This article aims to stress the importance of metacognition for learning processes and for reaching success in school. The discussion centres on the importance of building a "thinking culture" in all classrooms, making possible to the students to: a. explicit their modalities of thinking, allowing them to be shared; b. be motivate to think in order to reach adequate decisions; c. face new situations; d. transfer both strategies and knowledge acquired in one context to another. A central point in the implementation of such culture is to develop metacognitive abilities, since this seems to be an effective way of learning not only what to learn but also how to learn. This acquisition, in turn, furnishes a greater possibility of becoming an autonomous learner, what implies the construction of a positive self-image as student. Examples of how to do this in school are given, pointing out the manner through which teaching organization permits students to master their own learning process.
LEARNING PROCESSES; COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT; METACOGNITION; SELF CONCEPT
