Teaching Students to Drive Their Brains by Donna Wilson

Teaching Students to Drive Their Brains by Donna Wilson

Research suggests that metacognition is key to higher student achievement but studies of classroom practice indicate that few students are taught to use metacognition and the supporting cognitive strategies that make learning easier. You can teach metacognition to your students, so why wouldn't you? This book shows you how.

Metacognition is a tool that helps students unlock their brain's amazing power and take control of their learning. Educational researchers and professional developers Donna Wilson and Marcus Conyers have been exploring and using the explicit teaching of metacognition for years, and in this book they share a practical way to teach preK-12 students how to drive their brains by promoting the following practices: Adopt an optimistic outlook toward learning, Set goals, Focus their attention, Monitor their progress, and Engage in practices that enhance cognitive flexibility.

Wilson and Conyers explain metacognition and how it equips students to meet today's rigorous education standards. They present a unique blend of useful metaphors, learning strategies, and instructional tips you can use to teach your students to be the boss of their brains. Sample lessons show these ideas in a variety of classroom settings, and sections on professional practice help you incorporate these tools (and share them with colleagues and parents) so that you are teaching for and with metacognition.

Marcus Conyers, PhD, is a research supervisor for the PhD in Professional Practice: Psychological Perspectives at the Salomons Institute for Applied Psychology with Canterbury Christ Church University and the lead developer of the BrainSMART(R) and Innovating Minds(R) programs for improving cognitive performance and creative-thinking skills. Marcus earned his doctorate with a focus on innovative applications of mind, brain, and education science from the University of Westminster. He is the lead developer of the world's first doctoral minor in brain-based leadership and the first MS and EdS degree programs focused on applied mind, brain, and education science (BrainSMART Programs). Central to Marcus's work is the belief that developing growth mindsets is key to increasing the creative and critical thinking skills that drive higher levels of human performance. Founder and CEO of BrainSMART and the nonprofit Center for Innovative Education and Prevention, Conyers is an author of 20 books who has worked in 30 countries and shared his innovative frameworks with more than 100,000 people on five continents. In addition to the ministers of education in South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Ontario, Canada, his audiences have included Navy Seals, Army Rangers, counterintelligence operatives, law enforcement officers, and business leaders globally. His passion is improving lives through innovative applications of the cognitive and implementation sciences, and he serves as the director of the nonprofit Center for Innovative Education and Prevention.