a program of the Montgomery County Educational Service Center
To start this school year, our team is compiling some of our best examples of supports we have seen in our districts and featured in previous blog posts. Today we are highlighting all of the Best Blog Posts for Sensory Supports!
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Interventions:
Sensory Motor
Rooms: The OTs and I in each of my buildings have worked to develop sensory
motor rooms. With collaboration of the team, we have built individual sensory
motor routines to allow re-organization and focus to return to the classroom
ready to work. These individual programs are designed to meet the needs of the
students so that they can be successful throughout their school day. Once
trialed by the PT and OT, the programs are implemented on a daily basis by the
teaching staff. They are adjusted and adapted and sensory needs change.
Sensory Motor Pathways:
In
collaboration with the OTs and teaching team, a sensory motor pathway has been
developed in the front area of Stevenson Elementary to give the students a
quick movement break to reorganize and refocus the students. This pathway is
typically utilized by whole classes, individual or groups of students. The
students are escorted by teachers, paraprofessionals or other support staff.
A
sensory motor pathway was developed at Saville Elementary and Spinning Hills
Middle School in the hallways using floor tape to give the students a quick
reset near the classroom. This allows the students a movement break without
traveling too far so that class time instruction is not missed.
A sensory motor pathway at the Mad River Early Childhood Education Center was developed using sit spots on carpet and situated in the hallway near the classrooms. Due to the age of the building, floor tape is not able to be utilized and thus the sit spots on the carpet have been valuable in promoting a motor pathway and a quick movement break.
Adaptive Equipment/Mobility Devices:
As
a PT working with students and teams in the schools, mobility and accessing the
school environment through mobility is very important. Determing what
appropriate mobility device to help students navigate the school environment is
crucial and then providing staff education on how to implement these devices
successfully throughout the school day is equally as important. These mobility
devices include walkers, gait trainers, and wheelchairs. Standers are utilized
and can be dynamic or static. I have students that are able to walk but
demonstrate behaviors that impact their ability to mobilize successfully from
one location to the next in the school environment, thus a wagon is utilized.
This has been a successful tool to transition students. A weighted mobile cart
has been utilized with a varity of students to provide a heavy work movement
break. Purposeful walks using pictures that are highly motivating for the
student have been utilized successfully and daily for our students. These walks
can be utilized with a weighted back pack, weighted mobile cart, pushing or
riding in the wagon, riding a bike or a scooter, or walking with or without a
mobility device. Tricycles and adaptive bikes have been utilized a highly motivating
movement break for students. These have been implemented into daily individual
sensory motor routines. Adaptive seating is trialed and implemented into the
classroom with collaboration of OT, PT, and teaching team.
Motor
Groups:
PT,
OT, and SLP motor groups were implemented at preschool and Stevenson Elementary
to provide our students with a multi-disciplinary approach to meeting all their
needs on a once a month basis.
Structured 3 Bins:
The
3 tiered bin system has been utilized the past couple of years during PT
sessions and PT/OT sessions with great success. I have utilized both a mobile
bin system and 3 individual bin systems labeled 1, 2, and 3 with choice at the
end. The students match the number on the outside of the bin and the stuctured
work is located in each bin. This system has allowed consistent structure and
minimized behaviors. This bin system is utilzed for the majority of my
treatment sessions.
I
am super blessed to work with some amazing team members. Special thank you to
my awesome OT’s Denise Campbell (whom is featured in some of these pictures),
Ashley McCoy, Jess Foster, and Jenn Dietz. They sure make my job as a PT
wonderful!!!!"
And we are super blessed to have Terri as one of our A-LIST partners! Thank you so much Terri for sharing all of these amazing examples and welcome to our A-LIST!
Given nearly 30 years of experience as an occupational therapist, Tracey Cooper has a wealth of knowledge to share with fellow occupational therapists and special educators in today's ALIST Spotlight. Check out the post below from Tracey to learn more about the wonderful interventions and supports she provides to her students:
"I started in the medical model and transitioned to the school setting over 20 years ago. I am employed by Clark County ESC and have had the honor to work in the Tecumseh Local School district during these 20 years and several years in the Clark Shawnee school district. I work closely using a collaborative team approach with the Occupational Therapy Assistants, Intervention Specialists, Teachers, parents, other related service providers, and the special education departments with the goal of meeting the students’ physical, mental, and emotional needs using a holistic, positive approach.
Interventions:
Zones of Regulation and Sensory Rooms: I have had so much fun
working collaboratively with my teams to individualize a sensory room for each
building to meet student needs. We have
developed a consistent check in and out system using the Zones of Regulation and utilize visual supports for a
structured routine to facilitate regulation for school readiness. The rooms
were designed with a more active side and a calm side of the room. An IS is a key point of control for each
building who continues to collaborate with OT and PT for student success.
Movement Motor Pathways: In addition to the sensory rooms, movement motor pathways have been integrated into many of the buildings where I work. I have met with the principal of the building and other team members collaboratively for philosophy, different options, environmental considerations and some of the buildings have moved forward to install sensory motor pathways. The pathways have a systematic approach to being utilized for classrooms or individual students during the school day.
Integrating Course Work: Yoga for classrooms, Brain gym, and S’cool
Moves are courses I have attended and integrate into the classroom and school
community to advocate for student movement needs.
Self-care/Life Skills: Self-care needs have
grown in the schools. I work
collaboratively with the teachers and families to integrate student needs into
academics for more consistent practice for skill acquisition. I use Fine Motor Boot Camp, Self-Care with
Flare, hand strengthening and manipulation activities integrated into academics
such as hole punching with counting, daily tying practice, and sequencing
skills to make a sandwich just for a few examples. I meet with the special education
supervisor so that we can help guide teachers with life skill recommendations
to build the needed motor skills for students, such as crossing midline and
using two hands to sweep.
Handwriting Components: To address handwriting
skills, I begin with the components for handwriting, then progress to
integrating more task demands to compile the skills needed for independent
writing. Handwriting Without Tears curriculum is the main program integrated
into therapy using evidence based concepts and approaches to develop the
components for writing skills. In
therapy I task grade to help students develop the writing skills for the
classroom setting using visually modified paper, visual editing checklists,
helping teachers with modifying tasks in the classroom setting such as
journals, simplifying worksheets, agendas, integrating visual tracking
activities, modifying placement student desk, posture needs, and so much more.
School Community and Collaboration: School community is key for
the holistic approach to the student in the school setting. Looking at the student needs functionally in
a variety of settings including lunch, recess, specials, sports is beneficial
to make sure the student can participate in all areas at school.
Utilizing school resources in the community where students help other students is a philosophy I integrate. In previous years the wood shop has made slant boards and scooters boards. The vocational agriculture class has made materials for students to assemble planters. The PTO has donated money for sensory room resources. The tennis coach has donated tennis balls to integrate into hand strengthening resources.
In order to build team unity and continue in collaborative approaches to student success, I have created and facilitated grade-level in-services, building in-services, worked with Mental Health Therapists to present a one-day district in-service, as well as communicate regularly with teachers, intervention specialists, school psychologists, building principals, special education teams and staff.
I take every educational opportunity and utilize a highly collaborative team approach in my districts to support both teacher and student needs to ensure success and support for students within the educational environment. My overarching goal is to ensure students are living their lives to the fullest, not only in school building environments, but will also be able to transfer skills learned and gained while in therapy into their life for maximized independence and success. My passion is to create, design, and grow departments that are highly collaborative teams and centered around the students’ needs, interests, and success.
I am blessed as I love being an OT!"
And we are blessed to have Tracey as one of our ALISTers! Thank you Tracey for being such a wonderful partner to our team and for your dedication to best practices for us to share with others! Your students are so fortunate to have you!
