Do you know how your engine is running right now? Is it high, low, or just right?  In this episode of the OT Schoolhouse Podcast, Sherry and Molly discuss the OG self-regulation program that helps all ages understand their alertness. Using analogies that The Alert Program®  utilizes helps people understand their alertness in an easily comprehensible way. View the full show note at OTSchoolhouse.com/episode119 The Alert program is a registered trademark of TherapyWorks, Inc.  Thanks for tuning into the OT Schoolhouse Podcast brought to you by the OT Schoolhouse Collaborative ..read more

Today, we're talking about one of the most popular and versatile tools in the world of school-based occupational therapy: LEGO. That's right, we're diving into the benefits of using LEGO in therapy sessions. LEGO provides a fun and engaging way to help children reach their therapy goals by improving fine motor skills and promoting creativity and problem-solving. Listen in to hear nine different ways you can support educational tasks using LEGO blocks as your therapy modality.  View the full show notes at OTSchoolhouse.com/episode118 Thanks for tuning into the OT Schoolhouse Podcast brough ..read more

Being OTPs in a Teacher’s world is not always easy. In this episode, I am sharing a supportive tool I have used to support my students and build rapport with the teachers I work with daily. I have provided small and large group collaborative in-services for teachers since my third year in school-based OT, so I am excited to share with you some research that supports this strategy for all of the reasons I know and love.  Listen in to hear how you can use live and recorded in-services to support teachers, students, and yourself.  View the show notes OTSchoolhouse.com/episode117 Reso ..read more

Have you ever thought of having your students be the handwriting teachers? By having students apply what they learned during an OT session, they can go back into the classroom to share the letter stories and formations with everyone… including the teacher! This is a great functional way to help them solidify what they learned. Today, Cheryl Bregman is here to discuss some common handwriting norms on which she is flipping the script. We also dive into how children have been affected with dysgraphia and pseudo dysgraphia and how a collaborative approach can help. Tune in to learn about an awes ..read more

What do you think of when you hear the phrase trauma responsive?  This concept goes beyond trauma-informed care. Tune in to hear Dr. Gibbs speak about her book, Trauma Treatment in Action, and how as OTPs, we need to be more responsive to the needs of a client regarding their mental health, just as if we were working with someone who had a stroke or other physical ailment.  Listen now to learn the following objectives: Learners will identify the five dimensions of trauma and how to use these in practice Learners will identify what ACTION is and how it can be used in OT Learners will ..read more

Did you know that Einstein and Thomas Edison may have had dysgraphia?  In our chat with Cheri Dotterer today, she discusses the truth about dysgraphia. A lot of us have had specific beliefs about what dysgraphia consists of, but the true definition may surprise you. She also explores the different types of dysgraphia and bilateral integration, which include interlaced, symmetrical, and asymmetrical. Tune in to learn even more about dysgraphia, and the results of a 6-week handwriting club focused on visual perception, visual motor, and memory with limited pencil use.  Listen now to l ..read more

Have you ever thought about what it might look like working with transition-aged students? Even if you are currently working with them now, you may still question how to best use your skills to work with these older school-aged students effectively.  Today, we are speaking with Justin Lundstedt, OTR/L, where he will discuss many areas of TAS and executive functioning. Tune in to learn how you can help these students find motivation and success in their life outside of school. Listen now to learn the following objectives: Learners will identify what transition-aged students are Learners ..read more

Have you ever thought about what it might look like working with transition-aged students? Even if you are currently working with them now, you may still question how to best use your skills to work with these older school-aged students effectively.  Today, we are speaking with Justin Lundstedt, OTR/L, where he will discuss many areas of TAS and executive functioning. Tune in to learn how you can help these students find motivation and success in their life outside of school. Listen now to learn the following objectives: Learners will identify what transition-aged students are Learners ..read more

Were you flabbergasted when the CDC changed the guidelines for developmental milestones In February?  You weren’t alone. But it is important to look deeper at why these changes were made. The CDC was tasked with updating the milestones and making them less confusing for those who rely on them most -  parents. The milestones are still (mostly) the same, and they are backed by research, as we discuss with Dr. Kate Barlow, OTD, OTR/L, IMH-E®, in the episode. Kate is an ambassador for the CDC, and she talks to us about the milestones established for the first five years of a child's lif ..read more

As OTPs we were taught that our profession was founded on providing a safe space for those who had a mental illness, and we were there to help them engage in occupations that were meaningful to them, yet we tend to forget the importance of this.  Today, we speak with Moni Keen to address her capstone research that addressed being an interprofessional team member and mental health in school-aged children. OTPs are often not seen as mental health providers, but we need to advocate and change that narrative.  Tune in to learn how we can advocate for mental health and how we can address ..read more