tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post6775862792659995893..comments2024-03-15T04:58:53.198-04:00Comments on ABC Therapeutics Occupational Therapy Weblog: The roulette wheel of qualifying for preschool special education services.Christopher J. Alteriohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09489464791931315291noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post-36336661303260577122012-06-07T12:14:47.187-04:002012-06-07T12:14:47.187-04:00Another thought provoking post (and of course love...Another thought provoking post (and of course love the comments between you and Barbara, sad to see that she is no longer blogging). <br /><br />Anyhow, I do think that there should be a broad range of entrance and exit criteria especially exit criteria. At times, individual 1:1 therapy services can go on and on at the expense of the child's education. I am all for consultation services for long term involvement of an OT or PT. <br /><br />Another option to consider instead of entrance and exit criteria is shorter term services. How about 8 week sessions and reevaluate progress towards goals? Are we helping or hindering the overall education? So many OT and PT services are still pull out sessions that take away time from learning in the classroom. An ideal situation would be pre and post academic testing along with pre and post functional testing so that all parties involved are well informed to make decisions regarding services. Obviously that would most likely be impossible because too much paperwork and time but the data collection would help to provide a clearer picture of pros and cons to continuing services. <br /><br />Have to make this comment about the "individual" in IEP. I think we can still set criteria and still be individual. To compare in regular education, perhaps a certain math instruction is chosen for across a grade level. All teachers use the same curriculum (not individualized) but in each room the teacher has to differentiate based on the skill level of the student. <br /><br />Interesting topic much better suited to discuss over coffee!Your Therapy Source Inchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06145002317929388735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post-5822261715514460712011-02-05T23:09:17.467-05:002011-02-05T23:09:17.467-05:00Well, said, Chris. Vent away! This is your space...Well, said, Chris. Vent away! This is your space to do it. Seems to me you are capable of staying in a healthy place despite the realization of inequities in service provision. Genetically programmed behavior - heh, I can relate. <br />BarbaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post-60973813459429390262011-02-04T21:55:37.052-05:002011-02-04T21:55:37.052-05:00This conversation leads me right back to Mary Reil...This conversation leads me right back to Mary Reilly's Slagle lecture - where she intimates that good occupational therapy is indeed social work (or perhaps more accurately economic work).<br /><br />I am not sure if my ideas lead to a broader opportunity for being able to deliver a service. You are correct - trying to balance (perceived) inequities is an interminably disappointing endeavor. That is precisely why I quote Cervantes on the front page of the blog though.<br /><br />I don't feel like I know how NOT to try though. It's genetically programmed behavior, perhaps - because certainly it is not reinforced by external contexts!<br /><br />Thanks for your thoughts - I truly appreciate the dialogue. I am humbled and realize that I have no answers. Sometimes I may sound like I do - but more often I am just venting ideas.Christopher J. Alteriohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09489464791931315291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post-72743059811772536992011-02-04T14:20:16.173-05:002011-02-04T14:20:16.173-05:00This is an excellent post for discussion, Chris. ...This is an excellent post for discussion, Chris. Agreeing with you on the conundrum of a(n un)level playing field and the expanse of a lifework to level it. But perhaps more than a 'lifework' this conundrum is at more of a 'socialwork'-level. Just think of the natural consequences for a child like Trevon a generation ago. I hope you will agree there has been progress since we began our careers. (Ooops. You appear a tad younger than me.) I believe services and special education (since its inception) have changed the life-trajectory of more people will ever be documented via some published study. <br /><br />Your desire for more predictability might be an expression of your age, too. Perhaps I became jaded too early in my career, and then began to believe in the rightness of the "individual" and therefore unpredictable decisions made in each IEP meeting. (I did a post related to this - expanding on the many and different agendas brought to the table at each meeting.) <br /><br />I believe my perspective to be broad also, having provided related services in 4 different states, in districts both inner-city-urban, rural and upper-scale-suburban, between 1979 and 2005. <br /><br />Trying to squeeze predictability and sameness-of-mind across our country - I'm just not up for trying to make that happen or for living with the constant disappointment from not having it. Within myself I have made/will make consistent and, I believe, good decisions for recommending services for each child given me. Experience and learning morphs my decision-making over time but gradually and not varying much from the question of: can services make a difference for this child under the constraints of his life? I had to learn to walk away from many circumstances where I knew OT could not make a difference, sad, but resigned. Only recently have I had the opportunity to explore my thinking via blogging. You have had that advantage earlier in your life than me - appreciate that, Chris. <br /><br />Blogging has made a terrific difference in my professional life and I am grateful we can connect here. BarbaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post-382323135463573522011-02-03T18:09:51.887-05:002011-02-03T18:09:51.887-05:00Great comments - thank you. In theory I like the ...Great comments - thank you. In theory I like the idea of natural consequences because actually I am a big proponent of people taking care of things themselves. The problem that I run into with this is that the playing field itself may not be well suited for people who are dis-empowered (for whatever reason) or who do not have the resources (and I use the term in the broadest sense) to advocate effectively. It is a conundrum. It also would be a secondary lifework to explore in its full depth!<br /><br />I think that what I was bothered about in this situation is that there was no apparent reason for the decision that the child didn't qualify. <br /><br />I understand that entrance and exit criteria are potentially dangerous if they are wielded without consideration of individual factors - but on some days it would be nice to at least have some sense of a standard or a guidepost. Service eligibility, in my experience, is a whimsical decision and varies dramatically between districts. Most therapists that I talk to have a difficult time understanding this because they approach the concept of eligibility within the context of a single district where they work. I look at this from a broad perspective across dozens of districts - and I know that is an uncommon promontory to stand upon and make comments from.<br /><br />I want it to be more predictable - at least I would have something concrete to expect on a day to day basis!Christopher J. Alteriohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09489464791931315291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14772999.post-61019744328021948562011-02-02T17:32:24.206-05:002011-02-02T17:32:24.206-05:00The roulette wheel analogy is more accurate than I...The roulette wheel analogy is more accurate than I like to admit. At the same time, I've never been a proponent of strict 'criteria' for 'eligibility' of OT services. I am a proponent of 'professional decision'. In the case of Trevon, what school-OT would not have recommended for related services of OT in preschool? Did the school have a criteria for, say, a 24 month delay in order to qualify for OT in preschool? <br /><br />I will ask for a little more clarification, Chris....You seem to be making a case that Trevon without OT in preschool is getting nothing/nada/no services. But in fact he is getting preschool with a special ed teacher and speech services. The IEP team may have determined that the curriculum and ST support would be sufficient for him initially in a half-day program. Could it be that the OT is in the classroom often enough to influence accommodations for all the students by means of her relationship with the teacher? <br /><br />The next clarification is the role of Tevron's parents. If they did not or could not advocate for OT services - that seems to me to be natural consequences. Parents have both the right and the responsibility to participate in the special education process. School districts assume the responsibility for service decision as variously as the people who sit in the meetings. A throw of the die on the wheel. <br /><br />And why shouldn't services be so variously provided given the various circumstances of each child? The I in IDEA and IEP is for individual. Mountains of regulation has not made all education equal nor can more regulation. Our American culture formed IDEA with the mind of rights and personal decision-making. I think we would have it no other way. BarbaraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com