Exercising a Visual Focus with the Columbia Missourian

Photo courtesy of the Columbia Missourian 

"EXERCISING A VISUAL FOCUS" is the title of the Missourian's article, written by Marian McPherson that showcased OnPoint Learning Center last November. Ms. McPherson's article was well written, focused on the therapy and implementation of the Davis methods, and included an observation of me working with a client.

My client and I were at the point in the Davis Alphabet Mastery procedure, one of the initial phases of the Davis Young Learner's Reading Program, when the reporter and a Missourian photographer came into the office. My client and I had previously covered the tools for focus and controlling energy levels and had created the uppercase clay alphabet letters.

My agenda was set, based on the Davis programming, but unbeknownst to me, my client had his own agenda! We'd barely begun to work that morning when my five-year-old client asked for paper. So much for my agenda!


Paper
Oh so, simple of a request. I know.
But it was not.
In fact, asking for paper was the precise point, as the captain of the ship where I began to lose control!  

Per his request for paper, I opened the center drawer of my desk and rifled through the papers inside looking for one blank piece.  At this point, I'm still under the false impression that I'm in charge of this ship: after all I had a newspaper reporter, a photographer and a kindergarten client all depending on me! I managed to find a gently used piece of paper that filled the bill.

I offered my young client the paper and a pen.

"Okay," I thought to myself. "Where's he going with this?" On the outside I think I looked calm; on the inside, I clung to the hope I would know which direction this five year old was delving. I prayed I'd understand which way I should be steering this ship!

Photo courtesy of the Columbia Missourian

As his pen hit the paper my client was instantly absorbed into his writing. Anchored into this process of releasing a hidden message, words began streaming out on the paper.

He'd barely spoken since the newspaper crew had arrived, his energy level in an uncharted quiet, low realm.  Deep in thought does not totally describe what I saw.  Totally focused and deep in thought on an internal mission does.

I casually worked a small piece of clay in my hands as he worked the pen on the paper. I have no idea how long he was writing, probably about five minutes, but when he finished he handed me his work and waited for me to read it aloud.


The paper read:

"Common focus it is fun. Doing it with Koosh balls is fun!" -interpreted. 

Across the bottom of the page, was a series of drawings. Bottom right, is my client focusing with 'hands on shoulders'. In the middle, the two of us are doing the Koosh ball activity of throwing and catching the Koosh ball. Finally, the two of us focused.

"Okay, maybe now we can get back to the Alphabet Mastery, working with the uppercase clay letters," I thought.  And we came oh, so close to doing just that.


CLAY
But right before my eyes, my young client now totally in charge of this ship, begins to roll a small ball from his clay that we use in the therapy.  "We came so close to getting back to working with the clay letters!" I thought.

He silently rolled the three-quarter inch clay piece while I searched my brain for ideas.  But my need to steer this ship had long passed.  This five-year-old had it all under control now!

There's more to this story, come back soon and find out what happened!
In the meantime check our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OnPointLearningCenter!