Developing independent learners.

When we discuss the many benefits of a whole school approach to Metacognition, one of the Habits of Mind that often comes to the fore is Thinking Flexibly. Flexible thinking is characterised by being able to change perspectives, generate alternatives and consider options. This can work on an individual level or as a system – to reframe, to adapt, to reinterpret and to find possible solutions. As we recover from a pandemic and face a raft of apparently monumental global challenges, the world is watching to see how our education systems – the institutions charged with preparing our youngsters for an uncertain future – interpret, adapt and respond to challenges we have not encountered before. Far from returning to service as normal, the current situation should be seen as an opportunity to rethink the narrative and allow concepts of rigidity, conformity and linearity to be overshadowed by those of adaptation, resilience and flexibility. If we are serious about developing independent, metacognitive learners, there are some important guiding principles that we should consider. The first of these is about vision.

1. Develop a clear vision. Revisit it regularly.

In ‘Start with Why’, Simon Sinek explains there are two ways to influence human behaviour; Manipulation and Inspiration. To inspire, we need to be clear about purpose. Why are we doing what we are doing? Ultimately, a clear vision of ‘our values’ and ‘what sort of people our school is aiming to develop’ may sound nebulous, but is very important. Discussing and defining the attributes, values and attitudes we are seeking to develop will define what becomes a priority in the day-to-day life of the classroom.
According to Ron Ritchhart, we each hold our own working theories about the nature of teaching, learning, thinking, schools etc. These beliefs focus our attention, direct our actions and constitute the internal compass with which we navigate. These ‘Theories of Action’ (Perkins, 1999) are a constant influence on the actions of a teacher or leader and provide the ‘why’ for more explicit, surface-level directives. They breathe life into various practices, techniques, tools and approaches and explain why we give time, energy and value to particular things. Examining assumptions and beliefs about teaching & learning enable us not only make better use of research and approach evidence more critically, but also help teachers reflect on decisions made about pedagogy. Examining our collective beliefs and purpose helps create, articulate and refine our visions, and helps us make decisions on what gets priority with regard to time and financial investment. Essentially, our ‘why’ shapes our ‘what’ and ‘how’.

Steven Covey’s analogy of the ‘Big Rocks’ illustrates that developing our vision and prioritising the ‘big rocks’ can help us address questions such as; What should we teach and why? How should we teach it? How will this support our learners to realise our vision?

Alignment takes a clear and overt redesign of systems and processes as well as constant attention, imagination and persistence. When an organisation is aligned, energy passes easily through the organisation as it moves towards its vision.