Module 4: Chapters 9-10

 Concept 1: Metacognitive Development in Secondary Students

Summary: In chapter 9, Woolfolk covers the aspects and processes of metacognition. After pointing out the definition of the term, "cognition about cognition, or thinking about thinking," (Woolfolk 340), the author goes on to describe the various metacognitive skills. These include planning, evaluating, and monitoring. (Woolfolk 341). After discussing some differences in metacognition between individual people, Woolfolk  touches on how children and teens develop these skills, and what strategies teachers can use to help them in this development. 

Reflection: In this chapter, Woolfolk talks about some questions to ask secondary and/or college students to help them hone their metacognitive skills and "become more self-reflective." (Woolfolk 343). Upon studying these questions, I realized that many of them are queires I pose to my tutoring students, particularly those in the middle or secondary grades. For example, when I teach them about study skills and habits and strategies on how to improve them, part of the program curriculum involves finding their learning style. Thus, they end up having to ask, "What are my intellectual strengths and weaknesses?" and by answering, they will be able to pick the best study strategies for their strengths and individual learning styles. We also discuss goal setting in these sessions, which, again, is related to a reflective question in the text, "How can I set specific goals before I begin a task?" (Woolfolk 343). Finally, Finding motivation and avoiding procrastination is also a big topic we go over in the study skills program, which is why the question "How can I motivate myself to learn when I need to?" sounded so familiar to me as I read it. The high school students I have worked with are not always quick to open up about their lives, but when they do, I find that they can be very frank and honest about their study habits, and what may or may not be working for them. They know, for example, that they are staying up too late at night and probably not getting enough sleep. They know they need to do their homework. But for whatever reason, sometimes they don't study effectively, and that is where guidance from teachers comes into play. I plan on using this self-awareness in my future classroom to make sure my students are developing their metacognitive skills. Self-reflection will be utilized as I now know that it will help students hone these extremely important techniques. 

Concept 2: Teaching Argumentation

Summary: Another topic that Woolfolk covers in chapter 9 are the styles of argumentation. After defining the concept as "the process of constructing and critiquing arguments" (Woolfolk 366) the text explains the two different categories argumentation is divided into. Disputative argumentation consists of "supporting your position with evidence" and then "understanding and then refuting your opponent's claims and evidence" (Woolfolk 366). Then there is deliberative argument, which the text defines as  "to collaborate in comparing, contrasting, and evaluating alternatives, then arrive at a constructive conclusion" (Woolfolk 366). The text goes on to explain that children and teens may find learning disputative argumentation challenging for different reasons. Children and adolescents may not spend enough time disproving their opposition, as thinking about their position and considering a different one may be a larger "cognitive load" than they are used to. (Woolfolk 367). Techniques for teaching for this defecit are then explored. 

Reflection: I found the strategy described in the text for teaching more effective disputative argument extremely informative. As I am going to be getting endorsed to teach ELA and Social Studies, teaching my students how to form an effective argument is going to be something I have to focus on in my future curricculum. In an English class, a persusaive essay is a key form of writing that students in the grades I will teach -- middle school or high school-- need to understand, espeically as they write more and get closer to college and/or a career. I found the technique of grouping the students in pairs and having them debate with each student on the opposing side to be simple, yet obviously effective because the skill was improved (Woolfolk 363). It makes me want to use this strategy in my future classroom one day. When teaching history, the art of argument is also a vital skill to impart to students. A huge part of what historians do is craft arguments based on their research and the historical evidence they have gathered to say something new about the study of our past. I have written historical articles, so I feel I will be able to bring some specilization to my teaching of social studies, and help students discover that "working" as a historian can be fun, as well as debating. I think using technology is a great way to engage them in tasks such as this, which is why the Kuhn study described was so interesting to me. The students used instant messaging for their debates, and then were given the transcripts so that they could study the other side's position. Mastering this takes practice, and I plan to find similar ways to assist my students in this. 

Concept 3: A Constructivist Classroom

Summary: In chapter 10, Woolfolk discusses what it takes to build a constructivist learning enviornment. According to the text, a constructivist approach to learning is "a view that emphasizes the active role of the learner in building understanding and making sense of information." (Woolfolk 382) In a constructivist classroom, the learning is student-centered, and tasks are related to students' actual experiences as much as possible. Perhaps most importantly, a constructivist view is one that places students in an active role in their own learning and understanding (Woolfolk 383). 

Reflection:  Prior to reading this section, I had heard and been exposed to a lot about student-centered learning. Hower, seeing the methods laid out so clearly on page 389 made me realize that a constructivist classroom where deep learning is facilitated is not so lofty a goal as I had previously imagined when I began pursuing my teaching certification. In my previous time at college, I had professors that lectured almost exclusively. At the time, I enjoyed it, because most of them were enthusiastic story-tellers. Thus, when I got my master's degree in history and began teaching junior colelge courses, I lectured for much of the time. I went on to add in more discussion and required more particpation from my students, but still, I felt that I was struggling with being "boring" because of my specialization. 

However, seeing how easily connections can be made to prior learning through scaffolding, for example, makes me see that student engagement does not have to be a daunting process. I was overthinking, to be frank. Something as simple as putting students in pairs and having them discuss the concept they are learning, or the task they are completing, is a step in the right direction as far as student engagement is concerned. I know now that I don't have to "re-invent the wheel" and come up with my own teaching strategies constantly - I can use the resources available to me and test out what works and what does not. From our text, the important thing is to connect students' learning to prior knowledge and their experiences, and to guide them as they process and engage.