Do you find yourself or a loved one repeating the same negative behavior over and over again? Perhaps you constantly find yourself being late, despite the fact you are always trying to hurry. Or maybe you have a child who has been told everyday… “Remember your lunch, remember your agenda, and don’t forget your mitts…” and still you find yourself delivering things to school on a weekly basis.

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Why is it that even though the desire to change the behavior is there… the negative behavior continues to repeat itself?

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The answer can be found in the underlying concepts which establish our behaviors. Concepts such as change, consequence, time, sequence and order. If these underlying concepts are missing, the positive behaviors resulting from these concepts will be a challenge to maintain.

So, how do we learn these concepts? Unfortunately, you can’t just read about them, talk about them, or even just practice them… we want them to become a part of who and what we are. When this happens our behaviors will begin to naturally change.  At Rocky Point Academy, we accomplish this task through a process called Concept Mastery. 

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For neurodiverse individuals, creativity is a vital component of the learning process. Achieving mastery requires creativity.

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We learn those things which we, ourselves, create. If we create something in the form of memorization, that is what we have- something memorized. If we create something through understanding, then understanding is what we achieve. However, if we create something to the level of mastery, it becomes an integral part of us and our intellect. When something is mastered, it becomes embedded in our thinking process.

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When we memorize or understand something, we have created it mentally. In other words, we generate mental images or sounds associated with it. To master something, it must not only be created mentally but also brought into the real world. While understanding exists internally, mastery requires external creation and real-world implementation.

Take riding a bicycle, for example. No matter how well we understand the concept, understanding alone won’t prevent us from tipping over initially. Mastering the skill of riding a bike requires actual riding. We must create and practice it in the real world to achieve mastery.

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The question then is, how do we master an idea? We can’t physically ride an "idea" like a bike, but we can create it in the real world.​

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The concept mastery procedure is unique in that it addresses the underlying root cause of negative or unwanted behaviors. Changing these behaviors need not be an exercise in determination, self-discipline and exhaustion. Address the root… and the behaviors will naturally follow.

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When we sculpt a concept in clay, and then explore it in the real world to confirm its validity, that concept is mastered and becomes an inherent part of one's self, enabling natural and enduring behavioral change.