A Cognitive Autobiography. Part 3

By Dr. Cynthia Herbert, PhD

Continued from previous posts-- teaching and learning in classes at the Baylor Childrens Theater:

"Teachers used cognitive scripts, too; especially: priming—invention—reflection As one of the teachers, I followed this process of thinking in my lesson planning:

What priming experiences would help diverse students be able to invent successfully?

Given the objectives of a particular lesson, what would a student need to invent in order to demonstrate understanding, application, and/or personal meaning?

What reflection questions can I provide afterward that will help students not only meet the objectives of the lesson, but also understand better the quality of their own thinking?

By the age of 15, I was assisting or teaching other classes in the program to pay for my own. I was at the theater most days after school writing, directing, acting, drawing, constructing, moving, composing, experimenting, producing, reflecting, and teaching. About 100 other students also attended classes for five or more years and then went on to diverse lives and careers. Through college, I continued working with Paul Baker and Jearnine Wagner, on scholarship as Assistant Director of the program, which soon transferred to Trinity University in San Antonio. By the time I graduated, I had spent 13 years thinking about thinking."

A note from NWK co-author Susie: Cindy Herbert was one of my teachers at the Baylor Children's Theater, and I was one of those 100 children who shared the experiences of this early "thinking about thinking" in the program. At age 12, I started teaching younger students in summer programs at Trinity University and later, as the Waco Children's Theater continued in improvised surroundings -- an old store loft, a borrowed civic theater and in our teacher's backyards --when the Baker Theater faculty moved to Trinity University.