Visual-perception, LOTCA, Scorable, Minnesota Rate of Manipulation…occupational therapy labs galore

This morning we had a 3-hour lab on visual-perceptual skills. We had to use Mary Warren's hierarchical pyramid, which starts with foundational skills, then goes to visual processing skills, and then goes to the highest level, visuocognition. We did a ton of different worksheets and experimented with a ton of games to determine what visual skill or deficit was being addressed, what Occupational Therapy Practice Framework intervention approach could be used to treat it, etc. It was pretty tough. A lot harder than I would have expected. I have really incredibly poor visual-perceptual skills, especially when it comes to visual imagery, visual memory, and spatial perception, so I really struggled with almost every worksheet and game!

In the afternoon we had a lab on learning how to use the LOTCA and the Scorable assessments, both of which test some basic skills. We had to do things like sequence the order of what you would do at a laundromat, write out a check, do some basic balancing, find a certain number in a phonebook, use a map to find a location, etc.

This evening, I met my friend Sarah, and brought my OT friend Allison along last minute, to go eat Mexican outside, and to hang out a while! Then I tried to work more on my DVD-picture slideshow for new OT student orientation this weekend, and now I'm writing this. I have a thousand projects to work on but I'm probably not going to do any of it tonight. Again. This is becoming a pattern, hmm!

I found out today I got a 98 on my novel-occupational profile, and I passed the crazy-insane Frames of Reference test, so that is good news! Normally I'd be crushed with a B or C, since I'm all about the straight A's, but that Frames of Reference test was ridiculous (completely unfair in my opinion), so I'll take my C+ or low B (whatever an 88 is – that was WITH a 7 point curve), and run with it!

I'm going to go ahead and write up my handwriting post, and then do a little OT work before heading to bed. Tomorrow we have several breaks and so I think I can get quite a bit done during the day.

Future posts I'm still dying to write and I wish I had the time to do it all right this second but I'll try to get to it soon:
1. Type A+ personalities
2. Cheap OT Toolbox (via video blog)
3. AOTA Student Conclave!! In Pennsylvania in a few weeks! I'll be there! With really dorky networking business card thingies!
4. Minnesota Rate of Manipulation test (OT assessment), normal + blind-folded,  plus crazy Arkansas, California, and Tennessee versions, made up by my OT classmates! All via video.
5. Wow, I'm blanking out…guess I'll think of more later.

Nov 01, 2007 | Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none