Guest Blogger: Whitney Carter PT, Allied Instructional

 

Team Work Makes the Dream Work!

Wait?!? What did that say? T-E-A-M? How does that work?

For children with disabilities, we work as a team to write a report or plan that will provide them with support to learn, grow, and have relationships with their peers. Why should the team work end there? Don’t we teach our children to share and help others? Why is it such a foreign concept to provide holistic and well-rounded experiences?

I remember as a child that one of my favorite books was about Grover being so terrified of what would happen at the end of the book because there was a scary monster waiting….oh no! Is the scary monster at the end really that T-E-A-M word?!? Aaaarrrgggghhhhh!

In my mind, to provide the absolute best care, we should all learn from each other. Every PT session that I have with a student incorporates so much more than PT. We are ALL responsible for helping this child learn. I use colors, numbers, books, games, stories, playground equipment, lots of language, other providers/teachers involved in the care of that child, and tons of other academically relevant activities to cover as much ground as possible and to make sessions fun and meaningful.  Wait…..what was that?!? OTHER PROVIDERS AND TEACHERS?!?!?

We need to work together- in sessions, consulting with one another, sharing information, sharing progress, sharing strategies! We all have unique skill sets that can make an unstoppable force when combined! If we all work together, really work together….we may just change the world…..or at least learn that it’s not so scary to work as a team!

Whitney Carter PT, DPT