Flexibility

3. Ability to Manipulate

4. Creativity

In the video below, I dive deeper into this process.

Meaningful Impact

Kids can tell if it is your handwriting and your artwork. It doesn’t have to be perfect, in fact, I demand it isn’t perfect. Kids need real, authentic examples of work. Therefore, your handwriting is just fine. The chart has an impact because it was designed with them in mind. Your intentions matter.

Flexibility

The chart with post-its unfolds in a process itself. You can be flexible here. As you are layering in the steps for a particular strategy, you can speed it up, slow it down, or adjust your prompting and coaching language accordingly.

Ability to Manipulate

This is perhaps the best reason for creating a process chart with post-its. You can reveal each part bit-by-bit or take parts away, revisit parts, leave the students with the chart itself, and even have the students follow the process one step at a time. You can manipulate the parts too. Once you’ve used the chart, think back through it and see what you can revise to make it more appropriate for your students.

Creativity

Selfishly, this is my favorite reason. Creating a process chart with post-its will have you thinking like a designer and embracing your creativity. I used to be so wordy when creating charts. Now I rely on simple line drawings, connectors, fonts, and simple icons to convey a process. When writing these charts out, I am practicing my rehearsal too because I am touching the parts of the process and trying out my language and coaching prompts as I go.

To watch an actual build of a process chart and more detail, click on the video below.

Thank you so much for reading and watching! I would be thrilled to hear your thoughts in the comments below.