#43 Metacognition for Adults

Hi Everyone

As a Teaching and Learning Specialist, you already know that my purpose is to advocate on behalf of all students, making sure that they're able to access the best possible learning opportunities available to them. To that end, I have mostly focused on the education system, encouraging schools to think about the integration of metacognition into policy and practice across their organisation.

Integral to that has been the support provided to parents/carers, school leaders, teachers and learning assistants, enabling all to; 'be in their corner', knowing how to use their role in a child's life to contribute to the development of metacognition.

We need to ensure that all children and young people learn how to think for themselves as that's the key to improving both educational progress and mental health whilst they're still in school, as well as broadening their future life chances.

During conversations about this over recent months, a growing number of people have asked whether I had anything that would support adults who've left school way behind them, without ever having learned how to think in a metacognitive way. What about the benefits of developing metacognition later in life, I've been asked?

Very relevant if you consider that it's closely linked to the ability to make decisions that are in our own best interests. The 'life' we each experience is the resulting 'sum' of all the decisions that have been made either for us, by others, or by us, for ourselves. It's therefore well worth pausing to consider whether we can change our lot in life by thinking in a more metacognitive way.

You are invited to find out the benefits of doing so?

I have created an event which I can honestly label as 'due to popular demand' and have decided to offer the hour-long personal development session as a gift to all my e-mail subscribers. It's likely to run again in the future as a paid workshop, but I wanted to give everyone who reads my newsletter the opportunity to attend the inaugural event for free as well.

'The Art of Changing Your Mind, (Putting Metacognition into Practice)' has after all, been developed only because people like you have asked for it! As a thank you, I would love for you to join me, and will be sending out details via e-mail very soon.

The session looks at what 'cognition' is and how we use it to learn, before addressing the need to add 'metacognition' as we get older, (including a full explanation of what the word means). It also covers why so many children and young people, some of whom are adults now, leave school without having developed the ability to think in a metacognitive way.

We follow that up with what the impact can be on us as adults, of not having the skill to reason differently, and I think you'll recognise some of the scenarios included. Finally, and most importantly, I will provide some tips on how to start thinking in a more metacognitive way.

I can guarantee that the content will at the very least provide you with food for thought, but I suspect that it might also help you to kickstart changes that lead to significant personal development.

I will be sending out the invitation to attend this special event via e-mail soon, so you will need to be on my e-mail list in order to receive it. If you're not yet on the list, that's easily remedied. All you have to do is go to my website at www.lizkeable.com and accept the offer to download my 'A-Z of Supporting Learner Achievement' for free. Entering your e-mail address, will automatically add your name to my subscribers list.

If you don't feel that the A-Z would be of any value for you personally, then just private message me with your e-mail address on Linked In, and include your permission for me to add you to the list by hand. This is obviously the way to stay in touch with everything I'm doing, and you'll be first to know about future events or receive helpful links.

Remember that the direct link for this exclusive event will be provided only via e-mail. I'm excited by the prospect of meeting many more of you, so please join the list now before you forget. (If you're already on my e-mail list, then no need to do anything, you will automatically receive your invitation.)

Take care in the meantime.

Warm regards

Liz