The concept of metacognition, of learning how one learns most efficiently, has long been a part of the culture at Chesapeake Bay Academy (CBA). Helping students identify their primary learning style - visual, auditory or kinesthetic - and utilizing that understanding to support their learning, is central to CBA’s instructional methodology.

That same concept of self-understanding and self-awareness supports the social and emotional growth of CBA students through the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness focuses on the awareness of one’s emotional state and how it impacts the individual’s functioning. Self-monitoring, or being cognizant of how one is feeling while approaching a given task, is the emotional side of metacognition. Just as an individual can understand how they learn best from a cognitive perspective, they can also understand how they feel best when approaching a specific task. When we feel confident in our ability, we are most often successful in our intellectual mastery of a given task. Conversely, when we feel anxious or uncertain of our ability, we struggle with the task.

A common academic area where emotional difficulty comes into play is that of mathematics. Much has been written about math phobias. Many children (and adults!) feel they are just “not good at math.” When students can prepare themselves for a new task by engaging in deep-breathing or other mindfulness related activity, they are often able to reduce their stress and success comes more easily in math or any other academic area. Calming the brain to prepare for learning is the key.

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