#22 Metacognition and Teachers

Welcome back everyone. You're probably aware that this newsletter was started originally to support schools with taking a whole school approach to developing metacognition in their learners. I haven't abandoned that whole school approach as the most effective way forward, but as part of the 'Be In Their Corner Campaign', I have been focusing more recently on support for all the adults who are in a position to influence the 'thinking' of children and young people.

Thank you to those of you who joined me for some or all of the the previous 2 series' of events specifically for Parents and School Leaders. It's now the 'Teachers' turn, so I would like to invite all of you who dedicate your days to making a difference in the classroom, to attend the free Webinar; Metacognition, The Key to Successful Learning. Please see if you can negotiate to have a free hour next Tuesday (1st November) at 2.00pm (GMT) in order to join me.

https://events.lizkeable.com/teachers-webinar

Most educators are fully aware of the fact that metacognition has been recognised as a really influential way to improve student progress. Integrating it into classroom practice is however not quite so straightforward, because it's not something that can be applied from the outside It's all about the way students 'think', and more specifically it's about them being able to change the way they think in order to get a different set of results for themselves.

Metacognition therefore needs to be 'developed' over time. As part of the human brain's decision making apparatus, the ability to 'change our minds' should become second nature as a brain matures, but for a range of reasons, so many children and young people lack the ability to apply this process to their learning. To try and overcome this, I have been providing webinars, workshops and training courses to help the adults around them know how to help.

It's worth everyone taking note of what they can do through their particular relationship with a child, because everyone is in a position to influence progress in a different way. There will soon be a series for Support Staff, to highlight the impact they can have through the way in which they communicate with a child. The messages they send to the learners they support can make a significant contribution to the development of metacognition, even for learners who face some kind of barrier.

In the meantime, I'm excited to turn the spotlight on hard working, dedicated teachers who are looking for ways to re-engage the learners they care about more effectively, making it more likely that their students achieve what they're actually capable of. If that appeals, you'll be pleased to know that you're likely to be doing some of the right things already, so it will only take some minor changes to classroom practice in order to have a greater impact.

So, where do you start if you want to develop metacognition in learners? My advice would be don't introduce it to your learners as 'thinking about thinking' or throw them in at the deep end with templates that tell them which questions to ask? I also suggest not using the word 'metacognition', as there's no need to complicate something that's quite straightforward when developed naturally. Intrigued?

Please join me to find out more. You will leave the webinar, understanding why metacognition is the key to successful learning, and feeling more confident about how to make a start with the development of it in your students. Just click now on the link below to register in advance for the event and a direct link to join the call will automatically be provided.

https://events.lizkeable.com/teachers-webinar

Not a teacher? Well if you're still reading this, you are obviously someone who cares a great deal about the educational and life chances of children and young people. Why not hop onto my website at lizkeable.com and download my free 'A-Z of Supporting Learner Achievement' and that will automatically add you to my e-mail list. You'll not only get a 30pages of great ideas for making a real difference, you'll also receive information in advance of every event I run on-line and will be able to pick out those of interest to you.

I look forward to meeting some of you soon.

Warm regards. Liz