Ozark Therapy

Yes, YOU! As a teacher you have the most incredible job. You put endless hours and heart into your work inside and outside of the school day, yet despite your best efforts with certain students, you aren’t succeeding and that is NOT right! We know that you are doing everything you can to help all of your students succeed in your classroom, but sometimes without the right tools it just can’t happen. We’ve been in your shoes, we know what it’s like to have the weighty responsibility of helping children succeed but feel ill equipped to help them.

We’re here to change that! Watch this course and subscribe to our resources if you want to feel empowered and WIN this and every school year!

Most schools have trouble finding and keeping therapists, never mind great therapists. We provide first-rate therapists that use a specialized system, which lets students achieve their goals, makes parents happy, and makes life easier for everyone working at the school.

We serve around 1000 students every month so we understand school-based therapy. It’s not enough to have the right degree, our therapists have to demonstrate remarkable therapy skills, have the heart of a teacher, and demonstrate uprightness and great energy for this work. It’s just not right to give the students anything less.

We understand that the world of special education can be tricky and highly nuanced. Our systems ensure consistently effective results for students, compliance with SPED laws and regulations while easing the burdens on teachers and administrators.

Everyone’s life is easier when parents are happy and the students are successful. Our proven process for follow-up outside the therapy room increases carry-over the student’s emerging skills. The emphasis on communication and keeps parents (and teachers) plugged into strategies that ultimately decrease the time a student requires therapy.

Not only is Ozark Therapy about providing first-rate therapy, we provide support to parents, teachers, and students. We provide hope and empowerment through giving those who have challenges the services, suggestions, and relief that they need in order have a successful school year. We provide support in the classroom by answering questions and looking at how we can adapt or modify the environment to reduce the barriers that hinder a students full potential for success.

We provide support to parents through frequent communication and ideas of activities to work on at home to help the students succeed at reaching their goals. This allows for a smooth transition and carry over of skills in all of the students environments.

Occupational therapy addresses the physical, cognitive, psychosocial and sensory components of performance. In schools, occupational therapy practitioners focus on academics, play and leisure, social participation, self-care skills, and transition/work skills. OT intervention is provided directly to the child along with program modifications or supports for school staff. Therapist can also provide training in typical and atypical child development.

Fine motor is the use of small muscles in the hand performing precise activities such as handwriting, coloring, buttoning, and manipulating small objects.

Visual tracking and scanning skills are crucial for many classroom tasks including reading, writing, drawing, copying from the board and playing. Try some of the activities below to strengthen a child’s visual tracking skills!

Motor planning and coordination is how your child plans and carries out a movement.

If your child has poor motor planning and coordination you may see this in the classroom as difficulty learning how to write, use scissors, tie their shoes, or even inability to play with their peers on the playground. They may have difficulty learning how to do new things and producing coordinated movements.

Everyone perceives and interprets sensory information differently. A person cannot learn something new without taking it in through their senses first. Some people can be sensory seekers (meaning their behaviors may be seeming rough or clumsy but they are just seeking input), and some people are sensory avoiders (meaning they do not like the way something smells, taste, feels, or sounds so they stay away from it at all cost). Most of the time in a classroom setting these may present as behaviors (either good or bad). By using some of these sensory strategies, it may modify behavior and make your students more successful.

Disclaimer: Every child is different, please consult your schools therapist before trying strategies.

Sensory Processing can have a major affect on attention to task and fidgeting in the classroom! Here’s what you should know about fidget tools and how they can help!

Sequencing skills play an important role in many life skills as well as in reading and comprehension in the classroom. Sequencing skills are important for direction following with multiple steps that must be done in order. We use sequencing when learning days of the week, months, numbers, letters and so much more!

It is important to take a head to toe approach with therapy due to each body part playing a important role in triggering different areas of the brain for the higher learning concepts. It is crucial to intervene at a young age because the areas of the brain that play a role in coordination, motor planning, balance and processing are still maturing. Performing exercises that trigger the different areas of the brain can help increase the child’s classroom performance.

Proprioception and body awareness go hand in hand. It is how we sense objects around us along with how we interpret messages from our muscles, joints, and motor planning skills. Sometimes, students don’t realize how hard or how soft they are performing a task. This can be challenging because their brains might not be receiving correct messages to perform tasks appropriately such as handwriting, tag, or even walking in the hall.

Students may have difficulty with balance, coordination, low muscle tone, clumsy, uncoordinated and have poor motor skills. Handwriting and pencil grip can be affected if a student has poor motor planning or proprioception deficiency. Below are some activities that can improve proprioception and body awareness.

Some students can benefit from a few simple activities or modifications from the areas above. Other times this is not enough and the student requires professional intervention provided by your schools Occupational and or Physical Therapy provider. Never hesitate to talk to your schools provider about what might be an appropriate course of action for your student.

If you have a student who you think would benefit from direct services, here’s how to refer!

Provided with the right tools and resources, you are now equipped to win in your classroom! Subscribe to our resources and you’ll have limitless information on tricks and tips for challenging students. You will have a better understanding of if there is cause for concern with students and can get them the help they need. This will lead to less frustration for everyone and a successful environment!

Choosing not to subscribe to our resources means you are missing out on crucial tools that can change the way your school year goes.