The OT Schoolhouse Podcast for School-Based OT Practitioners

Latest Episodes:

Your Questions, Jayson's Answers: An OT Month Special Episode on Sensory, Handwriting, Tiered Intervention, & More Apr 17, 2023

Show notes

Welcome to a special episode of the OT Schoolhouse Podcast, where we celebrate OT Month and the anniversary of the OT Schoolhouse Podcast!
We're excited to bring you an episode packed with valuable insights, as Jayson answers questions submitted by our listeners.
Tune in as we cover a variety of topics related to OT, such as creative contests for school-aged students, strategies to help parents prepare for changes in their child's OT services, the use of sensory checklists, and tips for becoming a more confident OT practitioner.
We'd like to extend a big thank you to all those who submitted their questions and helped make this episode possible. So sit back, relax, and let's dive in!

Listen now to learn the following objectives:

Learners will identify how to help build confidence as a new practitioner
Learners will identify strategies to help parents prepare for dismissal from OT services
Learners will identify how to utilize Sensory Checklists in an educational setting.

Resources

Click here to view the full show notes.

Thanks for tuning in!
Thanks for tuning into the OT Schoolhouse Podcast brought to you by the OT Schoolhouse Collaborative Community for school-based OTPs. In OTS Collab, we use community-powered professional development to learn together and implement strategies together.
Don't forget to subscribe to the show and check out the show notes for every episode at OTSchoolhouse.com
See you in the next episode!

Choose Wisely: Linking Motor Reflex Integration to Occupation Apr 03, 2023

Show notes

Do you ever wonder how much our early reflexes impact our physical, cognitive, and emotional development? What about the importance of reflex integration and rhythmic movements in shaping these abilities?

In this episode, Sonia Story sheds light on these intriguing connections and explains why reflex integration is critical for a child's growth and development.

Get ready to rethink the role of reflexes and discover the fascinating world of neurological soft signs and sensory integration.

Listen now to learn the following objectives:

Learners will identify neurological soft signs and what happens when they are inhibited
Learners will identify how sensory integration and retained reflexes are connected
Learners will identify why reflex integration is such a fundamental foundational system of movements

Resources (May be affiliate links)

Watch this episode on YouTube

Get your Free Supporting Evidence E-Book

Get the Infant Reflexes Chart

Brain & Sensory Foundation Course - Use discount code: OTSH30OFF by April 30, 2023
Thanks for listening. Click here to view the full show note

The Role SLPs Play in Schools Mar 20, 2023

Show notes

Are you an OT who wants to level up your knowledge on how to work collaboratively with SLPs to support students in school? Well, you're in for a treat!

Today's episode features a special guest, Rose, a school-based speech therapist and Founder of ABA SPEECH. She will share her wisdom on the important role that SLPs play in schools and how OTPs can collaborate with SLPs to provide the best possible support for students.

Tune in to learn more!
View the Show Notes for all the resources mentioned.

Supporting Students to Self-Regulate with The Alert Program® Mar 06, 2023

Show notes

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.

Learning with LEGO: 9 Creative Ideas for Occupational Therapy in Schools Feb 21, 2023

Show notes

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

Supporting Teachers: A Win-Win Situation Feb 06, 2023

Show notes

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
Resources

Read the full article here (a subscription may be required)
Join OTS Collaborative, where you can earn professional development and get support implementing best practices in school-based OT.
Article Citation
- Jamie Mac Donald & Heidi Baist (2022) Using Virtual Collaboration and Education to Increase Teachers’ Ability to Promote Self-regulation, Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention, 15:4, 403-417, DOI: 10.1080/19411243.2021.1983497

Challenging Typical Handwriting Traditions Jan 23, 2023

Show notes

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 awesome handwriting program Cheryl has created that can help a child learn to write in five weeks!
Listen now to learn the following objectives:

Learners will identify why it is beneficial to start with learning lowercase letters
Learners will identify the reasons children may present with pseudo dysgraphia
Learners will identify and understand how reading and writing collide and impact one another
Learners will identify how handwriting heroes use a multi-sensory approach and how it benefits all children, especially those with learning disabilities.
Learners will identify specific assessments that do not correlate with handwriting outcomes.

Click here to view the full show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode.

Going Beyond Trauma-Informed Care Jan 09, 2023

Show notes

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 identify how an OTP can address mental health with a student

Click here to view the full show notes, including links to resources mentioned in this episode.

Dysgraphia: How You Can Support Teachers & Students Dec 12, 2022

Show notes

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 learn the following objectives:

Learners will identify the different tiers and types of dysgraphia
Learners will identify the different types of bilateral integration
Learners will identify two-minute interventions that address the core components of writing

Click here to view the full show notes

Finding Motivation in Transition-Aged Students: From Limitations to Success Nov 14, 2022

Show notes

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 will identify how OTPs can work with transition-aged students
Learners will identify how the domains of the OTPF-4 play a role in transition-aged students

Click here to view the full show notes and resources for this episode.