Handouts for Parents, Teachers, and Students

If you provide pediatric occupational and physical therapy in the schools, you know how busy your schedule is going from student to student. There doesn’t ever seem to be time to stop and explain strategies or suggestions to other school staff let alone parents. The problem is that sometimes we forget that one of the most important, if not the MOST important, aspect of our job is to educate. One easy, time-saving, efficient way to provide education is through informational handouts. Here are 5 reasons why you should provide handouts for parents, teachers and students.

5 Reasons to Provide Handouts for Parents, Teachers, and Students

We need to let students, teachers, school staff and parents know what we do and why we do it. As mentioned, one way to support this process is to provide hand outs with educational information.

Keep in mind when you do provide hand outs do not overwhelm people. Information is easier to digest and understand when providing in smaller amounts.

Memory boost

Hand outs help to provide a review for teachers and parents about what was discussed.

Reminders

Handouts for parents or tip sheets can help remind what steps needed to be taken to carry out the suggestions.

Handouts for Parents and Teachers Provide a Written Explanation

It can be hard to understand all the recommendations when speaking quickly in a meeting (or passing in the hallways) therefore a hand out helps to explain the details in writing.

Full Attention

When you are explaining a technique, new suggestion or tip let the person know you will follow it up with a hand out so they can give you 100% attention while you discuss it and not have to take notes.

Written Record

By providing a hand out you can go back and reference it if goals are not met to tweak or change the activities or suggestions.

Check out The Busy Therapist Bundle for over 100 hand outs for parents, teachers, and students. The topics include fine motor, gross motor, executive functioning, handwriting, visual perceptual and sensory processing skills. Find out more here.