Your Brain Has an Engine—And You Can Learn to Drive It

Every student knows the feeling: you're sitting in class, trying to pay attention, and suddenly you realize you have no idea what the teacher just said. Your mind wandered off to lunch, or last weekend, or that thing your friend said at recess. And then comes the familiar thought: What makes me so distracted?

Here's what every child—and every teacher—needs to know: Attention shifts from moment to moment. When you raise your awareness of when you are focused and why your brain drifts, you can better monitor your attention cycle. 

Sometimes your brain needs a breather. And that's not only normal, but it’s also how brains are supposed to work.

Attention Isn't Something You Have or Don't Have

One myth about attention is that it’s a fixed trait—either you can focus or you can't. The truth is far more empowering: attention is more like an engine than a light switch. It doesn't just flip on and stay on. It cycles through different states throughout the day, and every single person's brain does this. We just all do it differently.

Think about it like driving a car. Before you can go anywhere, you need to start the engine. That's what we call alerting—waking up your brain and getting it ready to focus. Then you need to aim your headlights—that's selecting what to pay attention to. Once you're driving, you're attending and sustaining your focus on the road.

But here's the part nobody talks about: eventually, every driver needs a rest stop. Your brain does too. When your attention wanders, that's called drift—and it's a completely normal part of the attention cycle. The magic skill isn't preventing drift. It's learning to notice when you've drifted and bringing yourself back. I call that re-alerting.

The Six Superpowers of Executive Function

Executive function is like having a movie director inside your head. Just as a director coordinates actors, camera operators, and sound engineers to create a great film, your executive function coordinates all your thinking skills to help you succeed. These skills work together every day, whether you're completing your morning routine, remembering to pack your homework, or adapting when plans change.

The core executive function skills include:

1. Self-regulation (managing your energy, emotions, and actions)

2. Attention (turning on, maintaining, and sustaining focus)

3. Working memory (holding and using information in your mind)

4. Sequencing (putting things in the right order)

5. Cognitive flexibility (adapting when things change)

6. Metacognition (understanding how your own brain works)

The beautiful thing? Executive Function Skills can be strengthened through awareness and practice. Your brain is always growing and learning.

What Teachers Can Do

Understanding the attention cycle changes everything about how we approach distracted students. When a child's mind wanders, they're not being defiant or lazy—their brain simply moved into drift mode. Instead of frustration, we can teach them to recognize what's happening and give them strategies to re-alert.

Some children need movement to wake up their attention—thigh tapping, stretching, or even just standing for a moment. Others respond to sensory input, such as cold water, a fidget tool, some heavy work, or a change in lighting. The key is helping each student discover their own "attention starters" and giving them permission to use them.

Creating regular brain breaks isn't coddling students—it's working with the brain's natural rhythms. Brief pauses help children sustain attention over longer periods. And when we teach children to notice their own drift and practice re-alerting, we're strengthening neural pathways that support focus.

What Students Can Learn

You can become the best coach of your own brain. That's not just a nice saying—it's true. When athletes want to get better, they work with coaches who help them understand their strengths and practice their skills. You can do the same thing for your brain.

Start by paying attention to your attention. When do you feel most alert during the day? What helps wake up your brain in the morning? What are the signs that you're starting to drift—maybe your eyes begin to shift (your brain is looking for sensory stimuli to remain alert, so your eyes look around the room), or you realize you've been doodling without thinking, or you suddenly notice you have no idea what was just said.

When you catch yourself drifting, don't judge yourself. Instead, treat it as useful information: Oh, my brain needed a breather. Now I can bring it back. That moment of noticing is a superpower. Every time you practice re-alerting, you're strengthening your brain.

The Attention Fuel Tank

Just like a car needs the right fuel, your brain needs certain things to pay attention well. Before expecting yourself to focus, do a quick check: Did you get enough sleep? Have you eaten? Are you hydrated? Have you moved your body today? Do you feel emotionally okay?

When attention is struggling, sometimes the answer isn't to try harder—it's to fill up one of these tanks first. A drink of water, a healthy snack, or a few minutes of movement can make all the difference.

Activity #1: Rate how full your “tanks” are today:

Attention Fuel	Empty	Half	Full
Sleep (Did I get enough rest?)	☐	☐	☐
Food (Have I eaten healthy food?)	☐	☐	☐
Water (Am I hydrated?)	☐	☐	☐
Movement (Have I moved my body?)	☐	☐	☐
Calm (Do I feel emotionally okay?)	☐	☐	☐

Activity #2: Write three actions you can take to fill your tanks:

1.

2.

3.

Becoming Your Own Brain Coach

The goal isn't perfect attention. The goal is awareness—knowing how your brain works and having strategies ready when you need them.

Some students need to break big tasks into smaller chunks. Others need to remove distractions from their environment. Some do better with background music; others need silence.

There's no single right answer because every brain is different. The power comes from learning what works for your brain and practicing those strategies until they become second nature.

When you commit to being the best coach of your own brain, you practice patience with yourself because you know that skills take time to develop. You celebrate your progress, not just perfection. And you ask for help when you need it—because even the best coaches have coaches of their own.

Executive function skills are like superpowers for your brain—and superpowers get stronger with practice.