Meta What? Metacognition
When I first read the word Metacognition, it felt like a mouthful. I was thinking "Meta What?"
After reading more about the topic, I discovered that "Metacognition is the knowledge and awareness of one’s own cognitive processes (Flavell 1976) and the ability to monitor, regulate and evaluate one’s thinking (Brown 1978). Metacognitive skills include checking, planning, selecting, monitoring, self questioning and interpreting ongoing experience (Brown, Campione, Flavell Well man). Metacognition is the conscious control over the solution process (Chore & Carey 1984). Metacognition is an indicator of the educated intellect"(Costa 1991)
When were you initially exposed to metacognitive skills in your own learning?
I am sure many times in my past, but without thinking too hard on this, my initial gut reaction was in this course during the midway self-assessment. It was quite an eye opener for me and it really encouraged me to step up my game to the level required in the rubric.
How have you incorporated into your teaching? What metacognitive strategies did you use?
I have incorporated a few, especially #10, where I provide opportunities for making errors. I accomplish this by encouraging my students that the classroom is the absolute best place to make the errors, so that they learn with a mentor (me) beside them. I gently soften the blow of the mistake, we self reflect together so that I am guiding them, (rather than making them feel silly or frowned upon), and we discuss how to work our way out of the mistake, I ask them what they feel they should have done differently, and then I give them an encouraging smile and let them know they have just learned, which is what they are here to do. I also sometimes tell stories of mistakes I made while in training so that they know they are not alone.
