“So you help people get jobs?” The dreaded question that occupational therapists (OTs) hear all too often about their role as a practitioner. To us, the word ‘occupation’ is our pride and joy, and it is often misunderstood. In occupational therapy, “occupations refer to the everyday activities that people do as individuals, in families, and …
One near and dear part of being a social worker is being able to facilitate social work groups with our students. Our social work groups across all of our programs focus on meeting the social-emotional needs of our students and beyond. These groups focus on different topics that provide our students an opportunity to share. …
ACES, or Adverse Childhood Experiences, come in many forms, from physical and mental abuse to neglect and household dysfunction. In 1998, CDC-Kaiser Permanente published a groundbreaking study that investigated the impact of ACEs on physical and mental health problems in over 17,000 adults. Now that we understand how toxic stress affects the minds and bodies …
After many years of struggling with literacy in school settings, many students become reluctant readers by the time they are in high school. Two of the most important factors in choosing a novel for these students are: Will the student be able to read the subject matter? How does the student learn best? Visual learners …
What we love most about a library’s summer reading program is that it brings the community together. Everyone has the same goal, which is to read, of course. And no matter what you read or how you read it (listening to audio books, e-reading, shared reading), everyone can participate and be included. Children with special …
Teaching students in special education classrooms can be a complex task with so many varying needs and challenges. Here are a few quick tips for working with special education students at home this summer! Autism Spectrum When working with students on the autism spectrum, every student will be unique. But there are common characteristics such …
Every important social issue is impacted by literacy. When individuals learn how to read, write, do basic math, and use computers, they have the power to find sustainable employment and ultimately change their lives. One question one of our social work interns wonders is: “Is it ever too late to learn literacy skills?” To some, …
Summer break is right around the corner and although it is good for students to get a break from school, it is important to keep them active in their learning. Keeping kids’ heads in books can help them continue to grow and retain knowledge they learned in school. One way to keep your child engaged …
Exercise is an important component to maintaining a healthy lifestyle for all children. In the United States, over 16% of children between the ages of 2 and 19 years of age are considered overweight or obese. For children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), this percentage is even higher with 19% of children with ASD classified …
It is good to know of other organizations empowering people with autism to create societal change. One such organization is the nonprofit, Autism Self-Advocacy Network, also known as ASAN. The Autism Self-Advocacy Network “seeks to advance the principles of the disability rights movement with regard to autism. ASAN believes that the goal of autism advocacy …
