Joan, Thanks for sharing your story.... I work as a pediatric therapist for my local school system. I also run an after school/weekend handwriting tutoring business with a partner, in which I tutor children specifically for prewriting, print writing or cursive writing. I see typically developing children as well as children who have IEP's. My tutoring is a bit laid back when compared to the sessions and documentation that I do for my full time OT position. In the tutoring environment we work with the Handwriting Without Tears program mainly. After an initial screening we sit down and discuss strengths/challenges and possible outcomes for tutoring with the parents. Most families would just like to see more legible writing (i.e. better spacing, sizing, letter formation, etc). We add a lot of fun activities in the mix, so it is not just handwriting and we are working on strengthening, visual motor skills etc. We verbally discuss progress with the families, and they get the work samples from us so the parents see the progress that way. Many parents also proudly tell us that their child's teacher tells them they see the improvement with handwriting. This is especially great when the teacher doesn't even know they are getting some extra support/practice outside of school. The reason I was writing to the group is to get some more "fun" activities for my outside tutoring. My warmups are for about 5-7 minutes, something that will help with strengthening, motor planning, problem solving, or may have components that assist with visual motor skills. I do a lot with putty, play-doh, puzzles, tongs, mini-games like connect four or battleship....but always looking for some more:) I try to individualize the warm ups, but the kids always want to try it all so I mix it up based upon interest. I am not sure how many OT's who work in peds write in, but always looking to share ideas... thanks,Angela B.> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected]> Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:31:50 -0600> Subject: Re: [OTlist] ideas for fine motor warm ups for HW students? A story - long> > I am most interested in what occupational goals your handwriting> students have. What is a handwriting student? How are they different> from other students? Are they different from each other? How are they> assessed? What do you use for outcomes? After the 'warm up' is> intervention individualised?> In a rural practice we are not specialised and have lots of 'one off'> situations.> I am reminded of a twelve year old boy who was referred to me because of> hand writing. At least that was the 'problem' from his teacher's point> of view. Through data gathering from his parents it was clear that his> lack of shoulder girdle development as an infant had not supported> finding his hands during the period when he would have been> differentiating his fingers. Although his shoulders had caught up he> used his hands like mitts with four fingers together and thumb> opposition. He had accommodated and adapted to manage most of what he> needed to do to survive both at home and in the school system. His desk> was messy because he shoved things into it and many things fell on the> floor. Part of a card playing family, he regularly squeezed cards 'too> hard'. In every area of his life there were required occupational> activities that were compromised but he managed somehow to get through.> I live in cowboy country. What was important to this young boy was> rodeo. He was an excellent horse man and lariat thrower. He was a member> of a competitive roping team and the excitement poured out of him as he> told me about that part of his life. Ropers usually have one position> that is their specialty but they work hard to make sure they can move> into any other position if the need arises. When I asked about this he> wilted and with tears in his eyes told me he couldn't tie knots. We> never did any hand writing exercises. It took about three months of> struggling to lift one finger at a time, putty, pinch grasp activities> including model building and lots of other things until he was able to> write more than one beautiful line of script before his hand cramped and> his writing became illegible but that was an artefact and barely noticed> by him. His whole focus was to have hands that could tie knots. We> worked together to develop short term goals to help him chart progress.> The important day for him was when although slowly with his team-mates> cheering him on and struggling to give him the time he needed he tied> down a calf. > > The expertise of the profession of Occupational Therapy is;> > - to become consciously aware of mismatches between basic> abilities and task demands (cognitive, psychological, social and> physical), which interfere with the performance of needed, wanted,> expected or potential occupations;> - to analyze the mismatches; and> - to design and offer interventions to resolve the mismatches. > > > Joan Riches B.Sc.O.T., OT(C)> Specialist in Cognitive Disability> Riches Consulting> High River, Alberta, Canada> 403 652 7928> > > -----Original Message-----> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On> Behalf Of susanne> Sent: October 23, 2008 7:32 PM> To: [email protected]> Subject: Re: [OTlist] ideas for fine motor warm ups for HW students??> > > On Friday, October 24, 2008 1:03 AM, Ron wrote:> > > What the heck are HW Students?> > Ah Ron - this cracked me up - that YOU asked this question and not I -> guess misery loves company:-)> > BTW - after some thinking I came up with this guess: "Hand Writing> Students". Is that it, Angela?> > warmly> > susanne, denmark> > > --> Options?> www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com> > Archive?> www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]> No virus found in this incoming message.> Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com > Version: 8.0.175 / Virus Database: 270.8.2/1741 - Release Date:> 10/23/2008 7:54 AM> > > > --> Options?> www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com> > Archive?> www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] _________________________________________________________________ See how Windows Mobile brings your life together—at home, work, or on the go. http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/msnnkwxp1020093182mrt/direct/01/ -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com
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