Infusing “Thinking About Your Thinking” into the Classroom
The old adage “practice makes perfect” has been applied to all kinds of learning, from pronouncing the ABC’s to memorizing the nation’s city capitals. When it comes to mastering a spelling list, the same motto can be applied. By incorporating games, worksheets, note cards, and drills, all wonderful ways to differentiate activities while simultaneously memorizing vocabulary, practice is still the focus. But is there another way to attack a spelling list? A way that puts the students in the driver’s seat? Yes, developing the habit of “Thinking About Your Thinking (Metacognition)” can elicit the act of taking the initiative to construct a goal, set a plan of action, stay focused, carry through to completion, and then reflect on the process.
“The major components of metacognition are, when confronted with a problem to solve, developing a plan of action, maintaining that plan in mind over a period of time, and then reflecting on and evaluating the plan upon its completion.”
– Dr. Art Costa & Bena Kallick, The Institute for Habits of Mind
It’s official, second grade is in full swing, weather is changing, class routine is building, and the first spelling quiz of the year has come and gone. Through observation it is clear that students have shown a significant amount of enthusiasm throughout the past two weeks in preparing for this assessment. Most students are satisfied with their scores and ready have it pinned up on the fridge. Although, three students did poorly, and their faces tell it all. What is the teacher to do now? How can she address the three students, and create an opportunity for success?
While students are practicing their new spelling list, the teacher meets with the three students.
Teacher: Each one of you seem upset about this spelling quiz. Spelling was always a struggle for me when I was in school. It gets frustrating when you don’t do well. It always helped me to think about my thinking.
Student: What is thinking about thinking?
Teacher: Thinking about your thinking is being aware of your thoughts, feelings, strategies, and actions in how you learn and think. You understand what you are good and bad at. For example, I always knew that I was bad at spelling, so I had to develop a strategy to be more successful. Knowing that I worked better in a quiet place, I made sure every night to practice my words for 15 minutes in my bedroom.
Student: How do I become successful?
Teacher: Think about what you can do for the next spelling quiz to improve your score. Make a plan for how you will go about studying and preparing for the quiz. Write out a plan, follow the plan, and after you take the quiz, think about if your plan was successful or not successful.
To develop an understanding of thinking about thinking, the teacher provided students with a personal experience. The poor grade was not the focus, and instead it was used as a metacognitive moment, to engage and examine the situation. This moment led the three students to think about what they were lacking, and mentally map out a plan for success on the next quiz.
By providing students with opportunities to become more aware of their own thinking, and describe what goes on in their head as they think, the more inclined they will be to produce desired behaviors in and outside of the classroom.
Habits of Mind Animations presents an attractive story behind the habit of “Thinking About Your Thinking” along with engaging lessons and activities. The videos are intended to have a long-lasting effect on your students, as they recall, relate, and think about what they would do in challenging situations.
Dr. Daniel Vollrath serves as an educator and a United States Professional Development Trainer with the Institute for Habits of Mind. Daniel provides consulting to school districts around the nation on how to infuse the Habits of Mind into everyday teaching and learning within the classroom. His expertise is documented through a doctoral study titled Developing Costa & Kallick’s Habits of Mind Thinking for Students with a Learning Disability and Special Education Teachers (2015), which has gained attention within the world of special education, specifically in the areas of inclusive learning environments and 21st century skills development for students with learning disabilities.