Colleen Kapsch Letter to Colleague School Psychology Consultation April 17, 2014

! ! Dear Beth, !

Thank you so much for sharing your ideas on working with B. Your feedback has been

very helpful in considering interventions that will help B feel more successful when completing written tasks. In our first meeting, I described B, a second grader in my class. B is on an IEP and receives OT and academic interventions as part of her plan. Bs work with the occupational therapist focuses on developing increased stamina when writing, as she struggles to complete written tasks. Among these tasks is writing nightly homework in her "agenda book," which has become a daily struggle for her. B also struggles to complete other written work when she is not working one-on-one with a teacher. Examples include math "story problems," creative writing, and completing final drafts of writing. Since this is a fairly pervasive issue across disciplines and types of work, you and I decided to focus on completing the agenda book daily. While it is a small task, a lot of energy went into reminding B and encouraging her to finish it. I also felt that, with some minor changes, she should be able to do this independently. The goal of our intervention was for B to complete her agenda book in the allotted time and perhaps to develop greater fluency and stamina when writing. The intervention we discussed was teaching B positive self-talk and giving her reinforcement when she completes her agenda book. The hope was that success in this area would extend into other written tasks.

Colleen Kapsch Letter to Colleague School Psychology Consultation April 17, 2014 After we discussed this possible intervention, something strange happened. One day, B came to school and finished her agenda book before 8:30 AM. This happened again the following day and the day after. At this point, I had not yet attempted to implement our intervention; in fact, I still wondered whether Bs struggle with the agenda book was motivational or skill-based (fine motor). Yet since that day about three weeks ago, B has completed her agenda book every morning with no apparent difficulties, and she is proud to show us, her teachers, that she finished this task. I must admit to being baffled by this change. I couldnt identify any changes in the classroom routine that would spark this change, and I didnt notice sudden across the board improvements in written work. She still struggled to finish assignments and needed a lot of teacher support to complete small written assignments that were part of our classroom routines. Yet in this area, previously one of such struggle, she was suddenly independent and consistent. Though it was hard to identify just what had prompted this change, I wondered whether we could use it (whatever it was) to help B find success in other parts of her day. At the same time, I tried to introduce strategies that could help B improve her coping skills. These strategies included positive self-talk and small breaks to take a deep breath if she became frustrated with a task. Over the course of implementing this intervention, and even while we were in the data collection phase, I learned a lot about B and the times when she is successful in the classroom. This process reminded me to focus on Bs strengths, among them verbal expression, artistic abilities, and creativity, all of which often get lost in the struggle to push her toward work completion. Ive thought often about different ways that students can express what they know

Colleen Kapsch Letter to Colleague School Psychology Consultation April 17, 2014 and how B might benefit from alternative ways to express her learning. For example, I think B would find more success were she allowed to draw, act out, or lead a discussion about a topic. I think many other students in my classroom would also appreciate (and benefit from) using modalities other than writing to express themselves. The major lesson I will carry with me from our consultation is the importance of carefully observing a student and recognizing his or her strengths. As we corresponded about B, I was often reminded of the many times during the day when she did experience success. Even this small reminder was critical to my work with her. I reinforced the idea of positive self-talk with B and with other students, and this seemed valuable for the entire classroom. I know that, as I prepare to lead my own classroom, this lesson will serve all of my students well. Thank you again for working with me on this consultation. Good luck with your last few weeks of school!

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Sincerely, Colleen