Is my schedule working out well? Am I spending as much time as possible with students and helping teachers rather than spending too much time traveling between schools or doing paperwork? Do my teachers seem like they are more comfortable trying interventions we've discussed? Am I getting appropriate OT referrals, out-of-the-blue referrals or no referrals to speak of?
Every so often during the school year I look at my schedule, analyze where I've seen students in their school environments so far (all classroom? no time spent in resource, lunch or on/off buses?) and figure out how I can expand the service I provide. Do they also need me to see them during Art once a month to ensure that they are able to manipulate all the brushes, pastels and sculpture material? Or, should I just make a point of speaking with the Art teacher to ask about any needs.
When I make a point of speaking to the range of staff members who work with the student I always learn about at least one area of need. One year the computer resource teacher let me know that the student was seated at the most accessible workstation to accommodate his wheelchair, but this prevented him from sitting close to peers at the other, crowded part of the class. During our discussion we figured out that he could sit at a space on a different row, which was easy to "drive" to and yet be surrounded by classmates. It's more fun to sit with your friends, don't you agree?
In the photo below my "grand-dog," Mr. T, is clearly enjoying the ride. Of course, he's a fun kind of guy.
If things aren't always the way we want them to be at work, there's usually some little way or another of changing it up and making it better. I'm thinking about that now and I wonder if you'd like to do the same?
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