Hey Reader,

There is this idea in school-based OT that we have to know it all.

And if we don’t, then we should feel insecure about it. #ImposterSyndrome

But that's being a bit harsh of us to put that pressure on ourselves.

I mean, look at doctors. They don’t all specialize in radiology, surgery, and developmental disorders.

The same goes for teachers… They specialize by grade level or subject matter.

Yet, here we are trying to be an expert on Autism, Trauma, Cerebral Palsy, MTSS, Sensory Integration, Handwriting, etc, and feeling insecure for not being able to

My response to this?

Being a great OT isn’t about knowing everything.

Rather, it is about knowing where to find the information you need and implementing it in a timely manner.

That is why I write these newsletters and draft articles you can reference at otschoolhouse.com.

It’s also why I firmly believe that every OT practitioner should be a member of AOTA - so you can access the research, guidelines, and other resources AOTA provides to every member.

AOTA doesn't create nearly as much school-based OT content as I wish they would, but what they do create is pretty helpful.

Here are six of the AOTA resources I believe are essential for every school-based OT to have bookmarked:

• The AOTA School-Based Practice Settings page — a hub of school-based OT resources, tools, and advocacy links.
• The School-Based Occupational Therapy: Myth vs Reality page — a myth-busting rundown of what school-based OTPs actually do.
• The Guidelines for Occupational Therapy Services in Early Intervention and Schools — AJOT guidelines defining OT’s role and best practices in EI and schools.
• The Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for Children and Youth Ages 5-21 Years — evidence-based recommendations for school-age OT interventions and outcomes.
• The AOTA Occupational Profile School-Based Pediatric Example — a downloadable sample occupational profile tailored to school settings.
• The countless OT Practice (AOTA’s magazine) articles that highlight how school-based OT practitioners have translated evidence into practice.
• Bonus 1: The brand new AskAOTA Chat Bot — a quick Q&A tool for finding AOTA answers and resources.
• Bonus 2:AOTA’s 2023 Workforce and Compensation Survey Premium Report — You may not need to bookmark this one, but when you are negotiating your salary, this workforce and salary data can sure come in handy!

If you are not an AOTA member, several of these links won’t work for you. The chatbot will definitely limit you to just a few prompts per week.

Now, before you ask (or maybe you already did) - this email is not sponsored by AOTA in any capacity. AOTA has no idea I am sending this email out. I am an AOTA-approved provider of Continuing Education, but this has nothing to do with that.

I simply respect what AOTA does for us. Even on their “worst day,” they are still the only organization advocating for us and our ability to support students in Washington, D.C. They also help us by publishing research we can share with the teachers and admin we work with.

So, could AOTA "do better"? Sure. But will they support us as best they can with the resources they have? Absolutely.

Now, please excuse me while I go renew my AOTA membership. 😁

Doing > Learning AOTA membership gives you access to guidelines, AJOT articles, OT Practice articles, advocacy tools, workforce data, and professional resources. The Back to School Conference helps you apply those ideas directly to school-based OT practice. At the B2S Conference, you'll receive how-to tips from practitioners who understand the school setting, the IEP process, collaboration, documentation, service delivery, and the day-to-day realities of supporting students. ​ Transform your knowledge into practice ​Sign up now for the Back To School Conference

RESEARCH 🧪

This week's research article is Interventions Within the Scope of Occupational Therapy to Improve Children's Academic Participation: A Systematic Review by Grajo, Candler, and Sarafian (AJOT, 2020).

The review included 46 studies and highlights evidence for interventions related to classroom participation, literacy, and handwriting, including strong evidence for therapeutic practice in handwriting intervention.

It is a good reminder that school-based OT belongs in the academic participation conversation, not just the "fine motor" box.

If you've heard that "weighted vests don't work." This is one of the articles that supports that.

LAST WORD 👋​
​No AOTA = No OT Schoolhouse

Alright, now that my AOTA subscription is renewed (and on auto-renewal), here is my stance on AOTA

If you are a school-based OT practitioner, AOTA should be part of your professional ecosystem.

Not because AOTA has all the answers, but because they have created resources, guidelines, publications, advocacy pathways, and professional opportunities that help make our work more visible and defensible.

The OT Schoolhouse would not exist without everything AOTA has done - not just 100 years ago, but also in the last decade.

AOTA has opened doors for this profession. It has opened doors for me and you to work in the schools.

It is on us now to walk through those doors, use the resources, question what needs updating, and bring the best of occupational therapy into schools.

So thank you for doing that work in your district, with your teachers, and for the students on your caseload.

And if you want a practical next step beyond reading the resources, I hope you will join us at the Back to School Conference.

​Join us here​

Until next time,

👋 Jayson

Jayson Davies, MA, OTR/L
​
​Say hi 👋 on Instagram, LinkedIn,
and inside the School-Based OT Collaborative​