“Metacognition” by Nancy Clark is a very insightful article about incorporating the art of thinking about your own thought process while learning.  Clark discusses the importances of not only implementing strategies that teach student important content but also teach them to understand how and why they are able to learn.  Students should take time to understand their strengths and weaknesses in learning. When bringing metacognition into the classroom, it is crucial to tell students why these strategies are being used.  They understand that they are reflecting on their learning style and reviewing their thought processes. This approach is not about “tricking” them into anything. The key points of metacognition include assessing what the students know about the topic before getting into the lessons of that unit.  They should be able to discuss what they understand and what confuses them. Finally, they should reflect and think back on assessments, assignments, and so on, deciding what was done well and what could be done differently next time.

In my ninth grade classes, we are attempting to help students become more independent.  Using what Clark refers to as “exam wrappers” would be very helpful in assisting the students with self reflection.  We are constantly repeating strategies to prepare for a test, like staying for after school clinic, taking good notes, writing out questions that reflect the study guide, etc.  I think it would make a huge impact to have the students think back to what they had done to prepare in their own minds and if their grade reflects that preparation. Then, if they are unhappy with the grade, they can make a plan for what might work better next time.  We are also trying to teach them to take effective notes. While my co-teacher puts the slides on the board and speaks to the information, I verbally explain to the students the steps I would follow for taking my own notes. I sit and listen, write down only the most important things, and use abbreviation and short-hand, rather than writing what is on the board verbatim.  We also model annotation of readings that coincide with the content we are teaching in that chapter.