PRINCIPAL`S MESSAGE

IMPROVING STUDENT SUCCESS

Getting students to think about their thinking can close a gap that some students experience between how prepared they feel for a test and how prepared they actually are. Over-confidence is a common problem among students as they walk into exams. It was dubbed the Dunning-Kruger Effect after a landmark study two decades ago.

WHAT LEADS TO OVER-CONFIDENCE?

One reason student’s have this false sense of mastery is that they’re using ineffective study methods, including rereading material and highlighting. They review a passage and move on without realising that they haven’t thoroughly understood and absorbed the material. It’s easy for students to overestimate their understanding of a topic simply because they’re familiar with it. This dynamic is especially damaging for weaker students because they don’t realize why they’re doing badly, become discouraged, and aren’t motivated to use better strategies next time.

A second reason students are poorly prepared for tests is that teachers haven’t checked for understanding as they teach.

Don’t assume that every student understands the material just because no one asks a question. Keep in mind that struggling students may not know what questions to ask, or may feel too embarrassed to ask any. The best teachers encourage question-asking and frequently use low-stakes assessments like pop quizzes or one-minute papers to identify gaps in knowledge and immediately follow up.

A third reason students are ill-prepared is that they’re not tuned into their thinking strategies.

Have a fixed mindset about learning (I’m not good at maths), and haven’t learned to take charge of their own learning. Teachers need to explicitly address all three.

SELF-QUESTIONING TECHNIQUES

During instruction, students should ask themselves:

• What are the main ideas of this lesson?
• Is anything confusing or difficult?
• If something isn’t making sense, what questions should I ask the teacher?
• Am I taking good notes?
• What can I do if I get stuck?

Preparing for tests, students should ask themselves:

• What will be on the test?
• What areas do I struggle with or feel confused about?
• How much time should I set aside to prepare for this test?
• Do I have the necessary books, supplies, technology, online access, and a quiet place to study?
• What study strategies will I use?
• How can I test myself to be sure of what I know and fix what I don’t know?
• Should I study with a friend? Use note cards?
• What grade would I get if I took the test right now?

After a test, students should be required to answer these questions:

• Which questions did I get wrong? Why?
• Were there any surprises?
• Was I well-prepared?
• If not, what could I have done differently?
• Am I receiving useful, specific feedback from my teacher to help me progress?

Acknowledgment: “How Metacognition Boosts Learning”
by Youki Terada in Edutopia, November 21, 2017

Kind Regards,