OT randomness..aota conference coming up, OT in schools, etc

It's been an interesting week…..I just combed the news and don't see any mention of what happened at one of my schools so I guess I don't know if I am allowed to share. Also, one of my favoritest co-workers, ever, lost her 25 year old daughter over spring break. 🙁 Very sad. That same co-worker and special ed team gave me a beautiful plant, affectionately named Leroy, for when my grandma passed away. I'm going to the funeral on Saturday. I have never met the daughter, but I love her mom.

I had shoes hurled at me, full-force, during a group session the other day by a 3rd grader…I dodged it and didn't think about it again….funny what becomes “normal” lol.

Tomorrow I am giving two 30 minute sessions (one to kindergarten teachers, one to first grade teachers) at one of my schools, to teach them cheap/easy ideas for fine motor centers. I'm working on a hand-out, when it's done I'll share it, but I can tell you a ton of the ideas can be found at www.pinterest.com/funkist/ot-ideas

Today when one of my little guys saw me in the learning resource room, his eyes lit up and he said “Miss awesomeness miss awesomeness miss awesomeness” like ten times in a row. It was so cute. I love when kids ask to work with me, or come up to ask me when they get to work with me again, etc etc. Makes me so glad. I spend a LOT of money and TIME and ENERGY thinking of new ways to entertain/teach/help my kids and I have new stuff almost constantly, so I am glad it counts for something, lol. Like right now I am doing a lot with these tiny figurines I got as well as these funky androgynous beads….gotta take some pictures. And we are working on handwriting a lot with GIANT LETTERS versus teeny tiny letters, and lately I've focused on kid's names…it drives me crazy when I see my kids who are working on their handwriting, do a good job, yet jot their name at the top sloppily all in one size (typically they are writing their name without lines, of course). So we focus on the sizing of their name, explaining the proportions when there are not borders to guide them. IE tall letters should not be same size as short letters, blah blah.

Vision therapy comes up a lot in our district…would love to hear how other districts handle requests for vision therapy (by developmental optometrists)….

This is my one-year anniversary of working in the schools….if you don't include the fact that summer vacation and breaks means it's really more like 8 months, lol. I have learned SO FREAKING MUCH in this past year and I love it. I feel so much more confident. I still have my moments and days where I get confused or frustrated or stressed or don't feel like I quite have a grasp on something, but OVERALL, I am confident in my abilities as an OT in the elementary school system (notice I'm being specific here lol). Believe it or not I am pretty insecure in general so that's a big deal for me to be able to say that!

I've been getting more and more fun new Facebook friends who I have met via this blog…I enjoy it! Thanks everyone! Can't wait for AOTA conference next week….if you are going, please let me know! I would love to meet you! I haven't put up a very recent picture lately, I guess I should so you recognize me…I no longer look like Miss OTPF on the side, lol. Oh how about this. I'm semi tall-average, have black glasses, dark brown hair with hair tinsel (sparkles), and tend to wear excessive eye make-up. I'm really only going to be there late Friday night, all day Saturday, and early Sunday, so hope I can meet lots of you guys! I want to get a ticket for AOTPAC night so I can see some karaeoke or however you spell that, especially ARMY OT GUY as I hear he is quite the singer. 😉

Alright…I'm procrastinating as always…you guys know my longest posts always come when I should be working on a report…bleh IEP meeting in the morning…..I do love the job but don't always love the paperwork!

Good night all…

Apr 20, 2012 | Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 3