Tips for Scheduling Team Meetings

With the school year in full swing, sometimes problems come to a forefront where the entire team needs to meet on a certain student.  Or perhaps, to prevent problems from arising team meetings are needed to make sure all the key players are on the same page when supporting a student.  Now in theory team meetings are wonderful.  Based on my experience, I always benefited when all of the related service providers, teachers, parents, student and sometimes administrators were all in the room at the same time.   I gained wonderful insight about the student especially from the parents.  But, and this is a big BUT, it was very hard to schedule.  Therapists schedules are jammed packed, teachers need a sub to cover the classroom and parents may work full time.  Here are five suggestions for team meeting times that may help to bring everyone "together" to discuss a student:

1. After school in person:  when all of the students have left this can be a great time to meet.  Granted it may be off the time clock, but everyone is usually available.

2. Via email:  Depending upon the privacy of your email accounts, you could discuss issues via email.  Just make sure you check with your technology department and administrator regarding privacy.

3. During lunch schedule with different teachers:  Perhaps you can not get the entire team together but could at least meet with teachers during a lunch period.  Schedule different teachers on different days.

4. Communication notebook:  Keep a notebook available that travels with the student from home to school so all providers can keep up to date.  Check out My School Journal at  http://yourtherapysource.com/services.html or make a binder with some forms from School and Home Communication Forms.  

5. Skype after hours:  If all else fails, try Skype for after hours team meetings.

New School Year, New Goals, New Opportunities

As many of you return to work or have started already, here are some tips for the upcoming school year:

1.  Support your students - Whether the student's goal is a lofty one or a easy goal support the student 100% to achieve the goal.  Maybe it is something the student really wants to achieve.  Or perhaps a teacher feels it will benefit the student.  Whatever it may be, if you do not believe that the student can achieve it he/she probably will not.  Make it your goal to help them achieve their goals. 

2.  Be patient - Students learn at different paces.  Make sure you give them time to respond.  Whether it be to complete a functional task like dressing or to take a step allow them to initiate all movements or steps possible before you provide verbal or physical cues. 

3.  Model Appropriately - If you want students to perform a certain task a certain way try to model that task for them.  If you can not model the skill see if you can get a peer or a video to demonstrate for the student.

4.  Remember the goals - It can be hard to stay focused on a few goals when a student exhibits many needs.  But, by focusing on certain skills you can provide more assistance in areas that the student, teacher and parents have indicated to be important.  Therapists frequently catch glimpses of a student's daily routine so we need to rely on others to help to set the proper goals.

5.  Ask for help -  To repeat the sentiments in number 4, therapists catch a glimpse of a students day.  Ask questions to the student, the teachers and the parents.  The more informed you are regarding a student the more you can offer your expertise. 

Care to add any more tips to the list?