Small habits, unstoppable brains

A column from Superintendent Greg Cole

Hello, Anoka-Hennepin families.

When Limitless author Jim Kwik was five years old, he suffered a severe head injury that left him with intense learning problems. For years, he struggled to focus, remember things, and process information. He fell behind in school and was teased and called "the boy with the broken brain." It was devastating.

Because of this, Kwik looked for ways to escape, so he found comfort in reading X-Men and Spider-Man comics because they allowed him to escape to a world where ordinary people did amazing things. The comics captured his imagination, and he couldn't wait to find out what happened next. Slowly, his mind created an entire world.

Bit by bit, day by day, unbeknownst to him, Kwik was rewiring his brain. What he didn't know was that reading—anything engaging—was weightlifting for his brain, each day strengthening his neurocircuits. 

So how did it turn out for Kwik? Fast forward years of persistence, and today, Jim Kwik is one of the world's leading brain coaches, trusted by top universities and CEOs to teach people how to learn.

Kwik’s takeaway from his own journey: 

"The best exercise you can do to be mentally fit is to read more."

Our first goal together

As your new superintendent, I want parents and guardians to know that we should do as much as we can together to make school fun and meaningful for your student.

The research is clear that possibly the best thing students can do to increase their confidence, reduce anxiety, and improve their engagement in ANY class is to be an active reader. Reading anything fun each day is the best way to start.

"Your memory, your focus, your creativity is not fixed like your shoe size." – Jim Kwik

Reading is weightlifting for the brain. It is a powerful activity that only requires a library card and books that are fun to read and easy to see lying around in your home.

You don’t need to start with the classics. Keep it fun and give it time. If your child hasn’t been a reader until now, that’s okay. Like many things, changing habits takes time. Small actions, taken each day, have a profound effect over time.

My invitation to you:

• Find something fun that your child likes.
• Find time for your child to read.
• Make it easy and accessible.
• Stay persistent and positive.
• Slowly build the reading habit.

Don't expect big shifts overnight. Think of this as a marathon, and wait to evaluate the changes a year from now. If your children read—even a little bit—each day, the results will show up everywhere as time passes. Don’t be frustrated if you meet resistance. Stay calm and be persistent. Replacing the lure of smart phones, devices and video games will take time.

Thank you for partnering with us. Start building those brain muscles one day at a time.