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Occupational Therapists provide related services. Special education teachers provide direct services to students with disabilities and write IEPs. In all the districts I've worked in the pay is no different; based on degree and the length of contract.
OTs mostly travel between schools; special ed teachers are usually based in one place.
Teachers teach everything math, science, history, reading plus we work on the OT goals feeding, handwriting, walking, stringing beads. SPED teachers are with the students all day, depending on the IEP, and OTs are only with the students when providing direct services.
Example one of my students has 30 min direct (week) 30 min consult (month). Meaning the OT works one on one with them of 30 min, but also meets with me for 30 min a week on how I was help the students meet their goals, and to find out what issues I'm having and how they can be addressed.
In a non school based setting the parents would bring the children to your office for OT, and that's the only setting in which you would see them. Same for OTs based in hospitals, group and nursing homes.
OT's address the child's areas of need that would prevent him from succeeding in school. Example: The child can't sit still or pay attn in class. An OT would do an assessment, and find out the underlying reasons WHY the child is having the problem and address it. Is it because the child has sensory concerns? Does the child have an underlying motor skills problem, like low muscle tone? That kind of thing!! Of course this is an oversimplification.
so what types of activities do special ed teachers do with kids? and are the daily activities the same as OT?
Im still a little confused on the actual difference.
The overall perspective is different. As OT's are educated extensively in anatomy, physiology, have had cadaver labs in college, are knowledgeable about neuroscience, neuroanatomy, and the psychology so to speak behind the actions of a thing. Task break down, tasks analysis and how it relates to function across the span of a person's life. That person can be a child or an adult.
OT's whole purpose is to enable a person to start or get back to their typical activities in life by figuring out what the problem areas are and implementing solutions & strategies, using the now Master's level of education required to practice. A child's typical activities revolve around school. Hence, OT's in the school. There is more of course. But hope that clears thigs up a bit!
I've always wanted to be a special education teacher but as I've gotten older I've really had to ponder on the low income part of that as well as some other downfalls. Pay definitely isn't the most important thing when deciding on a career but when there are other options that involve working with special needs children/adults with higher pay (like OT) then there is a consideration. So I've been looking into occupationally therapy and just really trying to weigh both options. Could I work in a special needs school doing OT? Would that pay differently than working in an office? Is it just one on one or could there be a group setting involved? Do special ed teachers and OT's work on the same life skills? Just trying to gather as much information as I can. Thank you!!!!
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But hope that clears thigs up a bit!
