Matthew Husband, OTD, OTR/L shares his innovative "Get to Work" program, an after-school initiative providing realistic work experiences for high school students who could succeed in employment with the right supports. The program follows a monthly pattern with on-campus training focused on hard and soft skills, followed by community-based experiences at actual workplaces including pizzerias, box stores, grocery stores, and laundry facilities.

Matthew discusses how occupational therapists can support transition planning through self-determination skills training and standardized resource guides for students and families. He emphasizes the importance of starting small with on-campus work opportunities if off-campus trips aren't feasible, including mail room tasks, cafeteria work, recycling programs, and classroom helper roles.

Whether you work in a private or public school setting, this episode offers practical strategies to prepare students for life after graduation through building confidence in their employment abilities. Listen to discover how Matthew's "four pots garden" analogy demonstrates how small projects can grow with proven success and learn actionable ways to incorporate employment readiness skills into your school-based OT practice.

Listen now to learn the following objectives:

• Learners will identify how to implement strategies for developing realistic work experiences (off-campus partnerships or on-campus tasks) and how these experiences contribute to authentic work readiness.
• Learners will recall the content and purpose of a standardized transition resource guide, including tailoring content to local resources and explaining its role in family engagement.
• Learners will explain how self-determination training helps students identify their preferences, strengths, and weaknesses, and how to write and track SMART goals to support employment outcomes after graduation.

Visit pearsonassessments.com/OTResources to explore assessments designed with your clinical reasoning in mind.

Thanks for tuning in!

Thanks for tuning into the OT Schoolhouse Podcast brought to you by the OT Schoolhouse Collaborative Community for school-based OTPs. In OTS Collab, we use community-powered professional development to learn together and implement strategies together.

Don't forget to subscribe to the show and check out the show notes for every episode at OTSchoolhouse.com

See you in the next episode!

OTs hold the key to school-wide success by grounding self-regulation in sensory-motor regulation—not just in emotions. In this episode, Sherry Shellenberger and Jennie Largent show how the Alert Program provides a foundational layer many SEL programs miss, share practical strategies for piloting change, and explain how to talk with administrators to secure support and funding. Tune in to learn clear steps to expand OT impact from individual support to whole-school change.

Listen now to learn the following objectives:

• Identify and effectively communicate the value of sensory-motor self-regulation approaches to administrators and decision-makers by collecting meaningful data through pilot programs and by developing stakeholder-specific documentation.
  
  
• Identify opportunities to integrate self-regulation programs, such as The Alert Program for Self-Regulation, with existing SEL programs, and discover the foundational role of sensory-motor regulation in supporting emotional regulation.
  
  
• Identify strategies to be effective change agents within school settings by collaborating with colleagues, applying evidence-based practices, and establishing systems that demonstrate the unique value of the occupational therapy approach to self-regulation; discover approaches to sustain and scale impact.

Visit pearsonassessments.com/OTResources to explore assessments designed with your clinical reasoning in mind.

Thanks for tuning in!

Thanks for tuning into the OT Schoolhouse Podcast brought to you by the OT Schoolhouse Collaborative Community for school-based OTPs. In OTS Collab, we use community-powered professional development to learn together and implement strategies together.

Don't forget to subscribe to the show and check out the show notes for every episode at OTSchoolhouse.com

See you in the next episode!

In this exciting episode, we're thrilled to welcome back Sarah Collins, a pioneer in the world of homeschooling and occupational therapy. It’s been over five years since Sarah first joined us, right at the onset of the pandemic, and so much has evolved since then.

With over 3 million students now homeschooled in the United States, understanding the intersection of occupational therapy and homeschooling has never been more crucial. Sarah brings a unique three-sided perspective as an occupational therapist, a dedicated homeschooling parent, and a mother of a neurodivergent child. Together, we get into how homeschooling has transformed, the challenges families face, and the vital role OT practitioners can play in supporting these students.

Join us as we explore the innovative ways OT can adapt to the individualized learning environments of homeschooled students, the importance of collaboration with families, and how to address their unique needs effectively. Whether you're currently working with homeschool families or anticipate encountering students transitioning from homeschool to traditional settings, this conversation is packed with valuable insights that will enhance your practice.

Listen now to learn the following objectives:

• Learners will analyze the unique culture and philosophy of homeschooling to effectively collaborate with homeschool families without questioning their educational choices
  
  
• Learners will develop skills for supporting transitions between homeschool and traditional school settings, including identifying accommodations parents naturally provide at home that may need to be continued in school
  
  
• Learners will identify approaches for providing occupational therapy services to homeschooled students through various delivery models (nature-based, private practice, public school services where available) while respecting the individualized nature of homeschool education.

Visit pearsonassessments.com/OTResources to explore assessments designed with your clinical reasoning in mind.

Thanks for tuning in!

Thanks for tuning into the OT Schoolhouse Podcast brought to you by the OT Schoolhouse Collaborative Community for school-based OTPs. In OTS Collab, we use community-powered professional development to learn together and implement strategies together.

Don't forget to subscribe to the show and check out the show notes for every episode at OTSchoolhouse.com

See you in the next episode!