Navigating Sensory & Behavior
Being an educator is stressful. Rewarding, but stressful. Every fall, students with different personalities, preferences, interests, and needs enter your room and it is your job to figure each student out as quickly as possible so that you can effectively teach him or her.
You begin to get to know your students and as you do, you begin to see their needs beyond academics. Kevin is ready for recess at 8AM and is always rocking back on his chair legs. Lacey needs reminders to start her work during independent work time. Michael will have a hard time after the fire drill because of the noise and commotion. Trey thinks he’s at gymnastics during circle time.
Whether you realize it or not, you are consistently problem solving what is going on in your classroom and finding ways to support your student’s sensory and behavior needs.
“Is it sensory or is it behavior?” Have you asked yourself this question when thinking of a particular student? Have you tried to try a sensory strategy but the action continues? You try another one, the action continues. You wonder what it is that the child needs, what you can do to help, and why what you are trying is not working.
In this course, Sensory & Behavior, I will dive deep into the connection between the Sensory & Behavior and provide you with guidance in how to provide individual and class-wide sensory supports that can help your students maintain the calm and alert state that allows them to learn effectively.
For many educators, your social media pages are filled with thoughtfully planned out sensory activities and aesthetically pleasing sensory bins and your classrooms are filled with Pop-Its. Behavior always seems to have a negative connotation. While “sensory” has become a trending topic over the past couple of years, little education is provided on why sensory supports and activities are needed and which ones are actually feasible in the school setting.
As a former school based OT, I did the leg work for you. From trial and error in my OT sessions in and out of the classroom to consultations with teachers in General Education, Varying Exceptionalities, and Special Needs classrooms, I learned what (typically) works and what (frequently) does not. I am here to share that information with you. We can skip the aesthetically pleasing sensory bins and go straight to what you can do tomorrow to help your students!
What’s included in this course?
1. An easy to understand breakdown of sensory and behavior
2. Navigating tantrums & meltdowns
2. Sensory supports, strategies, and activities, accommodations that you can use in your classroom, TOMORROW!
3. Guidance on noticing certain behaviors that might be linked to a sensory need & what to do to help!
4. When a referral to the school based OT or a private OT might be appropriate
*Please note, all courses provided by Solana Therapy are open and accessible for 30 days from purchase date.*
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Caitlin Anderson
Ms. Caitlin is a licensed and certified Occupational Therapist with a passion for helping children succeed. She has experience in many pediatric settings including outpatient, school-based, and Early-Intervention. She has experience working with a wide range of diagnoses including but not limited to Developmental Delay, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, ADD/ADHD, and various mental health diagnoses. Ms. Caitlin is committed to providing quality therapy services and does so by regularly engaging in continuing education courses centered on pediatric growth and development. She has formal training in the Handwriting Without Tears program, Parent Coaching, and Ready Bodies Learning Minds. She is certified in the Beckman Oral Motor Protocol. She has training and experience in Assistive Technology to assist students needing support in areas of reading and writing within the school setting. She is currently working on her certification to become a children's yoga teacher to bridge her love for reflex integration with the need for coordination and strength in writing, reading, and play activities. Ms. Caitlin attended Florida State University where she set out to obtain a business degree while taking additional science and psychology courses to prepare her to apply to graduate school for Occupational Therapy. This plan would set her up for success to achieve her two main goals: 1. Attend graduate school to receive a Masters in Occupational Therapy after graduation 2. Open her own Pediatric Occupational Therapy company In 2014, she graduated from Florida State University with honors and a bachelor degree in Marketing with a Minor in Psychology in 2014. She then went on to attend and graduate from University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2016. In 2016, goal #1 was accomplished and Ms. Caitlin became a licensed Occupational Therapist. She began working in an pediatric outpatient clinic Jump to May of 2020, goal #2 was accomplished when Ms. Caitlin decided it was time to open her own company, Solana Therapy. A company dedicated to her dream- helping children become more independent and helping parents feel empowered to help their children. Fast forward to 2022, after working in the school system full time and working for Solana Therapy part time, Ms. Caitlin decided to take the plunge and go full time with Solana Therapy- her dream since day 1. You can now find her in preschools, schools, homes, the community, and online providing OT services to babies and children and educating parents, teachers, and health care professionals on best practices to help children play, grow, & THRIVE. If she's not making prepping a sensory play activity or providing OT services, you'll find Ms. Caitlin spending time on the beach and on the water, cheering on the Seminoles, spending time with her family- including her rescue pup, Jackson.
