Duh. I don't know why the whole fieldwork-in-a-school-setting never really sunk in. I knew my first Level II would be in a school setting. Literally since August, this has been the plan. My only excuse is that I had been so wrapped up in assignments and exams that I didn't take the time to think about fieldwork. Whatever. I get it now. That's all that matters.
So, Monday of this week found me back in the world of academics. As I said, I will be spending the next 12 weeks rotating between elementary, middle, and high school. OT students have two 12-week fieldworks. And it's essentially the last step before we become licensed practitioners. We do our 24 weeks of fieldwork, then take the licensing exam, hopefully pass the first time we take it, and then find a job that brings us joy and happiness. Across these 12 weeks, I am paired with an OT currently working at the schools where I've been placed. She's my mentor, instructor, tutor, teacher, Jedi master, that sort of thing. This week consisted mostly of observation, and getting acquainted with the schools and the students. But, as the weeks progress, I will start leading the treatment sessions, planning interventions, presenting in IEP meetings, all that cool stuff. And it's all planned out so that, by the end of the 9th week, I have assumed the full caseload, and am basically an official OT, just without the license. And still paying tuition.
The entirety of this past Sunday was spent in an interesting dichotomous emotional state. I alternated between feelings of sheer panic and anticipatory excitement. I texted one of my closest friends who also happens to have gone through grad school with me, and we agreed that we had forgotten everything we had ever learned. Which was totally false. But at the time it seemed very real. Monday morning, I left absurdly early in order to get to my site on time. Got there 40 minutes early. No big deal. Also didn't have coffee that morning because the adrenaline was quite enough to be going on with.
Were my fears completely unfounded? Um, yes, absolutely. Here's the thing: I chose a school setting as one of my fieldworks. I knew that I would enjoy it. Did I know that I would completely love it on the first day? No. But I did completely love it on the first day. Which was completely shocking to me. Again, I don't know why I was so surprised? But I was. Mind-blowing. Has it been a difficult first week? In some ways, yes. Lots of new information entering the brain, names, faces to remember. Learning to look at every single aspect of a student's performance on seemingly-simple activities like coloring and cutting. Coming home in the afternoon and being utterly exhausted and going to bed at 9:30 every night. But it's also been a complete blast. First off, I've found that I know a lot more than I thought I did. Which is always gratifying. Second, I have a wonderful mentor who encourages me to look things up and jump right in. Third, and most importantly, the students that I have the privilege to work with are all so wonderfully amazing. I think they are the reason I came to feel so comfortable in this new experience so quickly.
My first day of fieldwork, I got to my desk, and there was a stack handmade cards. From my students. That I hadn't even met yet. "Welcome to school, Miss Fiudo" "We will play and have fun" "How was college?" "I can't wait to get to know you and work with you in OT". I am keeping them forever. The cards, that is. I'd love to keep working with these students forever, but that is, sadly, not realistic. But, thanks to them, I think this is going to be an incredible 12 weeks.
As, as a sort of P.S., this is my only touchy-feely post about fieldwork. Actually, no promises on that one. But after this I will definitely be talking more about the OT-practice stuff I've been doing. I just felt the stage needed to be set in order to proceed with all the official information and analysis.
