Online speech-language pathology and occupational therapy are a magical experience for our students. No two days are the same as TinyEYE Therapists from around the world log in to their online office and begin a new day’s adventure.
We believe that student engagement is the key to success. Engagement begins with a strong sense of belonging, and then grows into student involvement and investment in their work. Engagement requires deep and critical thinking, and a self-motivated commitment to learning. For this reason, we first help our students feel safe and joyful about participating. Next, we show our students how capable they are with their skills. Finally, we consistently engage our students in activities that leverage their ability to both participate in their daily lives and explore their wildest imagination.
When I had the opportunity to take a tour of some of the tools used during a TinyEYE therapy session, I was immediately fascinated by the adventure activity stations.
Throughout the tour, the therapist brought the therapy environment alive with adventures. During our time together, she took me in a rocket ship to the moon and then a time machine to the dinosaurs. I even attended a fairy’s birthday party!
The possibilities seemed endless while she incorporated features that related to my interests, and specific therapy goals. In fact, the possibilities are endless as TinyEYE has hundreds of activities and learning sets that each therapist personalizes for their students. My curiosity and anticipation naturally drove my participation throughout the therapy tour. I now understand why TinyEYE students enjoy their therapy sessions so much, and are truly engaged and drive their own success.
Without our trained therapists, the learning activities would just be activities. Yet another boring flashcard activity. Our professional team of online service providers excel at creating relevant, outcome-focused sessions for each student. For instance, while one student enjoys the interactive ‘Peek-a-Boo Puppy’ activity for learning to describe and identify concepts, another student uses the same activity to practice speech clarity and story-telling while feeding the puppies. We also partner with our occupational therapists to ensure our students have fine motor skills for writing the stories they tell. Handwriting without Tears is a common tool our occupational therapists incorporate into our sessions. Each activity is used with purpose, maintaining student involvement and encouraging them to invest in their own success. Our therapists continue themes used in therapy into each student’s Virtual Backpack, which allows them to log in and practice their skills between sessions and build their self-motivation and commitment to learning.
My TinyEYE tour guide served ten other students from two different schools on the day of our visit. These students were from schools in two different states – hundreds of miles apart. She was able to reach each student with a simple click of the mouse. Instead of driving to the schools, the therapist has time to connect with teachers and update session reports when she is not working with her students. All of her students have equal access to her help. When I asked what her favourite part of her job was, she shared, “Giving children the gift of confidence and ability felt like a true gift”. In a magical way, we are growing smiles, mending spirits, and engaging children in their lives.
