#70 Improving Overall Results

Hi Everyone

If you’ve been following me for some time, you’ll know without a doubt that my driving force in life is to improve the educational and life chances of children and young people. Like many others before me, I eventually abandoned the idea of trying to change the system under which our children are educated, and instead channelled all that spare energy into helping individual learners to change things for themselves instead.

Because of the meaning that the word ‘metacognition’ was originally intended to convey, it is often thought of as the way in which students can improve their results in school. For many, that requires learning how to approach their learning in a different way, but if we look beyond that, it also allows them to change their minds about their attendance, behaviour and engagement with school.

Remember that metacognition is all about having the ability to change your mind in order to get a different set of results. Those results don’t have to be academic ones, they can be related to any other decision that we might make in the course of our daily lives. Some of the initial choices made by learners (often unconsciously) are not in their own best interests and learning how to think metacognitively can bring about dramatic changes in attitude and resulting actions.

One of the reasons for success in these areas is that the learner takes more control over what happens for them. That’s the quickest way to improve mental health; to hand back some level of control, so that students become more conscious decision makers in relation to their own progress. This doesn’t happen overnight, but I have seen over and over again, the positive impact that teaching children and young people to think metacognitively can have on what they go on to achieve.

I was delighted recently to be invited to work with staff from a Primary school where the Headteacher had already decided that metacognition was the way to go. He had appointed a lead teacher for the new ‘project’ and now they needed a way to get everyone on board and to plan a way forward. It was great to meet such a fabulous group of dedicated teachers and support staff, and to watch them embrace the day’s training with enthusiasm.

The Lead Teacher had previously taken advantage of my condensed on-line summer training for teachers around metacognition, but now she had the chance to experience the whole programme along with the extra physical activities, discussions, demonstrations, and challenges that are not possible with virtual events. It was heartwarming to hear her say that she had had some really rewarding and meaningful conversations with colleagues throughout the day that reassured her that everyone was now ready to move forwards together.

In her final words to the group at the end of the day, Eve pointed out that the Head had given her responsibility for this ‘project’ but that she was going to abandon that term altogether because it should now be obvious to everyone that this was not a project with a beginning and an end, but rather an ongoing, long-term strategy to improve the lives of their students.

Just prior to that, everyone had been in their department groups to discuss the significance of what they’d been learning in relation to how things were currently being done. As they regathered for the closing minutes, one member of the Early Years team went by me and whispered excitedly in my ear; “You’ve just re-defined the whole department”.

It was so rewarding at the end of the day when the Headteacher declared it the best CPD they’d had in a long time. I love to hear that obviously, but my real joy comes from watching teachers begin to understand the palpable difference that developing metacognition in students can have and determining how they can make that work in different settings. I felt it was very far sighted of one member of staff who pointed out that this is all just as relevant during break and lunchtime as it is in the classroom!

That brings me back to my earlier point about results. Changing the way that children think can go way beyond their academic progress and helps create individuals who can make wise decisions because they know how to weigh up the possibilities. They become more conscious of themselves, the role they have as learners and their impact on those around them. So, how do you achieve that?

Well, if you’re at the stage of thinking about the need to develop metacognition in your learners, and are not sure where to go from here, why not think about booking me for a training day at your school. I might add that the Head of the school mentioned above felt that the day was very reasonably priced, so talk to me about the possibilities for your school. There are other options available as well if you need something different, so just contact me for a no commitment chat. ([email protected])

If you’re not ready to take anything further yet, then I hope you’ll still keep reading these newsletters which will continue to support you with useful information that should help when the time becomes right for you, to start creating a plan.

Take care till next time.

Warm regards

Liz

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