Metacog...what?

Metacognition...

I first learned this term in my bachelor's program at Harding and gained a fuller understanding in my graduate studies.  Because of it's complexity, it is something I will continue to learn about at every opportunity.  Metacognition is the ability to think about your own thinking.  It is a very internal process.  Good readers use metacognition regularly to analyze and understand text.  It's an important part of being a critical thinker which is required in every field.  Being aware of my metacognitive abilities and teaching children how to develop their metacognitive abilities is a big part of my job as a reading specialist.

Ultimately the task of reading is about constructing meaning from text.  As adults we read for a purpose.  We want to be entertained, informed, persuaded...there are many different reasons for reading.  Varying purposes cause us to employ various comprehension or critical thinking skills while we're reading to help us understand the text.  We don't read an Owner's Manual for our newest appliance in the same way that we read the latest issue of our favorite magazine.  We don't read the newspaper in the same way that we read a novel.  We are reading for different purposes and therefore we alter how we attack and interpret the text.  Good readers tend to do this inherently and with ease.  Beginning and struggling readers have to be explicitly taught how to do these things.

I believe teaching children to comprehend text is one of the most difficult tasks that teachers face.  Take decoding out of the equation for a minute and just think about all that your brain does to help you understand what you read.  It is a very internal process...it all goes on in your head.  The challenge for teachers is to teach children how to think and manage all of that information in their head.  This can be incredibly difficult because you have to find a way to take the process out of your head and show students how it works.  Comprehending is an abstract task and elementary children are concrete thinkers.  As reading teachers it's our responsibility to walk students through the transition from concrete to abstract in relation to text.  Students being able to utilize the appropriate strategies and knowing when to use which one requires them to be able to think about their own thinking...metacognition.

Today I went to a workshop entitled "Metacognition:  Establishing a Framework to Enhance Critical Thinking Skills" put on by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services.  Today's speaker was Durand Crosby the COO of ODMHSAS.  I went with the expectation that I would learn more about how the brain functions during metacognitive processes and anticipated walking away being able to apply the new knowledge to my interaction with students.  I am a brain junkie by the way...I love learning about the brain and how it processes information.  I am a big believer in brain based learning and using neuroscience findings to reach students in the classroom.  Every time I attend a conference I scout out the brain based sessions and make sure to work the rest of my schedule around them.  I am fascinated by the wonder of the brain.

Today's workshop however showed fewer brain diagrams, CT scans and MRI images than I anticipated.  The focus today was more about the psychology of critical thinking; outlining and defining some of the biases and fallacies that impact our critical thinking and decision making skills.  The presenter explained and demonstrated two systems related to thinking.  The first being intuition and instinct, the second focusing more on analysis and thoughtfulness.  As he talked this afternoon I found myself not applying this new learning to my students, but to myself.  How do I function as a critical thinker?  How does my thinking ability and cognitive blindness affect my interactions with the adults around me?  He talked a lot about illusions.  Some illusions are good and necessary, others can disrupt or otherwise negatively impact the decision-making process.

The biggest take away for me was the statement..."Don't think of decision making as an event - think of it as a process."  That tilts things a little for me.  I'm not sure that it turns my thinking completely upside down, but often what I remember about whatever decision I made was either the outcome or the moment of decisiveness.  I don't remember or consider the process that led me to that moment.  At a time when I am making many decisions, some life changing, I think it is important for me to think about decision-making as a process not an event.

A couple of months ago, I began examining myself and taking a close look at my life choices.  I began blogging about my journey to share my story with friends and family and to provide myself with some accountability.  Today I've added the element of giving you a glimpse into my professional world.  Some of you have asked what it is that I actually do and this post should provide a little more insight into my day to day.

It takes some critical thinking ability to embark on this journey.  I've not reached a destination and as a believer in life-long learning, I'm not sure there is a destination...it's all about the journey.
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Several years ago I attempted to blog about my knowledge about teaching reading, the reading process and the development of readers.  I intended to do it through the lens of my experience almost as a journal of my teaching career.  I do not pretend to know all that there is know about teaching reading or the complexities of language.  I rely heavily on research, books, colleagues and mentors to guide my own learning.  I am a life long student of reading.  When I began that blog several years ago, I wasn't sure where to start and therefore wrote about two entries, before abandoning the effort.  I don't have all of the answers, but I would be glad to share the knowledge I have if you are interested.  You're welcome to comment, e-mail, text or send me a facebook message with your question, and if I can't answer it for you, I will try to point you in the right direction.  It's much easier for me to answer questions about the process than to choose an random topic that I hope is relative to your professional practice.