The Metacognitive Student

by Richard K. Cohen et al. (Solution Tree Press, 2021)

Coping Flexibility

The Metacognitive Student introduces "structured SELf-questioning," a framework designed to embed social-emotional learning (SEL) into academic learning. To illustrate the need, the authors describe self-calming strategies: although U.S. students are commonly taught deep breathing, mindfulness, or exercise breaks, they continue to struggle with stress in school. The authors propose teaching "coping flexibility," stepping students forward from knowing self-calming strategies to self-calming in real life. The same step applies to mathematics: students must move from knowing multiple approaches (graphical, symbolic, numerical) to choosing and applying one successfully. Structured SELf-questioning teaches students to be "strategic about their strategies."

The SELf-Question Set

• Select a focus (What is the problem?)

• Gather information (What do I know? What do I need to know?)

• Brainstorm (How can I solve this problem?)

• Evaluate (What strategy will I choose, and why?)

• Plan & Act (What are the steps?)

• Reflect (Did it work? Do I need to go back and try again?)

Chapters 2-8 apply the set to a variety of academic and social-emotional topics, including "Problem Solving in Mathematics."

From One Problem to the Whole Exam

The SELf-question set bears a strong resemblance to the four-step method in George Polya's How to Solve It (1945), well known among mathematicians. Polya's focus, though, is answering a single math question. The SELf-question set could also be applied to a larger project: reviewing for the midterm exam. Preparing for the midterm is very motivating to students, and it feels normal to allot a sizable chunk of time to it, which makes exam review a natural place for students to practice being strategic about their strategies.

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