Tag Archives: saturday seminar recaps

I Can Work! Paving the Path for Vocational Success

Events & Conferences, Life Skills and Transition Planning, , ,

At the Fall “Kick-Off” Saturday Seminar Series presentation on August 25th at Therapro, Angela Mahoney, M.Ed. generated an electric environment infused with her passion for helping students and young adults develop the foundation for “career readiness” skills. Angie is an educator and is the author/creator of I Can Work!. Her seminar, I Can Work! Paving the Path for Vocational Success, drew an audience of occupational therapists, parents, and educators, who participated in active dialog with Angie and each other throughout the seminar.

Angie is an ardent educator who continuously strives to modify, expand, and develop I Can Work! Currently she works as a special education middle school case manager in Danbury, Connecticut. For the past 17 years she has worked with students of all ages in a variety of settings, including a private school where she worked with over seventy-five middle school and high school-aged students on a weekly basis, running an inclusion-based elementary program for students with autism, as well as co-teaching core academic classes as part of a team comprised of fellow middle school educators.

Angie stated her goal as an educator is to “help kids find success.” Throughout her seminar, she provided life skills ideas and pre-vocational activities within a structured framework that is applicable to learners of varied abilities. In order to build career skills, Angie discussed the importance of students learning “Vocational Soft Skills” and “Vocational Hard Skills.” Vocational soft skills are interpersonal skills: language skills, social skills, teamwork, communication skills, time management, and more. Angie reported that research indicates that being able to communicate effectively is the most in-demand soft skill. Learning to use soft vocational skills effectively in a pre-vocational environment helps build confidence for when the student is in an actual work environment. For example, learning to maintain a positive attitude and work well with others will be important skills to develop in any chosen career.

“Vocational Hard Skills” are abilities that can be taught and have three characteristics: can be mastered quickly, can be quantified, and can be built over time. The I Can Work! curriculum consists of 5 modules that focus on career readiness: Job Readiness, Clerical, Retail, Food Service, and Grocery. For each module, related vocabulary is taught, tasks are practiced, and visual supports are provided. In addition to exploring career interests, data collection takes place to track learning and success. Opportunities are provided for students to share and reflect on their jobs. Angie advocated the importance for students to have opportunities at home to reinforce pre-vocational skills learned at school with activities like sorting and folding laundry, filing by letter or word, etc.

After hearing the attendees passionately express the need and importance of a solid pre-vocational program for students, it makes good sense that I Can Work! could fulfill this demand. Angie convincingly demonstrated that this curriculum could provide a strong pre-vocational foundation for all, beginning in elementary school and continuing beyond high school years.

Here are some of the many positive comments from seminar attendees:

“This topic is so needed. I would like to ask my school to pay for Angela to come and speak to my district. Also, since she is a sped teacher, my sped teachers can relate!” – Karen B., Occupational Therapist

“Presented in a manner which is easy to follow and incorporate into the school. Data collection sheets are very helpful.” – Pam M., Occupational Therapist

“I would recommend this seminar to increase awareness in schools and SEPACS, maybe local programs.” Aly M. – Teacher, Parent, ABA

“This seminar “honed in” on the need for an available program for pre-vocational and vocational skills beginning from upper elementary through adult.” – Sue R., Occupational Therapist

Thank you, Angie!

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L
August 25, 2018

Improving Student Hand Function: Activity Analysis Strategies

Events & Conferences, Fine Motor & Hand Skill Development, , ,
Marcia Bridgeman, MHA, OTR/L, presented at the seminar entitled, Analyzing Activities for Improving Student Hand Function!,

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

From Farm to Table: A Comprehensive Group Model of Nutrition and Feeding

Feeding Therapy

nutritionist, Maria Napoleone, MS, RD, LDN and Occupational Therapist, Danielle Goldstein, M.Ed, OTR/L,The February 17, 2018 Saturday Seminar at Therapro was an innovative presentation from nutritionist, Maria Napoleone, MS, RD, LDN and Occupational Therapist, Danielle Goldstein, M.Ed, OTR/L, entitled: Farm to Table: A Comprehensive Group Model of Nutrition and Feeding. The women have developed a feeding group collaboratively at BAMSI Early Intervention Program, in Brockton, MA. Maria has notable pediatric experience as a nutritionist working in varied settings including the Boston Medical Center Growth and Nutrition Clinic, Pediatric Feeding Clinic and Pediatric Surgery Department at UMass Medical Center, WIC, early intervention, and as a Peace Corps volunteer. Danielle’s broad pediatric experience includes practice in acute care, outpatient services, feeding team, school-based therapy, early intervention, and private practice.

Danielle and Maria described Farm to Table as a comprehensive model to improve feeding outcomes with nutrition at its foundation. Their toddler feeding group at BAMSI involves using a multi-sensory approach in a structured group setting in which peer role models play a critical role in the development of eating skills. The seminar covered many topics including tips on how to structure a feeding group in various settings, how to implement key strategies, how to empower parents carryover and use the strategies learned through the group, how to improve the quality of foods consumed, how to improve mealtime behavior, and much more!

Farm to Table developed over a number of years as the model for the BAMSI feeding group that provided the toddlers with hands-on food exploration and multisensory experiences in a nurturing, supportive setting. The Sequential Oral Sensory (S.O.S) Approach, a trans-disciplinary program for assessing and treating children with feeding challenges and weight/growth problems, serves as the approach the BAMSI team uses in their feeding group. S.O.S. integrates posture, sensory, motor, behavioral/learning, medical, and nutritional factors to evaluate and manage children with feeding and growth difficulties. Creating a garden as part of the group experience gives the children other sensory and food-related experiences that helps them understand how food grows and what it looks like when it is cooked and on your plate. The garden has produced a wide variety of vegetables and herbs that the group has used to prepare snacks and meals including spaghetti sauce, zucchini muffins, and pesto. Growing food adds a critical component to the group in light of the fact that Maria noted that “70-90% of children who receive EI services have one or more nutritional risk indicators.”

Several of the many helpful resources recommended by Danielle and Maria include: www.choosemyplate.gov, www.feedingmatters.org, www.ellynsatterinstitute.org, and www.farmtopreschool.org.

Maria and Danielle presented an exciting model that addresses jointly the importance of developing a solid nutritional foundation for children as well as the need to support children with feeding challenges through a multi-sensory approach to feeding. They have documented great success with their Farm to Table feeding group. The rich experiences the children gain take them from learning about how plants are grown, cared for, and harvested, to how the plants are prepared, cooked, and eaten, in a structured group with peers and adult role models. This team approach takes children who experience feeding challenges on a nurturing, supportive, fun journey toward improved nutrition and enjoyment of food!

Take a look at a few of the many positive comments from attendees about Danielle and Maria’s seminar:

“Very informational on ways to improve feeding with children not just by using food but also through movement, circle time, structured activities. Really like the idea of group and using peer modeling.” – Julia N., Occupational Therapist

“It was interesting and well presented. I will use many of these strategies for my class. (I am in First Grade and work with Special Needs).” – Annmarie M., Teacher

“Great process from beginning to end of creating this group program.” – Micaela C., Physical Therapist

“The emphasis on the process was important in understanding that every student works at their own pace and that any type of food trial – whether it be touch, smell, or taste is success!” – Beth M., Occupational Therapist

Thank you, Maria and Danielle!

Filomena Connor, MS, OTR/L
February 17, 2018