The inaugural School-Based Practitioners Summit took place on August 6th and 7th in Columbus Ohio. It attracted almost 600 invigorated attendees and 20 exhibitors, including Therapro. Refreshed from a summer hiatus, therapists and educators launched head first into a diverse selection of workshops presented by a distinguished group of presenters.

Workshops featured vital topics including: sensory regulation, team collaboration, the impact of visual skills on learning, integrating primitive reflexes to improve school function, handwriting success, survival guide for the school therapist, and much, much more!

The Therapro exhibit was constantly buzzing with attendees searching for the best tools for their school-based practice. Ginger MacDonald, OTR/L, co-author of Self Care with Flair, and I enjoyed greeting the therapists and educators who stopped by to grab a new catalog, discuss products, and say “hello.” It was fun to introduce attendees to games like Letter Treasure Hunt, Novenops, and Right Turn Left Turn. They loved trying out our fidgets including Loopeez, Wristful Fidget, Stretchy String, Tangles and What’Zit Animals. Active movement products like Zoom Ball, Peanut Ball, Thumballs, and the new CanDo Wobble Ball attracted visitors to “try it” and have fun. We couldn’t keep fine motor materials including Self Opening Scissors, Wacky Web, Twist N Write, Progressive Grip Kit, Butter Grip, and Handi-Writer on the shelves. Books that flew off the shelves included: Answers to Questions Teachers Ask about Sensory Integration, Sentence Tracking, Symbol/Letter Tracking, and When Your Child Struggles. Attendees provided great feedback on Therapro products they had used and loved. There was something for everyone!

Yoga products were wildly popular. Yoga Bingo and Relaxation Station Photo Booklet were two new products that drew attention because of the beautiful photographs of elementary age students. Yoga & Me Come Be a Tree, by Therapro author Tere Bowen-Irish, OTR/L was a favorite because it depicts yoga poses by an able bodied child and one in a wheelchair, side-by-side.

The SBP Summit was a successful endeavor chaired by Mike Collins, Executive Director of OSHS (Ohio School Health Services Association), and executed by his enthusiastic, dedicated team! They presented new and seasoned school-based practitioners with a 2-day conference that offered a well-planned selection of intensive sessions. As an exhibitor, our goal was to offer an array of materials for attendees to examine and try out that will help therapists and teachers meet the goals they set for their students for the coming school year.

We enjoyed our fast-paced two days in Columbus. We hope to see you next year!

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L
August 14, 2018

The March Saturday seminar at Therapro was presented by Marcia Bridgeman, MHA, OTR/L, fine motor expert and author of the revised Fine Motor Olympics (2016). In her seminar entitled, Analyzing Activities for Improving Student Hand Function!, she methodically reviewed hand development from birth to elementary school age, and then discussed how the development translated into functional hand use.

Marcia has extensive experience in school-based practice and currently provides both consultation and direct service through her private practice in several Massachusetts school systems. She specializes in providing services to students from preschool through age 22.

Fine Motor Olympics has been revised to include a new Manual and 64 beautiful color photo cards of children’s hands performing fine motor tasks with instructions for the activity on the reverse side of the cards. A Guide to Hand Function, Quick Screening Form, Fine Motor Observation Checklist, Record Form, and In-Service Training Program are included in the Manual.

Within her comprehensive review of motor development and hand function from newborn to age 6, Marcia discussed functional fine motor skills expected at the corresponding developmental stages. For example, around the age of 8 months, development of the arches of the hand begins, essential for providing stability, mobility, and opposition of the hand. She matched simple therapeutic activities to this developmental level, including cupping the hand to shake dice, rolling up paper, fastening a zip lock bag, and cutting with a knife, to name a few!

Seminar attendees enjoyed breaking into groups at 8 stations where they tried out and analyzed original fine motor activities that Marcia created using inexpensive materials such as paper towel rolls, yarn, drinking straws, etc. The activities included activities like creating a spider web in a plastic basket and moving the spider in the web, using a variety of tongs to hunt tiny dinosaurs, balancing marbles on golf tees, and threading straws into paper towel rolls punched with holes. The groups engaged in activity analysis and shared their comments with the rest of the attendees. In addition to the new activities Marcia introduced today, she highlighted a number of fine motor Therapro products she loved, including, Hide & Slide, Boinks, Get a Grip Pegboard, Helping Hands Fine Motor Tool Set, and What’Zit Animals. She discussed conventional uses for the materials and also adapted the materials creatively and adeptly to help develop muscles of the hand. Some activities incorporated use of intrinsic muscles in translation activities, for example: moving a small single object fingers to the palm (1.5 – 2 years) and from palm to fingers (2.0 – 2.4 years).

Marcia sparked attendees to share their own creative fine motor activity ideas with the group. Everyone walked away with a toolbox filled to the brim with fresh, low-cost, and fun activities to try out next week.

We can’t think of a more enjoyable way to spend a sunny, brisk New England Spring morning than analyzing fine motor activities, and sharing thoughts on how to help develop better hand function in the classroom setting! Marcia’s skill at analyzing functional hand use is unsurpassed. She offered many innovative, easy to make fine motor activities that support fine motor skill development.

Here’s a sample of the many positive observations that attendees shared about this seminar:

“Excellent easily implemented activities. Energetic presentation. Great product. Kudos all around.” – Beth B., Occupational Therapist

“As a Pre-K teacher, I learned a lot and will be able to look for certain signs in my 4-5 year olds and activities to help.” – Jackie K., Teacher

“Loved hearing about the development of the arches. Great refresher to help me better analyze the activities I choose for my students.” – Jennifer N., Occupational Therapist

“It’s directly relatable in my practice!” – Jennifer C , Occupational Therapist

“Marcia was a warm, open, creative, and generous presenter who succinctly outlined foundations of hand function. We all left with user-friendly, inexpensive ideas we can implement immediately. Wonderful!” – Bernadette W., Occupational Therapist

Thank you, Marcia!

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L
March 24, 2018