In this episode, Jayson interviews fellow occupational therapist, Akemi McNeil (formerly Davies). Akemi is currently the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator at Stanbridge University's Master's of Science in Occupational Therapy program where she works with hospitals, clinics, schools and other employers in order to place upwards of 120 students in an appropriate fieldwork setting.  In this podcast, Jayson and Akemi talk over what it means to be a fieldwork educator and what every school-based OT should know before taking on a student.  Have a listen if you are interested in the following objectives: Listeners will understand the requirements for being a level 1 and/or level 2 fieldwork educator. Listeners will understand what is expected of both fieldwork educators and fieldwork students. Listeners will understand how they can provide learning experiences to fieldwork students in a school-based setting Earn Profesional Development Units for listening to this podcast here! See the episode show notes here.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.comSee you in the next episode!

In this episode, Jayson Interviews Dr. Amy Sadek about how every school-based occupational therapist should be using evidence-based practices and how to find the research that guides what they are doing. Dr. Sadek's background in nutrition and occupational therapy led her to earn a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences. Dr. Sadek's research focused on linking nutrition with behavioral changes in children with Autism. While completing her research she quickly learned how difficult it can be to be an evidence-based practitioner, as well as, how difficult it can be to conduct research in public schools. Listen in as Dr. Amy Sadek shares just how any school-based OT can take part in evidence-based practices and research opportunities. Earn Professional Development for listening to this episode here!  Have a listen if you would like to freshen up on today's learning objectives, which are: Understand the barriers to practicing EBP and conducting further research within Public schools.   Understand the steps to implement evidence-based practices (EBP) in a school setting. Understand the levels of research and the steps to appraising a research article Links to Show References: Have a question for Dr. Sadek? You can contact her at [email protected] "Antioxidants and Autism: Teachers' Perceptions of Behavioral Changes"- This is a link to Dr. Sadek's study in the Advances in Mind-Body Medicines Journal. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT) - Often referenced to in the show as the AJOT, this is one most attributed journals as it relates to occupational therapy.  Guidelines for Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy In California Public Schools - Referred to in the show as the OTPT Guidelines, this document published by the California Department of Education is a useful resource to all School-based OTs, not just those in California. To access it, visit OTSchoolHouse.com/guidelines and click on the state of California.  ProQuest - ProQuest is a research search engine that is accessible to all National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certificants. Just one more reason why each and every OT and OTA should maintain their NBCOT certification.  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.comSee you in the next episode!

In this episode, Jayson chats with Hopemarie Hower, OTR/L, the winner of the OT School House School's Out Giveaway conducted in June of 2018. Together, Jayson and Hopemarie discuss the similarities and differences between practicing OT in California and Florida. Hopemarie also shares how she collaborates with her school team to conduct assistive technology assessments and how she garners buy-in from her teachers when implementing sensory strategies.  Don't want to miss out on future giveaways, be sure to subscribe to our email list!  Links to Show References: Contact Hopemarie Hower, OTR/L at [email protected] Products mentioned on the show (Amazon/iTunes Affiliate Links that support the OT School House): Jelly Bean Buttons - Briefly mentioned in the episode, Jelly Bean buttons are used to help non-verbal kids communicate. You can record something like "Hello!" using your voice, then every time the student activates the button you will hear "Hello!" Simple as that.  Proloquo2Go - Also briefly mentioned during the episode, this is an iPad app that allows non-verbal students a more advanced system for communication. Think of the old bulky communication devices, but on a sleek iPad or iPad mini. It's a great app, but it's not cheap.  Velcro Dots - while designed to use together to make something like a poster easily stick to a wall. Us school-based OTs can use them in many ways. One way both Hopemari and I use them is as a sensory tool that kids can rub their fingers on. Just stick them to the underside of the desk and no one will never even know the student is regulating themselves by rubbing his or her fingers on some velcro.  Theraband - Often used to develop strengthening in sub-acute rehab settings, Theraband also can help kids stay in their seats while getting the movement they need. Take a 2-foot stand of this stuff, tie the ends together and wrap it around the child's chair legs. Now the child can keep their feet busy while attending to classroom activities.   Exer-saucer (aka ExerExer-bug, aka Flying Turtle) Scooter: It's funny how so many of the tools we use have so many different names. Hopemarie introduced me to this little tricycle which is powered by trunk movements. I can only imagine how many obstacles courThanks 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.comSee you in the next episode!

  In this episode, guest Leah Hiller, OTR/L, and Jayson dive into Response to Intervention (RTI) a bit and discuss several ways occupational therapists can have an impact on students without ever completing an evaluation. RTI is a growing model in schools and as OTs, it opens the door for us helping more students in less time. It also provides opportunities for OTs to provide in-services for teachers and recommend curriculums that will benefit the social and motor aspects of student roles. Earn Professional development for OT School House Podcast episodes you've already listened to at www.OTSchoolHouse.com/pd Contact Leah Hiller, OTR/L at Hillertherapy.com Learning Without Tears (LWTears.com): Formally known as Handwriting Without Tears, LWT is a leader in developing handwriting and keyboarding curriculums. Want to hear from them on the podcast? Shoot them an email and let them know about us. We Thinkers! from SocialThinking.com: This program uses music and play to teach early learners how to manage every day social situations.  Personal Space Camp by Julia Cook (Affiliate link) Use this Amazon affiliate link to check out the book used by Leah to help her young students understand personal space in school. AOTA's FAQ On Response To Intervention (RTI) Use this link to view AOTA's description and understanding of what RTI is and how OT/COTA can use RTI in schools.  Thank you for listening.  Be sure to hit subscribe on your app so that you never miss an episode!      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.comSee you in the next episode!

In this episode, Jayson and Abby look at the many ways to earn professional development per NBCOT guidelines and share 9 specific places where you can earn your needed Professional Development Units (PDUs) or Competency Assessment Units (CAUs) as NBCOT calls them.  There is also a special announcement at the end of this episode, so stay tuned.  Have a listen to have these three questions answered: 1. Who needs continuing education and how many units do you need? 2. What counts as professional development? 3. Where can I earn professional development units? Affiliate links that help the OT School House continue podcasting: Medbridge: Use Promo code otschoolhouse for 40% off your subscription. An online hub for web-based continuing education videos. Occupationaltherapy.com - Another online hub for web-based continuing education videos PocketOT.com - A personal blog by Cara Kocinski. She offers a few online webinar courses.   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.comSee you in the next episode!

In this episode, Jayson interviews occupational therapist and Doctor of Health Sciences, Dr. Rachelle Murphy. Dr. Murphy is currently an instructor at the American Career College in Anaheim, California and she is currently in the process of researching the effects of using a mindfulness program in small charter school. During this episode, Dr. Murphy reviews recent research related to the mental health status of school-aged children and shares how she is using mindfulness and meditation to help both students and their teachers.Check out the School's out giveaway page at OTSchoolHouse.com/summerSnow notes: OTSchoolHouse.com/episode7Thanks 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.comSee you in the next episode!

In this episode, we look at two commonly used school-based Occupational therapy assessment tools. Both the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, or BOT-2, and the Miller Function & Participation Scales (M-FUN) are standardized testing tools that occupational therapist use to assess fine motor and visual motor skills in children. While they are similar in what they assess, they are very different in how they get their results. Today's Objectives: 1. What skills do both the BOT-2 and MFUN assess in a child’s educational capabilities? 2. What are the pros and cons of each assessment tool? 3. How do you decide which assessment tool is best suited for any given school-based OT assessment?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.comSee you in the next episode!

In this episode, host Abby Parana has a discussion with Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA), Steven Troyer. Steven and Abby have previously worked together and collaborated to help many of the same students meet their IEP goals. Listen in to hear Abby and Steven discuss behavior from both OT and BCBA perspectives.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.comSee you in the next episode!

In this episode, we talk to Kerry Mellin who is a motion picture and television costume designer by day, and a creator of the EazyHold by night. The EazyHold is a universal cuff she and her sisters designed that is allowing children to access occupations they never thought were possible. Hear how this idea of a modern universal cuff came to be and why we prefer it over any other cuff we have seen available. 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.comSee you in the next episode!

In this episode, Abby returns to discuss SMART-E goals and how these goals should drive a service providers decision on how frequently to see a student. 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.comSee you in the next episode!