This is Mr. Funky Teacher with BeAFunkyTeacher.com. I'm coming to you with another Be a Funky Teacher podcast. Welcome back everyone. Today's episode is called Saturday Stories Leadership Kit Get Rid of Distractions Jaden Puts It Down. Before we jump into today's story, I want to ground myself in gratitude. First, I'm thankful for students who want to listen, even when focus doesn't come easily. Second, I'm thankful for small moments when a quiet choice makes a big difference. And third, I'm thankful for reminders that sometimes leadership looks like putting something down. Now it's Saturday, which means it's time for another Saturday story from the Leadership Kit. Saturday Stories are short, student friendly leadership stories you can use with kids to build shared language around leadership through story, conversation, and everyday classroom moments. Each story stands on its own, so if this is your first one, you're jumping in at just the right time. Let's get into this week's focus. This episode is part of the Leadership Kit. The value that we're focusing on this week is listening to others. The skill students are practicing is get rid of distractions. And the story you're about to hear is called Jaden Puts It Down. Now, the characters in this story are Jaden, Aleeyah, and Sophia. And I'm going to read the story all the way through. No interruptions. I'm just going to have you listen. All right, let's get started with the story. Jaden Puts It Down. Here we go. Jaden didn't mean to miss what Sophia said. He was looking right at her, but his fingers were still tapping. The Chromebook sat open in front of him. The assignment was finished, but the screen still glowed. A game tab lingered quietly in the corner. Sophia was explaining her idea. Jaden nodded. Huh? Aleeyah noticed Jaden's eye flick down just for a second. Then again. Sophia stopped talking. Never mind, she said. Jaden looked up. Wait. What? You weren't really listening, Sophia said quietly. Jaden felt his face warm. He wanted to explain. He wanted to say he was listening. Instead, he reached forward and closed the Chromebook. The click echoed louder than he expected. I'm listening now, he said. Sophia hesitated, then started again. This time, Jaden leaned forward. No screen. No tapping. When she finished, Jaden nodded. That makes sense. Later, Aleeyah smiled at him. Thanks for putting it down. Jaden shrugged. I didn't realize how loud it was. Aleeyah thought about it. Sometimes distractions aren't noisy until they are. Well, let's talk about the skill focus here. Get rid of distractions, y’all. Listening isn't just about hearing words. It's about giving someone your attention. Sometimes that means putting something down. Sometimes it means turning something off. Good listeners notice what's pulling their focus and make a choice. This story works best when the questions are spread out over time. I encourage that with last week's story, too. You might start with a reflection question like, how does it feel when someone looks like they're listening but really they aren't? Then use noticing questions like, what did Jaden do that showed he was distracted? How did Sophia react? What changed when Jaden closed the Chromebook? Later in the week, you can ask application questions like, what distracts you the most when you're supposed to listen? How do you know when something is pulling your attention? What's one thing you can put down or turn off? When you're using this story with students, you don't need to turn it into a rule. Let the story create awareness. As the week goes on, notice moments and name the skill. Hey, that was a get rid of distractions moment. I noticed you put it down. That helped you listen better. Students don't need constant reminders. They need shared language. If you want the printable version of this story with teacher questions and a student handout you can use with students, you can find it at BeAFunkyTeacher.com. It's free for classroom use. As you head into the week, here's the leadership focus. Listening isn't just about our ears. It's about our attention. This week, you don't have to catch every distraction. Just notice them, name them, and help students practice choosing focus. Because when students learn to put distractions down, they're learning how to show up for others. If you found value in this episode, head on over to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcast and hit me up with a five star review. It helps more teachers find this space. And as you go into your week, remember to inspire greatness in young people. And don't forget to be a funky teacher. Bye now.