1 EARTH…TO…ALEX! “Earth….to….Alex!” All eyes turned in Alex’s direction as Mr. Martin stepped away from the whiteboard to get the attention of his distracted student. He repeated himself. “Earth….to….Alex!” Still no response. Alex’s attention was held captive by the marching band practicing just outside. I hope they play that song at the parade, Alex mused, bopping his head to the beat. Then he remembered. I’ve gotta mow Mr. Ek’s yard after school. Gotta get cash for a funnel cake. Alex could almost taste that warm, sugary treat. Random thoughts continued. His eyes focused on a nimble-footed squirrel narrowly escaping a fall to the ground below. How can he even walk on that wire? Alex wondered. Hang on, little guy! Hang on! “Are you WITH us today, Alex Wilson?” Mr. Martin’s tone was firm, causing Alex to instantly refocus. “What…? Oh….sorry, Mr. Martin. I was thinking about the parade and funnel cakes and…” “We noticed, Alex, but let’s focus on math before we focus on the weekend. Okay?” “Yes, sir!” Alex turned, and sat up straight. His eyes were drawn to the whiteboard. Upset with himself for having missed the explanation, Alex hurriedly copied the teacher’s notes as he muttered under his breath. Now I gotta figure this out by myself! Distractions made learning so difficult for Alex – especially this year. Sounds. Sights. Even smells could steal his attention and cause his mind to wander. RING! RING! RING! The familiar sound startled Alex as it echoed through the hallways of 5
Castle Elementary signaling the end of another day. Mr. Martin’s room exploded with energy as students gathered their things. Alex quickly stuffed his math book and notes in his backpack, then rushed to the door for his end-of-the-day high five. As Alex reached up, Mr. Martin leaned down. “Hey, Buddy,” the teacher said quietly, “hang tight for a minute. Remember? We need to talk.” “Uh…..sure!” Actually, Alex didn’t remember, but that wasn’t anything new. That was just Alex being Alex. Crud, I’m busted now, he thought, unsure of what was ahead. Slowly, Alex shuffled to the big table with a heavy sigh. The once chaotic classroom grew eerily quiet before Mr. Martin joined him with an equally heavy sigh. It had been a long week for students and for teachers. The annual parade always signaled crunch time at Castle Elementary. It was the beginning of the end of another school year and even though there was much to be done, teachers and students were counting down to the last day of school. “Did you forget about Tool Time, Alex?” Mr. Martin asked. “Ummm, I guess so.” Alex hung his head, embarrassed at his forgetfulness. Again. “Your parents will be here soon.” “Okay. And, sorry I wasn’t listening earlier, Mr. Martin. I heard the band, and I…I was just gone.” “I know, and you’re not in trouble, but I guess you do need more practice staying focused. Right?” “Yep!”
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2 TOOL TIME “Hi Alex,” Jerica said as she came in and sat next to her frustrated son. “How was school?” Alex shrugged his shoulders. “It was okay, Mom,” then sarcastically added, “I guess.” “Hey Buddy!” Brad patted his son’s back as he sat on Alex’s other side. “Hey, Dad!” School was easy for Alex…until this year when things got tough. When Mr. Martin saw Alex falling behind, he called Brad and Jerica and offered to help. Alex’s teacher had once been an easily-distracted student. He got it. He understood so he was determined to help every student succeed, which led to the first of many Tool Time chats with Alex and his parents. “Mechanics gather tools to work on cars and carpenters gather tools to build houses,” Mr. Martin explained before their first chat. “Alex just needs to gather some tools to help him learn.” “Thanks for coming,” Mr. Martin said as he greeted the Wilsons. “I know it’s a busy weekend but this shouldn’t take long.” Turning to Alex, he continued. “Let’s review one last time for your parents. Okay?”
“Mechanics gather tools to work on cars and carpenters gather tools to build houses,” Mr. Martin explained before their first chat. “Alex just needs to gather some tools to help him learn.” Alex nodded, ready to begin the drill. Mr. Martin always encouraged students in his class to review, review, review; echoing the message of a 7
My Brain is Amazing!
Review! Review! Review! Until it sticks like glue!
well-worn poster on the classroom wall. Alex thought it was dumb when he first saw the poster, but he learned it actually did help him remember. Now, whenever he saw the poster, he could almost hear Mr. Martin’s voice. “Let’s start with the basics, Alex. My job is to teach. What’s yours?” “My job is to listen. And, to learn.” “That’s right. And, do you?” “Well…ummmm…mostly I do. I was listening today…until…” Alex’s voice trailed off. “I know, Alex. I was distracted, too,” admitted Mr. Martin, turning to Alex’s clueless parents. “I had some competition during math today when the marching band decided to practice right outside our window. Alex got sucked in!” “That would have been hard to ignore!” “It really was, Mom!” “But, Alex,” the teacher quizzed, “what tool should you have used as soon as you got distracted?” “Ummmm. I’m not sure.” “Remember when we talked about becoming more aware of yourself? And, being aware of distractions before they steal you away? When you recognize a distraction, just ignore it, then refocus. It’ll get easier. Just retrain your brain to focus in spite of distractions. You can do it.” “You bet,” Alex replied without hesitation, already rehearsing how today’s scenario could have played out differently. “So, I should have recognized it was just the band practicing for the parade, ignored their music, and refocused on math. Right, Mr. Martin?” 8
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Recognize. Ignore. Refocus. “Exactly.” Perplexed, Alex asked, “Mr. Martin, why don’t I get distracted in science class? Is it because it’s my favorite subject?” “Probably. And, who knows? Your interest in science may lead you to make some sweet discovery as an adult but until then, you need to focus on all your classes – not just science.” “I know,” Alex replied, though his mind was already racing. “But, that’d be so crazy cool to discover something, Mr. Martin. I wonder if...” “Whoa, Alex! Let’s get back to our review.” Brad and Jerica listened as their son and his teacher worked together. They certainly made a great team, and Alex had come so far with Mr. Martin’s help. “When you have a really tough assignment, Alex, do you stick with it until you’re done?” “Sometimes. But if it’s too hard I just quit.” “Alex Wilson, you’re no quitter! What if you used that same tool?” The look on Alex’s face gave it away. He didn’t understand! “Think about it, Alex,” his teacher said. “You know when you’re about to give up, don’t you?” “Yep.” “So, you recognize the urge to quit, then ignore it – just like you ignore a distraction – and refocus. Same tool. Get it?” “Got it!” “Okay, tell your parents how you tackle big projects now.” Brad and Jerica had seen Alex’s mindless stare in the past whenever he was overwhelmed. Mr. Martin had, too. 9
My Brain is Amazing!
Recognize. Ignore. Refocus. “Well, sometimes my head gets so jumbled I don’t even know how to start. Like that timeline for history,” Alex remembered. “I was so stuck that day – until you came over.” “I know, Alex. I saw your frustration.” “But, afterwards, I did okay,” Alex boasted. “It was even a fun project.” “And you made an awesome timeline, young man, so tell me…how did it go from being overwhelming to being fun? What made the difference?” These two – teacher and student – had discovered many tools together but this one was Alex’s favorite! “Well, that was the day you told me the only way to eat an elephant was one bite at a time, so that’s how I should tackle big projects. One step at a time. After we talked, I made a list of steps and the timeline was easy. Now I make checklists all the time.” “Yes, and I think you’re on to something, Alex. Lists work well for you,” Mr. Martin said. “So, how do we describe that elephant tool? Recognize the big project as an elephant. Make a list of steps or bite-size pieces. Then remember to take just one at a time.”
Recognize. Make a list. One at a time.
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“Yep! I will never forget my elephant tool, Mr. Martin!” “And you’ll use that tool the rest of your life,” Jerica interrupted. “At least I do.” “Me, too,” Mr. Martin responded. “Lists are great, aren’t they?” Returning his attention to Alex, Mr. Martin continued their review. “We’ve talked a lot about tests lately, Alex. Tell your parents what you’ve discovered.” “I hate tests. They make me sick. I used to guess at answers without reading the questions because I wanted to be done,” Alex admitted. “Somehow you figured it out, Mr. Martin! Probably because I missed questions about things I knew.” “That’s right, and what did I suggest?” “You told me to think of my brain as a runaway train. You said I was the engineer and the only one who can slow it down,” Alex explained. “My job was to hit the brakes then focus on each question; read it, and answer it before going on to the next one. Then you suggested I recheck my answers if I had time after I finished. I’ve been doing that, too.” “So, let’s simplify that tool. You recognize your brain train is out of control, hit the brakes and refocus to do your best. Right?”
Recognize. Hit the brakes! Refocus. “Right, Mr. Martin, and I really think that tool helps a lot.” “Alex is right,” his teacher said, turning to Brad and Jerica. “His test scores have consistently improved since we talked about the brain train. Better yet, I’ve seen Alex use this tool whenever he feels out of control; during classroom discussions or while working in class. He is a great little engineer!” 11
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“You know, Mr. Martin,” Jerica remarked. “Alex has always been energetic, fun-loving, and carefree. Always busy. Always moving full-speed. Always talking. And, always easily-distracted. Everyone noticed it – his past teachers and coaches and our family, too. It was just Alex being Alex.”
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3 THE NEVER-ENDING ROLLER COASTER LIFE “I used to think of Alex like a butterfly, flitting around without a care in the world, but last week he described his life much differently,” Jerica explained. “Alex said it was like he was on a never-ending roller coaster, racing up and down, over and under, around and through – constantly! I cannot even imagine how hard it must be to function; to learn!” “It is hard,” Mr. Martin said. “I struggled like Alex when I was a kid, and back then we didn’t know much about the brain or learning difficulties. I was busy, distracted, hyper, and often out of control, so I totally get it. That’s why I work hard to help students like Alex.” Mr. Martin’s focus turned back to his student with a new observation he wanted Alex to see. No longer was this teacher reviewing. He was teaching. And, Alex was listening. Alex was learning. “Alex, I know we’ve put a lot of tools in your imaginary toolbox this year, but when you consider the ones we reviewed today, what do they have in common?” Alex was perplexed. “Ummmm,” he hesitated. “I don’t know.” “Think about it. What’s the first step in each one. Recognize! Recognize where you are. Recognize what’s going on. Recognize what you need to do. Basically, become more self-aware in all situations. It takes practice, but you can do it!” Alex nodded as his brain processed his teacher’s words. Recognize. I can do that! “Mr. Martin, when you called us early this year, we were so afraid you would suggest Alex be tested, labeled, then prescribed some pill,” Jerica admitted. “We dreaded the day a teacher might suggest that. Thank you for being willing to try a drug-free approach.” 13
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“You’re so welcome.” “I work with a guy who says – even as an adult – he cannot function without his meds,” said Brad. “We don’t want that for Alex, so thanks for brainstorming with him. He loves this toolbox concept and is always talking about the tools he’s learning to use.” “Well, remember testing is always an option,” Mr. Martin said, “and meds are sometimes necessary. There are no guarantees but the drug-free approach will always be my first choice. I’ve worked with many students over the years who have to work extra hard to stay focused, complete assignments, or meet deadlines. Alex is one of the most motivated. He wants to succeed and I believe he will!” Those words brought a grin to Alex’s freckled face. Eyeball to eyeball with Alex, his teacher wrapped up the brief meeting. “This is our last Tool Time, Alex. The four of us won’t meet again until your end-of-the-year conference, but we’ll continue discovering and using tools until then. Okay?” “Okay!” “There’s one more thing I want to share with you, Brad and Jerica. We have a special event you’ll want to know about. Dr. Grace Collins is speaking to our kids about brain health. She’s a long-time teacher who went back to school to study the brain. She was convinced there were drug-free alternatives for kids who struggle to learn. Much of what I’ve taught Alex, I learned from her. I respect Dr. Grace as a professional, but I’m also proud to say she’s my big sister!” “Oh, my goodness! Wow!” Jerica stammered excitedly. “That’s great. And, we’ll be there!” “Okay. I was sure you’d be interested. You’ll get an invitation soon. That evening, she’s providing additional training for our staff; it’s a great opportunity for Castle Elementary and our community, too!” Mr. Martin and the Wilsons stood and walked to the door where Alex finally got his high five for the day. “Have a fun weekend, Alex!” “I will!” As they stepped outside, the smell of freshly-cut grass reminded Alex he 14
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needed to mow Mr. Ek’s yard. The sun disappeared over the treetops as Alex’s mower hummed back and forth. Tomorrow was parade day and excitement filled the air, but Alex was focused on mowing. Oh...and funnel cakes. Gotta have a funnel cake!
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