Metacognition

What are kids doing during After School at The Meeting House?
…They are busy thinking about thinking!

Metacognition is an awareness of one's own thought processes and an understanding of the patterns behind them. During our After School Program at TMH we begin each session with a new exercise to warm up the brain and encourage thinking about how each of us thinks.

Our goal is for students to learn about themselves so what better way than to have fun while discussing how we can do things another way, how we can see something from another point of view and what it is about a situation that causes us to get stuck.  This exercise is a perfect plug in to our next segment, discussing social goals, feelings and problem solving. So, our warmup is followed by an opportunity to talk about any one of the many social challenges kids face each day in school or at home.

Can we consider changing our focus when teaching, parenting and coaching children, to value the child who works hard to problem solve and stick with something, particularly when it’s difficult, in addition to the child who does well?  When children face a struggle, adults may consider asking open ended questions such as, “What about this upsets you?’, or “What strategies can you think of to solve this issue?”, finally, “Can you help yourself by trying something new?”.  This approach is more process than outcome oriented but stands to yield more positive results over time.

Finally, as in all things, moderation is key.  This is one tool in the large toolbox for helping children.  It most definitely applies to adults as well! Have a try at our latest challenge above, but be sure to spend time looking at it from various perspectives;)

Jacklyn Covell
Clinical Psychologist