Category: Working In Schools

If you ask someone what a social worker's job is within a school, they may not be able to fully answer the question. The fact is that the role of the school social worker has changed drastically in the last decade or two, In the past, there may have been a shared social worker that went to a variety of schools within a district. Now, more schools see the need to have their own dedicated social worker on hand for the entire school day. In some areas, one social worker is not enough for the student population and they may need to hire additional contracted clinicians. Social services in education has become an important asset to the entire school community.

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Imagine your body constantly bombarding you with messages. When this happens, you cannot concentrate on the tasks from your teacher. This is the reality for students of all ages in classrooms who have sensory processing issues. No matter what their formal diagnosis may be, many may have sensory concerns. Some students are overwhelmed with outside stimulation in their environment and may become hyperactive. Others may not react to things and seek out sensory input. In addition to this, some kids need sensory to push on with tasks. Every child is different, and it’s important for occupational therapists and special education teachers to work together to create a sensory diet to assist their needs.

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Imagine sitting in a classroom unable to concentrate on your work. You don’t want to bang your pencil on your desk, but you are doing it. Then you are told to stop it and get to work. Your reaction is to scream no and rip up your paper. You act out because you are upset, but the truth is that you don’t know what is going on. This is the reality for many children in schools throughout the United States. The National Institute of Mental Health recently noted that one in five kids in our country has or has had a debilitating mental health disorder. At any given time, a classroom will have children who are unaware that they have ADD, ADHD, anxiety, depression, or another mental health disorder.

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Imagine going to a group therapy session at school and feeling alone. This may be the way that some students perceive their participation in the group. Why? For some, it may be that they are ethnically unique. Others may be from another country and not comfortable speaking English. Some other students may have a different gender identity or have special needs. Any, all, or other factors could make a tween or teen feel out of place when they are asked to participate in a group therapy session.

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The demands of school have increased a lot in recent years. This means that there is a lot less downtime within the academic day for kids to socialize. Children of all ages need this to be able to interact with their peers outside of class. Due to the time restraints within the school day, it’s even more important for all children to be able to participate in extracurricular activities. This means finding a club or activity that is not only interesting to them, but work well for them. These opportunities help kids of all ages to use creativity, energy, and talk to one another about what is happening in their lives.

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