193. Supporting Learners Through Occupational Therapy with Sarah Collins
Jul 12, 2023
auto_awesome
Join Sarah Collins, a skilled occupational therapist turned homeschooling consultant, as she discusses the transformative power of homeschooling, the importance of recognizing and supporting children's abilities, and the development of motor skills for handwriting. The podcast also explores the concept of rewiring the brain through occupational therapy and the benefits of dictation and attention as tools for learning. Discover more about Sarah's impactful work at homeschoolOT.com.
Occupational therapy can be personalized to address specific learning challenges by incorporating meaningful activities aligned with the learner's interests.
Motivation and purpose are crucial in facilitating learning and overcoming challenges; aligning learning activities with personal interests can enhance engagement and confidence.
Observation and noticing skills play a significant role in learning and development, and engaging in activities that encourage these skills can enhance visual perception, attention to detail, and critical thinking.
Deep dives
Understanding the role of an occupational therapist (OT)
Occupational therapists (OTs) help individuals improve their ability to engage in daily activities or occupations. These occupations can range from basic tasks like brushing teeth to more complex activities like playing, reading, or writing. OTs consider the person's physical, cognitive, and social skills when addressing difficulties or challenges they may face. They work with individuals to build skills, adapt environments, or modify activities to enhance their overall functioning and well-being.
Personalized approach to addressing learning challenges
The podcast episode shares the story of Sarah's son, Caleb, who experienced learning challenges and how a personalized approach was taken to address his specific needs. Sarah's background as an occupational therapist allowed her to identify various factors contributing to Caleb's difficulties, such as sensory processing issues and visual tracking problems. Rather than following a rigid curriculum, Sarah focused on incorporating meaningful activities that aligned with Caleb's interests, like playing hockey and birdwatching, to support his learning process. By integrating these activities with targeted interventions, Sarah enabled Caleb to develop skills in reading, writing, and other areas at his own pace and based on his unique needs.
Importance of recognizing the individual's motivation and purpose
Throughout the episode, the significance of motivation and purpose in learning is emphasized. Sarah's son, Caleb, demonstrated a strong desire to read so he could join a club with his peers. This motivation served as a driving force that pushed him to overcome challenges. Sarah utilized Caleb's interests, like hockey and birdwatching, to enhance his learning experience and foster his sense of purpose. By making learning relevant and meaningful to Caleb, he was able to build skills and increase his confidence in reading and writing. This highlights the importance of identifying a person's intrinsic motivation and aligning learning activities with their individual purpose to facilitate growth and achievement.
The Importance of Occupational Therapy in Homeschooling
Occupational therapy plays a crucial role in supporting children with various motor and sensory needs. By focusing on the individual's needs and interests, occupational therapy helps develop essential skills for reading, writing, and other activities. The therapy emphasizes the use of occupation to build occupation, helping children improve their coordination, strength, and sensory processing. Meaningful activities such as crocheting, playing hockey, or doing chores can contribute to developing motor skills and attention. Additionally, practicing dictation, storytelling, and taking notes supports literacy and composition skills. HomeSchoolOT.com offers resources, classes, and a community to support parents in integrating occupational therapy into their homeschooling journey.
The Power of Observation and Noticing in Learning
Observation and noticing play a significant role in learning and development. Encouraging children to observe and track specific details helps improve their attention, keenness, and ability to discriminate relevant information. Engaging in activities like color walks, nature journaling, puzzles, legos, and origami enhance visual perception, attention to detail, and the ability to tell a compelling story. Noticing everyday objects and phenomena that may otherwise go unnoticed helps build visual and sensory skills. Developing these observation and noticing skills through meaningful experiences supports learning, reading, writing, and critical thinking.
Dive into a captivating conversation with our special guest Sarah Collins, a skilled occupational therapist turned homeschooling consultant. I met Sarah, known for her lively and engaging conversations, at the Michiana Homeschool Conference and there began an insightful dialogue about the powerful impact of her work.
Sarah shares her transformative journey from being introduced to homeschooling in 2016 while working with a client, to pioneering Homeschool OT in 2019. She uncovers the rich learning environment homeschooling offers and how this unique educational model motivated her to homeschool her own family.
Ever been perplexed about how to homeschool your children effectively? You're not alone. Sarah shares how she identified with parents who grappled with similar questions. It's this shared struggle that spurred her to use her expertise to consult with homeschooling parents around the globe.
We discuss handwriting, sensory processing, and executive function in the context of homeschooling. Prepare to gain comforting insights that will ease the journey of families with non-traditional learners. Discover more about Sarah and her impactful work at homeschoolOT.com.
Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention!
Begin your bilingual adventures by visiting TalkBox.Mom/Brave. Choose your language and use the coupon code BRAVE for $20 off your first box and phrase book bundle. Start talking from day one with TalkBox.Mom and add a whole new language dimension to your brave journey!
Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz
