About The Teacher and Occupational Therapy

Mrs. Singer MS/OTR/L

I am the occupational therapist at Wheelock and I enjoy working with my students and colleagues. 

Prior to coming to Wheelock, I also worked in Westwood and for the Accept

Collaborative. I earned my masters degree in occupational therapy from Sargent College at Boston University. I live nearby in Norfolk with my husband and my two dogs. Oliver is a West Highland Terrier and Teddy is a Cairn Terrier.

I am a mom to four children. My redheaded daughter is in graduate school and my youngest daughter went off to college this fall. Last February my son was married and the August before that my eldest daughter got married.

School-based occupational therapy is designed to enhance the student's

ability to access and be successful in the school environment.

In occupational therapy a child might work on the underlying skills needed

for handwriting or fine motor skills such as developing gross and fine motor skills, learning left from right, developing eye hand coordination and visual motor skills. The child is working to develop skills needed to produce legible letters for written assignments. The skills of cutting with scissors, drawing  and glueing  projects help children manipulate math tools, hold their pencil and size letters correctly.  Children might also work on skills  that a child  needs to help the child organize himself or herself in the environment such as being able to attend during lessons or manage the sensory stimulation of the classroom without being overwhelmed. The occupational therapist might also work with the teacher to modify the classroom, provide sensory tools such as fidget objects or seat cushions and/or adapt learning materials to facilitate successful participation. 

An occupational therapist evaluates children's capabilities, recommends and

provides therapy, modifies classroom equipment and provides materials, and

helps children participate  in school activities. An occupational therapist may evaluate a child for visual motor, visual perception, gross motor, fine motor, sensory processing,self help and other skills that can affect school performance. A therapist may work with children individually, in a group

and/or consult with a teacher.