5 tips for success in a school-based fieldwork setting

There is a big translation from your didactic semesters to your fieldwork semesters—you are applying years of knowledge and expanding your clinical skill set to be used as you become a practitioner. Starting in a new setting is intimidating, but growing as a future occupational therapist (OT) is exciting. This fall, I had the pleasure of spending my second Level II fieldwork placement with an occupational therapist in the New York City Department of Education. It was an incredible experience that taught me many lessons and helped me develop a variety of skills. In this article, I will share 5 tips I found most helpful working in a school setting.

Embrace a Strengths-Based Approach

Unlike acute or rehab settings, where goals are to be achieved in as little as days or weeks, school-based occupational therapy goals are set for the school year. At the beginning of the school year, I felt as though these goals were far away from being achieved. I have found it to be extremely important for both myself and my students to celebrate small victories in each session. Breaking down a goal into smaller, more achievable milestones is a great way to create confidence in your student. Recognizing strengths during the session by saying things like “I love how you’re using your thumb and index finger when holding your pencil, your handwriting has improved so much” not only gives your student a boost in confidence but positively reinforces the learned skill. I’ve observed that a student is much more likely to continue the skill if they are recognized for doing it. The students will grow with each small victory they accomplish.

Master Classroom Management

Each child is unique, with their own set of strengths and challenges. Many children struggle with behaviors that impact their participation across academic settings. With any student, it is important to establish expectations for occupational therapy sessions. It could be as simple as sitting with the child and verbally going over the activities for the sessions, or it could mean implementing visual cues such as a checklist or an “If/Then” chart. It is also important to remember our students have to sit at a desk for many hours and sometimes just want a break. This could mean doing something physical like a sensory activity or an obstacle course, or something stationary like watching a video or playing a song. Establishing classroom management skills helps build rapport with your students and leads to success in your sessions.

Promote Collaboration and Teamwork

It is important to remember you are not doing this alone. You are one moving part of a large team for each of your students. Communication and collaboration are key for all the moving parts to run smoothly. This means communicating with other service providers to see what is working during their sessions, and how you can all support across sessions. This also means collaborating with teachers on helpful classroom strategies, if the child is translating skills learned to the classroom and other ways you both can help your student achieve their goals. Most importantly, we should discuss the student's recent successes and goal progress with the parents or guardians. Sending home worksheets or crafts completed during sessions is a great way to show parents/guardians what the student is working on in occupational therapy. I’ve also found that students benefited from conversations about what they think is working and how they are using their skills in the classroom. Educating students to advocate for themselves, whether using adaptive equipment, taking breaks, or asking for more help, is a skill that can encourage long-term success.

Focus on the Long-Term Impact

When creating interventions, I would always ask myself: “How can this translate into classroom success?” One of my most successful interventions was the monthly calendars created on the first session of each month. The student would fill the calendar with important dates such as holidays, days off, birthdays, and other academic or personal dates. This not only addresses handwriting skills but planning/organizing skills important in executive functioning and promotes independence in the classroom. Additionally, developing interventions that work on multiple skills can help students function in multiple contexts. For example, a color-cut-and-paste activity can address fine motor, visual motor, and executive functioning skills, all three of which promote independence inside and outside of the classroom.

Be Flexible and Creative

Flexibility is a skill that can be applied to any setting, from acute to ortho to rehab, and especially to schools. Something is always happening, such as absences, a school trip, an assembly, or tests. It is best to expect the unexpected. Like adults, children have bad days and good days; learning to pivot ideas and interventions is important to successful sessions. When developing interventions, think of ways to grade the activity up or down. For each session come up with a few ideas, even if you don’t get to all of them, you have a few as backup if others aren’t working as intended. Most importantly, have fun and be creative! You can turn almost anything into an intervention if you think long enough and break down each skill. Crafts, board games, and obstacle courses are a few examples of fun ways I’ve found to develop skills that help students achieve their goals.

By incorporating these tips, I have built a solid foundation for becoming an occupational therapist in a school-based setting. It is important to remember to be flexible, open to learning, and, most importantly, to create a positive, supportive environment for students to work in.

Emily Olsen is a third-year Doctor of Occupational Therapy student at New York Institute of Technology. She is currently completing her capstone, which is the development of an activities-based support group for adolescents who have lost a parent or sibling. She has interests in school-based therapy, sensory integration, and early intervention. She is excited to finish her last semester and graduate in May.