The Tool Belt vs The Big Orange Bucket

 Imagine you are building a new home: You have several carpenters on site working to further this endeavor, but you see clearly that there are two different sets of carpenters. Both “types” have come to you with amazing references but very different strengths. They have also come equipped with the best tools money can buy, and you can easily see that they all have a good work ethic. 


The references for one carpenter – we’ll call him Brian – indicate that he has great creative ability. He thinks outside the box and always is able to come up with creative solutions. He can see something before it is constructed and is a visionary. However, the references also indicated that work is not always completed in a timely fashion. Deadlines are frequently missed and there is an overall disorganization with the plan once he gets started working.

The references for a second carpenter’s – let’s call him Adam  indicate that work is always done in a timely fashion. He takes feedback well and works collaboratively with the owner on a daily basis. He will always meet the parameters of the contract. He is also very creative but within that creativity he shows pragmatic ability, staying within budget and finding ways to make it work without missing deadlines.


The first job requires both carpenters to be working simultaneously in the same room. One is on the right and one is on the left. They are working on similar tasks when you come in to watch how things are progressing. Before they begin working, they assess the needs of the job. Carpenter Adam makes a detailed list as well as an architectural drawing of what he is going to complete. He has his measurements, his tools, and materials that he will need to complete the job. Carpenter Brian does not have an architectural plan, but has a marvelous vision in his head of what he sees as the completed task. He eyeballs the amount of materials that he thinks he will need to complete the job and piles his tools into a giant orange bucket.

Once they have assessed the job, they head off to the lumberyard and hardware store to get materials. While there, Adam brings his detailed list of everything he needs and on his own, picks everything up and gets back to the job site within the hour. Brian, on the other hand, is still working off the list in his head. He’s creatively thinking about what he’s going to do, but he is not meticulous about all the materials he may need to complete the job. So he grabs things off the shelf that he may use. Brian is in the hardware store for 2 ½ hours – and he is not even sure that he has everything he needs. His creative, unstructured vision has also already taken him way over budget in materials and wasted time. 

Back at the site, Adam has already laid out his materials in an organized fashion and keeps all of the tools he needs nearby. He creates a list, prioritizing all of the tasks that need to be completed as well as a rough time estimate needed for each goal to ensure that he remains within his time frame and true to the contract he signed. 

Adam has already been working for an hour and a half, when Brian comes in. Brian leaves the materials in his truck and has to make several trips back and forth. He doesn’t make a checklist and doesn’t even know where he’s going to start. He has his creative vision, but no plan of attack. As the day progresses, Brian makes trip after trip to his truck – as well as another to the hardware store.

Meanwhile, Adam has made significant progress. Additionally, because Adam has chosen to wear his tools on his belt, he has easy access to the things he needs and is able to solve problems quickly and efficiently. He knows the tools he has, and he knows when and how to use them. However, Brian who keeps his tools in that big orange bucket – does not have easy access to the tools he needs. Because they are all jumbled together, he is not even sure that he has everything. Each time he needs to complete a new task, he dumps his entire bucket out to look for what he needs and puts it all back. This dumping of tools, or “Method of Madness,” happens over and over again. Brian wastes most of his workday.

Clearly, you can see two men with equal ability can have vastly different outcomes when it comes to what they are able to accomplish and produce. In the Special Education field and with students in general –we see this every day, multiple times a day. Students with learning differences and executive functioning problems often don’t know the tools they need, aren’t able to access them, and/or are overwhelmed and challenged when asked to deliver the product. There is such a contrast between Adam and Brian because Adam has developed a system and strategy that works for him in order to ensure he meets his contractual obligations. This translates into the school environment as getting your work done on time, figuring out what tools you need close to hand, and being efficient with how you pack your bag, organize your room or locker, or keep your desk structured. 

“Success” in school (and in life for that matter!) can’t happen if a child isn’t equipped with the right tools and doesn’t know how or when to utilize them. Rainmaker’s unique approach – mindfulness coupled with pragmatic skill-building – taps into the uniqueness of each child. As a parent, you know that “one size fits all” doesn’t work. We know that you can’t simply turn a “Brian” into an “Adam,” but we do believe that we can develop a plan so your child’s “visions” – just like Brian’s – can become a reality.

By: Eric Bloomstein & Stephanie Geddes