For my article this week, I decided to write about OT and how it helps New Way move forward. OT is short for occupational therapy. OT is meant to help kids find their true selves and help them work to specific goals with support. Some such goals include being able to do household chores by themselves and helping them integrate into an everyday routine. I was lucky enough to get an interview with one of the OT specialists at New Way to learn more about OT. This specialist is Ms. Smith. Who I have for OT myself, I asked her 5 questions about OT, and heard what she had to say:
Question 1: I asked Ms Smith What does OT mean to you? Ms Smith responds by saying
OT to me means helping students achieve their goals and find their independence in the world
Question 2: I asked Ms Smith Why did you want to become an OT specialist? Ms Smith responded by saying I always knew that I wanted to work with kids, and it seems like the most rewarding and empowering way to help kids become themselves.
Question 3: I asked Ms Smith, in your opinion, why should people do OT? Ms Smith responds by saying I think that at a school like New Way, kids are given the support they need, and having OT lets them be in control of what they want to succeed in and find what is meaningful to them
Question 4: I asked Ms Smith What is your favorite part and least favorite part of teaching OT? Ms Smith responded by saying that what I like about OT is that you can work on so many things in it that it’s never just 1 thing, and it’s adaptable to every person, and 1 size doesn’t fit all. What I don’t like is that a lot of people don’t know about it, and that people don’t really know. I wish that there were more information about how it helps people.
Question 5: I asked Ms Smith how you would make OT more accessible for the average kid. Ms Smith responded by saying that I would make OT more accessible by spreading awareness of ot and the importance of ot within the community.
In conclusion, OT is something that a lot of people should know, and the more people who know about OT, the better the New Way becomes
