School
Based Occupational Therapy Pt 1 :
Are We Missing the Forest for the Trees? Cheryl
Colangelo, MS, OT/L and Molly McEwen, MHS, OTR/L
6
Contact Hours
Current school-based services for students with special
needs often address specific performance issues from a
deficit-based model. Due to the complexity and demands
of school-based practice, we often fall short in addressing
those critical elements that acknowledge both the child's
strengths and interests and help the child become a more
integrated and valued member of the classroom. Forces in
our society are fueling a major overhaul in our educational
systems that include a potentially expanded role for OT's.
Now is the time to reassess our roles! Are we ready? Do
we have the tools? This two-part workshop examines a broader,
more whole-person approach that combines the traditional
approaches to service with a more powerful occupation-based & strength-based
focus.
Part I focuses on the specifics of enhanced OT service. The broader and essential
issues of motivation, roles, habits and routines will be addressed with concrete
strategies provided for applying this approach to school-aged children. Through
examining how to add greater depth and breadth to OT services, participants will
explore tools for helping children become more integrated and contributing members
of their schools. Case scenarios common in school-based practice will be used
to demonstrate application and integration of the material presented.
Objectives: Participants will be able to
1. Articulate a renewed awareness of the OT's contribution
and value in providing comprehensive services to school-aged
children.
2. Explain the value of occupation-based frameworks as
guides for practice.
3. Identify and apply strategies of occupation-based intervention
that support a child's integration into the school
environment.
4. Describe and apply multiple models of service delivery
to enhance inter- vention effectiveness.
