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As parents, we play a significant role in our children’s learning and development. One of the most powerful tools at our disposal is the art of asking questions. By engaging your child in thought-provoking conversations, you can help them develop metacognition, the awareness, and understanding of their own thought processes. Not only is metacognition crucial for planning, learning, and developing executive function skills, but understanding how our brain works is the ultimate skill for success academically and reaching our potential.
The Power of Questions
Questions are not just a means of gathering information; they are needed for deep thinking, reflection, and self-awareness. While basic questions (what grade did you get on your math test?) may only scratch the surface, follow-up questions can delve deeper into your child’s thought processes, helping them understand their actions, behaviors, and learning strategies.
Improving Metacognition Skills
Research has shown that students who engage in metacognitive practices, such as self-questioning, achieve better outcomes in all academic areas. They also improve socially and in their extracurriculars. Questions to ask for improving self-understanding fall within three areas:
Planning: Before starting a task, encourage your child to think about their approach, needed resources, and potential challenges.
Monitoring: During the task, ask questions that help your child assess their progress and adjust their strategies as needed.
Evaluating: After completing the task, use reflective questions to help your child analyze their performance, identify what worked well, and consider areas for improvement.
Improving Your Questioning Techniques
Consider the following examples that illustrate the difference in self-reflection that basic, intermediate, and advanced questioning produce:
Basic Questions:
Parent: Can you go to office hours for math on Thursday?
Child: Yes.
Parent: What are you going to do during office hours?
Child: Work on math homework.
Parent: Great. I believe it will help on your next math test.
While this conversation helps the student prepare for the exam, it doesn’t encourage deep reflection, understanding, or long-term improvement in learning.
Intermediate Questioning:
Parent: Can you go to office hours for math on Thursday?
Child: Yes.
Parent: What are you going to bring to office hours?
Child: My math homework. I am going to bring problems 19-23. I didn’t understand them.
Parent: That’s great! I love how you are being proactive by completing your homework and being intentional about which problems to bring. Thanks for doing that.
This level of questioning prompts the child to think more specifically about their actions and the problems they will focus on. The student clearly has a plan and is thinking about how to use office hours to improve their understanding of the material.
Advanced Questioning:
Parent: Can you go to office hours for math on Thursday?
Child: Yes.
Parent: What are you going to bring to office hours?
Child: My math homework. I am going to bring problems 19-23. I didn’t understand them.
Parent: What is the common theme in those questions, and why do you think you chose those to bring to office hours?
Child: All of these problems have more than 4 steps, and I keep getting lost before the 4th step.
Parent: Any idea why that is?
Child: Before the 4th step, I get lost in my numbers.
Parent: Ask your teacher about how you organize your problems so you won’t get lost in the numbers. Please let me know what she says so I can help you tonight.
This conversation involves questions requiring the child to analyze their thought processes and learning strategies deeply. The child understands where their understanding is breaking down, so they can use office hours purposefully. The questioning explores the reasons behind their choices and encourages problem-solving.
Strategies for Effective Questioning
To maximize the impact of questions on your child’s metacognition and self-understanding, consider the following strategies:
1. Encourage Self-Reflection: Ask questions that prompt your child to reflect on their learning processes and evaluate their outcomes. This can include questions about strategies used, challenges faced, and how the process can be improved.
2. Promote Self-Explanation: Encourage your child to explain their thinking and reasoning. This can help clarify their understanding and identify gaps in their knowledge.
3. Foster a Growth Mindset: Use questions to encourage your child to view challenges as opportunities for growth and learning. This can help build resilience and a positive attitude towards learning.
4. Build-up to Challenging Questions: Start with more straightforward questions and gradually increase complexity as your child becomes more comfortable with self-reflection. This helps build confidence and deepens their metacognitive skills over time.
5. Ask 1 More Question- We often stop asking questions one question too soon. By asking one more question, you can uncover deeper insights. For example, after a test, you might ask your child, “What went well in your studying for this test?” They may respond, “I reviewed my notes and practiced the sample problems.”
Instead of stopping there, ask a follow-up question like, “How do you know that reviewing your notes and practicing the sample problems helped you prepare effectively?” This extra question encourages your child to reflect on the effectiveness of their study strategies and how they can improve further.
Note- Your questions should focus on your child’s learning process, strategies, and growth rather than their abilities or character. Frame questions in a way that encourages self-reflection and problem-solving, creating a safe and nurturing environment that fosters growth and learning.
Conclusion
By moving beyond surface-level questions and encouraging deep reflection, you can help your child better understand their learning processes. This can lead to improved academic performance and greater self-awareness.
Remember, your role as a parent is not to provide answers but to guide your child in discovering their solutions. Every child learns differently, and by asking the right questions, you empower them to become independent thinkers and lifelong learners.
Parenting a child who struggles with executive function can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate this journey alone. Let Untapped help!
For More:
Fostering Metacognition to Support Student Learning and Performance
Questions To Improve Metacognition
