Hey Reader,

A few weeks ago, I shared how a teacher in-service can open the door to better collaboration.

Today, I want to share a simple follow-up that’s helped me move from giving general advice to actually working alongside teachers.

And trust me, this is even simpler than planning an in-service.

After you run your in-service (or even if you haven't run an in-service), reach out to one grade-level team (aka “The # Grade Team”) and ask if you can join their next planning meeting. The goal is to listen and learn what challenges they’re running into right now.

Grade-level planning might happen weekly or just a few times a month. Either way, it’s a perfect chance to step into a semi-structured, real-world collaborative space with teachers who are already in a planning mindset.

I did this once with the general education kindergarten team at one of my schools. We spent a full 45 minutes talking about behavior and how what they see from their students is often more than simple “protesting.”

We explored how personal factors, the environment, and occupational demands all shape what we see in the classroom. (And yes, I’ll take any opportunity I can to bring in the PEO model.)

That single meeting with teachers I’d barely worked with before led to me observing 2 of their 3 classrooms the following week. From there, I was able to follow up with suggestions based on what I observed and what they had already shared.

Why is this so impactful?

Because it starts with their concerns, not yours.

When the conversation begins with what teachers are already trying to solve, they’re naturally more open to problem-solving and trying suggestions you might have about improving their classrooms.

We often talk about child-led Tx sessions. Think of this as a Teacher-led collaborative session. Let them lead. Listen to their real concerns. And provide real solutions.

It's just like an individualized OT evaluation, except for an entire grade or classroom.

It's MTSS at its best!

And all it takes is one simple question in an email to the (insert grade level here) team:

It's that simple!
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But if you want even more support with your MTSS programming, check out Episode 203 of the OT Schoolhouse Podcast, where Dr. Courtney Boitano discusses MTSS, teacher consultation, and tiered sensory supports.

​Listen to Episode 203​

In my experience, one focused teacher in-service can lead to more follow-up questions, classroom conversations, and opportunities to support students than a polished report that gets filed away and rarely revisited. And you do not need to prepare a 90-minute professional development session or build an elaborate slide deck. An actionable in-service can be 20 or 30 minutes long. It can focus on one concern teachers already want help with and end with one realistic next step. Here is how to plan a session teachers can use—and that makes it easier for them to collaborate with you afterward. Keep reading ↗

CONTINUING EDUCATION 🎓

Want support building this kind of collaboration into your practice?

At the Back to School Conference this year, Dr. Moira Bushell will be sharing practical ideas for MTSS and teacher collaboration.

And if you choose the Conference + Collaborative option, you will also get access to ongoing school-based OT resources, including tools and trainings that can help you move from “I wish teachers understood OT” to “I have a plan for supporting teachers this year.”

That includes resources like teacher in-service materials, practical implementation tools, mentorship, CEUs, and more.

Join the School-Based OT Collaborative today and attend this course live on August 29th & 30th.

​Explore Conference + Collab access​

RESEARCH 🧪

Teacher Perspectives on Collaboration with OTs

A recent article on Victorian primary school teachers’ perspectives found that collaboration with occupational therapists is important because teachers are often the ones implementing OT recommendations consistently in the classroom.

That is exactly why grade-level planning meetings can be so valuable. They create space for teachers and OTPs to problem-solve together before supports become disconnected from the real classroom context.

​Read the article​

LAST WORD 👋​
​Get the most bang for your time

I have often said that in 30 minutes, I can help one student, a small group of students, or a teacher who will go on to support hundreds of students.

I love working individually with students.

But helping a teacher view their students in a different way, and then watching that shift change how they teach moving forward?

That gets me excited.

So here is my challenge for you:

Find one grade level this year and ask if you can join one planning meeting.

Do not overcomplicate it.

Show up, listen, answer questions, and look for the moment where your OT lens can help teachers see the student, the environment, or the task differently.

Have you tried this before? Did it work?

Hit reply and let me know.

See you next time,

👋 Jayson

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