Week 2: Ideas for Learning Experiences in School-Based OT Fieldwork

As a Level 2 OT fieldwork student in school-based practice, there is much to learn. Not only will you be learning about education, curriculum, diagnoses & disabilities, child development, evaluation, and treatment, but you will also be learning different documentation styles and requirements, professional participation in a variety of different types of meetings with the educational team, and trying to wrap your head around all the different contexts and environments that the school setting provides. In school-based OT practice, time flies and things are fast-paced!

The school setting is so very different than many other settings where OTs work. While the role of OT is always to support clients in promoting health and well-being through participation in daily occupations, in the school setting the role of OT is to do this as part of the inter-professional team that is responsible helping all children, regardless of disability, to successfully participate and benefit from their education.

In order to do that, it is helpful to engage in specific learning activities as an OT fieldwork student that will help to enhance your understanding of the dynamic fabric of contexts of a typical school day.

Chances are, your fieldwork educator will be supervising you and providing you with weekly learning experiences that fit that particular school setting. As a fieldwork student, you may have specific requirements to fulfill from your university program, and you should ideally be engaged in setting your own personal and professional goals for your fieldwork experience. Reflecting on your strengths, challenges, and areas of interest is an important part of the fieldwork experience as you evolve into an independent entry-level practitioner. Frequent and consistent communication and feedback between yourself and your supervisor is of utmost importance.

If you have your own ideas for learning or are looking to add to your current experience, consider the following suggestions as potential learning plans for the Level 2 OT fieldwork experience in school-based practice, and discuss options with your fieldwork educator supervisor.

Potential Level 2 Fieldwork Learning Experiences:

• Observe a general education class during core subjects such as language arts or math to see the flow and demands of this classroom setting.

• Observe the classroom routines and expectations of different self-contained special education classrooms. Take note of particular teaching methods, modifications in curriculum, and routines and expectations of the students in this setting. There are many categories of educational placements and classroom styles, each of which cater to the unique learning needs of those particular students. Common categories of these types of classrooms include multiple disabilities (MD), autism, and Intellectual Disability (ID).

• Observe 1:1 teaching session for a student on your caseload with their special education teacher.

• Observe students on your supervisor's caseload in treatment sessions of other disciplines such as speech therapy, physical therapy, or a counseling group in a classroom.

• Observe the non-academic contexts of the school day - including special-area classes (art, music, gym class, media, technology, etc), as well as recess and lunch periods. Think about what how these environments influence students.

• With your supervisor, plan to visit other parts of the school setting that may not be in your current location. Try to spend time with other therapists and observe their work with students who span the ages in the educational continuum. Ideas include preschoolers, students in kindergarten through grade 5, middle schoolers, and high schoolers.

• Try to observe or participate in specific programs that may be part of the regular education for students at certain grade levels, such as community-based instruction (CBI) for middle schoolers.

Some words of advice - be patient and take it all in. It may seem overwhelming at times because of all the layers involved in school based practice. That's ok! Have confidence that in time, it will all sink in and make sense as you get more familiar with the kids on your caseload and you get into the flow of your fieldwork experience.

You will feel much more confident (hopefully!) as you approach your halfway point around Weeks 5-6.