Metacognition refers to one's awareness and understanding of their own thought processes. There are 6 steps to developing metacognitive skills: identifying what you know and don't know, talking about thinking, keeping a thinking journal, planning and self-regulation, debriefing thinking processes, and self-evaluation. Cognitive strategies include rehearsal, organization, and elaboration to process information, while metacognitive strategies allow people to monitor their learning and thinking. Effective teachers master their subject, understand different learning strategies and student backgrounds, and develop students' total growth.