Meta-cognition

1. Meta-cognition Rhiannon, Niall, Heather, Frances

2. Question Is the brain a muscle? Can a link between practice and improvement be demonstrated?

3. How did we select the group? • Year R (5 children. Based upon levels of maturity – good oral skills and have previously displayed advanced thinking skills). • Year 1,5,6 whole class

4. Introducing the wider concept: • Year R – generalised language – having a go, not giving up, doesn’t matter if answer not right, the more you do the easier it becomes. • Year 1 – related to REACH programme – in particular resilience • Year 5 – lots of prior discussion across the curriculum. Notions of not giving up/achievement possible for anyone prominent as concepts. • Year 6. have discussed mind-set several times in class and applied it in various subjects (Art, Maths, general discussion). Discussed Bounce (Matthew Syed) – 10,000 hours, January birthdays etc.

5. How did practice change? • General change across year groups: • Classroom language • Praise for effort • Marking • Language of encouragement

6. Intended impact: • General: • Children more prepared to have a go and not fear failure. • Good for teachers to have a ‘way in’ to similar discussions with children both as a whole class and 121 – ‘remember when…’ • Children don’t have a set mind set whereby they think their learning is limited by ‘ability/talent’ • No automatic assumption that assimilation of learning just ‘happens’ but that it requires constant work on areas that they currently find difficult – not to pursue easy tasks in search of praise. Correlation between ‘struggle’ and achievement.

7. Measuring impact At the start & end: Year R – basic 2x2 colour sudoku grids to begin with. Built up to shape and number sudoku problems. Year 1 – basic 2x2 colour sudoku to begin with. Progressed onto shape, letter and number 2x3 grids. Year 5 – 3x3 easy sudokus – how many can be completed in 45 minutes. Subsequently practised a number of different sudoku. Will finally measure how many can be completed in a 45 min period at the end. Year 6 – based on chess rather than sudoku. Children given chess booklets for recording amount of practice they have undertaken + ‘difficulty’ level of opponent. Initial assessment, once children had been taught the basics, they then undertook a 20 min ‘checkmate in one’ problems to solve. How many could they manage? Subsequently, children practised more and more, both at home and at school, recording as they went. Repeat of initial challenge with checkmate in two problems at end.

8. What happened? • Year R – children started to understand the strategies they needed to employ and could apply this to more complex sudoku. Became much quicker with solving the problems. • Year 1- wide variety in ‘attainment’ across the class as a whole. Closely corresponded with ‘attitude’ and attainment in class in general. Pair work went will with some showing the ability to support others. Some unexpected children however, did feel happy with sharing their solutions where they might not normally have done. Confidence did increase. Could start to see bigger picture. • Year 5 – all could understand how to complete a sudoku – some were stronger than others. Within the classroom, children became more confident and comfortable with making mistakes. Could provide each other with constructive criticism without taking offence – good links to maths and practice. • Year 6 – although many had not played chess, in general all were able to pick up the basics fairly swiftly. Some were clearly ‘higher up the pecking order’ in terms of their playing ability (hence the need for children to play against someone of a similar level). Children pretty good at solving initial checkmate in 1 problems though generally those more ‘mathematically minded’ did solve more, sometimes substantially more. End not yet reached.

13. What next? • See intended impact • Children and staff familiar with and using mind set language across the curriculum, in everyday language (e.g. solving friendship/self esteem issues). Would be great to see evidence of the same happening across years as children move up through the school.