Encouraging Infinite Know How for all Learners!
Presentation Abstract
In today’s culture, those students who are stressed out, angst ridden, or depressed are often struggling to translate knowing into doing by regulating oneself which refers to Executive Function skills. At the root of this crisis is a fundamental gap in our approach to education which does not make the connection between the content and the process transparent to all learners. As scientists, educators, and academic leaders our strong understanding of the critical nature and scope of Executive Function and its impact on higher-order thinking skills including meta-awareness when translated into actionable curriculum, we will succeed in aiding students to move into the terrain of self-devised strategic thinking. In addition to decades of anecdotal classroom experiences combined with scientific evidence points towards the fact that knowing HOW to learn to learn leads to personal optimization; a key to reaching highest potential at all ages.
Unfortunately, not many curricula are deploying school-wide Executive Function teaching programs that applying this knowledge to practice. The students do not leave school with the mastery of explicit learning of HOW to learn to learn and ways to manage personal goals while managing emotions and social understanding.
But positive change is possible…here’s how:
Teachers, mentors, coaches, and counselors in particular have an enormous opportunity to help young learners gain valuable Executive Function skills through direct, dynamic, explicit and personalized Executive Function skill building.
Sucheta will discuss the M-E-T-A™ (Mindful Examination of Thinking and Awareness) approach to help promote process-specific insight and skill development of 6 key Executive Function components including impulse control, working memory, prospective memory, organization and planning, problem solving, and mental flexibility. And finally, she will discuss the process of promoting self-assessment and self-reflection to help learners use that self-knowledge to regulate thoughts, emotions and actions.
Recommended Citation
Kamath, Sucheta, "Encouraging Infinite Know How for all Learners!" (2019). Georgia Association for Positive Behavior Support Conference. 61.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gapbs/2019/2019/61
Encouraging Infinite Know How for all Learners!
In today’s culture, those students who are stressed out, angst ridden, or depressed are often struggling to translate knowing into doing by regulating oneself which refers to Executive Function skills. At the root of this crisis is a fundamental gap in our approach to education which does not make the connection between the content and the process transparent to all learners. As scientists, educators, and academic leaders our strong understanding of the critical nature and scope of Executive Function and its impact on higher-order thinking skills including meta-awareness when translated into actionable curriculum, we will succeed in aiding students to move into the terrain of self-devised strategic thinking. In addition to decades of anecdotal classroom experiences combined with scientific evidence points towards the fact that knowing HOW to learn to learn leads to personal optimization; a key to reaching highest potential at all ages.
Unfortunately, not many curricula are deploying school-wide Executive Function teaching programs that applying this knowledge to practice. The students do not leave school with the mastery of explicit learning of HOW to learn to learn and ways to manage personal goals while managing emotions and social understanding.
But positive change is possible…here’s how:
Teachers, mentors, coaches, and counselors in particular have an enormous opportunity to help young learners gain valuable Executive Function skills through direct, dynamic, explicit and personalized Executive Function skill building.
Sucheta will discuss the M-E-T-A™ (Mindful Examination of Thinking and Awareness) approach to help promote process-specific insight and skill development of 6 key Executive Function components including impulse control, working memory, prospective memory, organization and planning, problem solving, and mental flexibility. And finally, she will discuss the process of promoting self-assessment and self-reflection to help learners use that self-knowledge to regulate thoughts, emotions and actions.
