STEP 4: 7 Strategies for Metacognition - Discussion Forum

I'm mostly looking to enhance the self-reflection piece, so the biggest part for me to hear from the students is what is resonating well with them and where (specifically) is the disconnect happening.  The formative assessment piece is largely conversational and embedded in our classroom discussions at this point (it actually drives most of what I do) but I would like that to be more intrinsic in my student conversations and in how they interact with peer-to-peer evaluations.  I think this might help with the implementing stages to have one student acknowledge which part is going well and which part(s) need refinement.  Goes back to the previous feedback workshop, but feedback WITHOUT metacognition only serves as a bandaid.  It doesn't help with addressing future challenges.

Our Unit for this Academy uses this strategy. Students will be given a project: Meeting someone new.  The first step is to write about the 5 topics (tell about yourself, interests and hobbies, family, class schedule, the past summer) and told to use as much German 1 year information as possible. Students will then be given a checklist for each topic for reflection "What was most confusing about the material? students will be able to solidify their knowledge in the foundation. Students will then be directed to review units to fill in the gaps in their base knowledge. They will use this complete the project.

I really like the idea that was brought up during discussion. Give students an opportunity to ask the  question "What was most confusing about the material we explored today?' by writing the question on a piece of paper and put it in the hat secretly. Then the teacher can draw each one out of the hat. It gives quiet students a chance to ask questions and also the teacher can reflect on which areas need re-teaching.

I am working on my sophomores' research paper unit for the Academy, and I like the idea of having students reflect on what they learned through their research each day as well as identify what they'd like or need to find out about next. Research means to search and search again, but students really like to just search once and check it off their list. I wonder if being deliberate about reflecting on what they don't know might help students go deeper in their research.

This would be helpful towards the end of an instructional class time to have the students go back and really think about what they did not understand.  If they know they have a formative assessment coming they can then ask clarifying questions to help clear up the confusion.  

You could have them take it a step further and do a peer discussion with a partner and see if they can answer each other's questions.  

Asking this question could also drive your next formative assessment.  Take these areas where students were confused, do a little re-teach or short activity and then reevaluate where and when needed.

This would also would be a very simple and easy ticket out the door activity to complete as well to give you a quick idea of where the next lesson needs to go.

I really like the idea of asking, "What is most confusing about what we just learned?"  Economics is something that although students are participating in it everyday, they often do not have a lot of prior knowledge.  It is a different way of thinking, far more abstract that some of the other social studies courses.  This question is something that I would like to start using at the end of lessons in the upcoming school year.

I plan to use this at the end of the reading workshop in the "group share" portion. 

Specific questions about the day may help students reflect on where gaps during the day may have been.

I could have the students reflect on what things were still on clear after the lesson on a particular "I can" .  After they have reflected I could have them visit with a neighbor about what they are unsure about.

Lisa and I discussed the importance of having a "critical friend/partner" as a part of the self assessment/formative assessment process.  This allows for students to reflect and problem solve with a peer- accessibility to another point of view prior to teacher feedback. This strategy offers empowerment/ownership for student accomplishments.  

Student practice recognizing what they don't understand -- For my "postcard project," as students go through the directions for the project they can write down verbs or vocab they've forgotten on a sticky note with their name on it and stick them on the whiteboard in class.  This helps me understand where they need help and what areas I should reteach.  The process of having them do this is metacognitive.

I would have students self-reflect on the I can statements of that lesson and maybe plot themselves on a continuum for each I can so that I can gauge when my teaching has to go next to meet the needs of students.

We are working on a solving equations unit and it is so important for students to be able to understand the steps they are doing while solving equations. If students can pinpoint their exact areas of confusion, they will be able to have a deeper understanding of the project. Often times the most confusion happens when students don't take the time to reflect and just try to rush through to get an assignment/assessment done. 

I think helping students to recognize their misunderstanding is a valuable tool that students will be able to use in a variety of different areas once they are able to do it.  This would fit well in my connecting of WWI and WWII in global studies.  If I can get students to reflect on their own ideas and connections between 2 historical events they will begin to develop the skills to do it with many historical events.  Once students are able to identify areas of confusion and communicate them it would be much easier to provide instruction that meets individual student understanding.

I will help students first understand WHEN they don't understand and model strategies to ask for clarification and understanding on material being presented.  This will help me innovate formative assessment by focusing on what students don't know and targeting those areas on an individual basis.

Will have students reflect on what information or skills they need to have in order to further their self-advocacy.

As a specialist, I try to have the students explain what part they "don't get" in assignments from the classroom. Sometimes helping those students walk through their thinking and reflect on the problem at hand helps them realize The piece of the assignment that they "don't get".

I would to model this strategy in one of my counseling lessons.  Many of the students that I see in my office have anxiety.  Much anxiety comes when they are learning a new concept in a class and don't understand it immediately.  They shut down or have the flight response and leave the class to come to the office or try to go home sick.  It would help students to know that being confused isn't a bad thing.  It's a start to learning.

After every major step of a unit, I try to offer students a chance to reflect. Whether it be grading themselves, or asking what they learned and how in a journal, it is an important step of the learning process. Students usually have a much better idea of where they are at in their learning as formative assessment occurs.

While creating products, something you can see, feel, touch, smell and taste, my students and I can see their successes in our labs.  However, I'm not always certain that each and every student in it's entirety attained the goal. (One person can only hold the hand mixer while beating egg whites to the desired peaks) Maybe having a journal or note card reflection on what they know well and what isn't so clear for them would be a good idea.  If several students are expressing the same topics as not being clear, that will foster good discussions of clarity.  I often will have synthesis questions that students need to answer in reference to key components in labs.  I would eventually like to use Google classroom to help with the organization of learning targets being met.     

This is a big part of why I am taking this class.  I want students to REALLY understand the ultimate goal of our labs, rather than "just to cook."  I want more reflection on their end to make sure they are reaching the target goals and this will hopefully help in getting that data.

Students need to be able to reflect on their own understanding. While students are completing projects they should be reflecting in a journal or in another way on what they have questions on or don't understand. They then can look back and see how they have grown.

Discussion at the end of class regarding what the lesson was about and what was confusing and what was understood is a very useful tool to use to help all students understand the topic/lesson.  Some students may be way off on what they thought they understood, so through discussion, they can better understand and move forward.  

Anytime there is time to discuss things with students it is important to her tht feedback. I think it needs to also be prompted by teacher and not wait for students to advocate because it can be so intimidating ( the idea of a gallery walk per area just to ask questions. Stickies on a door, paper in a hat etc). 

Students coming out of class to seek out specialists help always start w/ what they don't understand/ don't know....SO getting them to list questions or ask questions to their teachers about those points may be the first step to students recognizing what they don't understand. I think the biggest inhibitor is the fact that there is little time to cover all ideas that might be misunderstood. SO how do teachers/ specialists help balance that? 

I think many of my readers lack this awareness of what they're lacking. They feel like they're a bad reader and don't know why they're a bad reader. To get them to pinpoint and name what they're not understanding as a reader - both in the text itself and within their development as a reader - will help them see where they're at and where they need to get to next - that growth is possible. 

I have decided to have students complete tutorial forms for each unit.  Students will think about what the know and don't know about a concept and then peer direct each other for answers.  I am excited to try this new strategy. 

In my experience students believe if they don't get the right answer then they don't understand anything.  The reality is they understand most and are troubled by one small part of the problem.  For years i have had the goal of getting them to recognize this fact.  This was principally done by having a conversation with the student.  In the conversation, I work backwards into the problem to where they can finally say "i understand that".  No matter how basic I had to take them they are all able to say this eventually.  At this point I can build on the students knowledge and help them understand the concept.  The next logical step is to get students recognize where the misunderstanding of the topic begins for them.  I want students to come to me and say "here is where I got lost."  This is the next step in the development of the thoughtful/confident student.

I like the idea of having students recognize when they are confused and more importantly being in a safe environment where they feel like they are able to ask for help.  We learn best when we have to work through a bit of struggle and adversity.  

Working on a new piece of music or learning a new rhythm that the students haven't seen before. That can open them up to the idea of what they know and what they still need to learn. If you can give them the next step, with the tools for them to learn on their own, I think that is a great way of growing their mind.

I think focusing on the self-reflection piece is the most important activity to focus on.  I need to give students more opportunities to ask “What was most confusing about the material we covered today?”   I also want to know what is resonating with my students. I want to find out where the disconnects occur. Learning this information before students take a formative assessment with help me know what needs to be retaught or reviewed.  As a result, student should do better on formative assessments.

For research writing projects, I see the students reflecting on their struggles during the research and scaffolding prior to starting their final draft. They should be identifying their problem areas before they start the final writing draft to avoid issues they could break their momentum in finishing a large project.

I think giving students practice to recognize what they don't understand rather than looking at their score and deciding that they got it or didn't will be much more beneficial.  If a student reflects on what they don't understand they can search for ways to understand it better- taking initiative in their own learning!

Students need to learn how to be self-aware.  In order for students to reflect on how they learn, it is important to teach with many different learning styles so they can determine what strategy works for them.  This will eventually make them better learners.  Until they can figure that out on their own, I think a good strategy that has worked in my class is having them reflect and write on what they have learned that day or on a particular lesson.

I would implement the act of identifying one's lack of understanding each day with any lesson taught.  I agree, that is jumpstarts metacognition and allows the children to feel and understand that confusion is a huge part of learning.  I would assess the students on the feedback they give me both orally and physically.  

How and where might you implement this practice in the project you're working on?We would be able to implement this practice after completing our KWL charts or RAN charts depending on which we are using.  Once students have started researching and find facts based on their inquiry, having a discussion on what was most confusing or   difficult would start a wonderful class discussion.  This strategy would also be very useful in all subjects.  When students can verbalize their thinking or why they are confused and then we talk through it, that helps students understand their own thinking. Students really need to be taught to think about their thinking.  

How might this help you to innovate formative assessment?

Having students more involved in creating the informative assessments would be more innovative. Also, making the formative assessments more individualized to students’ levels of understanding would be a benefit to all students.  Continuing to use checklists as we go along will help students stay on task and this could also guide our formative assessments.

I think asking the question "What was most confusing about the material we explored today?" can be applied to many different subject areas along with project based learning. I would like to start asking this and the students can first partner share and then we can discuss as a class.

I would implement the practice of self-awareness a few times throughout the project. The question “What was most confusing about the material we explored today?” is useful when the students are reflecting at the end of a lesson, such as an exit slip. The responses would help me to rethink about the lesson or project, and reflect on how to improve my teaching. It would help innovate formative assessments through classroom or partner discussions.