Metacog…what? Metacognition, that’s right. Metacognition is thinking about your thinking. It is the ability to listen to your thoughts as you navigate any situation, to reflect, and to plan for the future. metacognition builds self-awareness.
We all want our children to become independent thinkers, active citizens, and to make a positive impact on the world around them. The kindest, most empathetic, most perseverant people are the ones who are the most comfortable with themselves. They are the ones who are able to wonder, reflect, and ask why as naturally as they breathe. They are the ones who were taught metacognitive strategies. Metacognitive strategies involve children pausing, recognizing their thoughts, and asking why. We can help them do this in social and academic situations. For instance, when a child makes a poor choice, ask him/her, “Why did you do this?” and “Next time this same situation arises, what can you do differently?”. If a child displays a fixed mindset and says, “I can’t”, we can ask him/her “Why do you feel this way?” and “Why do you think this one part is challenging for you?” and “What are some strategies you have used in the past?”. We can encourage them to talk positively to themselves: “You can do it!” “Your best is good enough!” “You’ve got this!” Believe it or not, having good metacognition makes you a better reader too! As we read, we often think about the characters, the setting, the author’s words, etc. Active readers recognize their thoughts and hold onto them as they read. They hear their inner voice and talk to themselves. To help practice listening to our inner voices, I introduced think marks to students. Think marks are marks that students make on post its (stickies) to show their thinking as they read. For instance, they might write down LOL on a sticky and attach it to a page in their book if something is funny. They could write down a ? and a question they have about what is going on or about a character, etc. Like any sport, good athletes don't just go through the motions, they always have their head in the game. They are always listening to themselves think about their next strategy and reflecting. Think marking helps students keep their head in the game. It conditions them to hear their thoughts and respond. Life-long readers have metacognition. Below are pics of students using metacognitive strategies in various settings. We are listening to our peers, reflecting, hearing our thoughts and talking to ourselves!
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Have fun following our fabulous 4th grade journey! Important Dates
August 22nd- First Day!
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