Oh no...my student just asked about theory!

Does the thought of talking about theory seem a little daunting to you?  

Do you dread the moment when your student asks “what theory are you using?”

In their first term of the MOT program, students have had almost as much exposure to occupational therapy theory as they have had to practice skills. Much like when you build a new house, a strong foundation is an important stage in OT student development.

To help students consider theory and practice together, they are assigned the Theory Advancement Process (TAP) workbook to complete while on their fieldwork placement. The workbook includes questions that ask students to consider the use of theory in practice using examples from their fieldwork placement. Students have been encouraged to talk to their fieldwork educators about how they use theory in practice or what theory or theories inform their work with clients.

To help make those conversations with your student about theory a little easier, we offer a few suggestions:

It’s OK to not know how to name the theories/model of practice you use in your practice. 

It might be because they are so embedded in your practice that it is hard to put into words.  It might even be that the names and terminology have changed since you last learned theories.  Just because you can’t name them doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Describing your approach with the client and your reasoning for taking that approach can help the student figure out what theory or theories may be influencing your practice. It’s okay to let them try to figure it out!  

It’s OK to share with students that some theories/models don’t fit with your practice. Sometimes our context dictates a lot about how well our theories and models can fit with our practice. Sometimes we work in roles that aren’t specific to OT.  Sometimes we work in environments that only focus on a small part of a larger continuum.  It is not realistic that every placement fits with every model.

It’s OK to learn with and from your student. 

o   Encourage your student to share his/her thoughts on what they believe is guiding your practice or what theory they think you might be using. You shouldn’t have to provide them with all the answers. They spent a whole term learning about all kinds of theory. They should be able to recognize theory in practice (although they might not always be able to do it on the spot).

o   Ask your student what his/her favourite model/theory was that they learned in class.  Does he/she feel it fits with your practice?  Why or why not?

o   Is there a model/theory that you’ve heard about/are wondering about?  Ask the student if they can share that information with you (and how it fits with your practice as an added bonus).

Fieldwork education isn’t just about the student learning from you.  You do not need to know it all. Nor can you! Take this as an opportunity to stop and think about what guides your practice.  Take this as an opportunity to learn from your student.  In the words of one of our Manitoba OT educators, “you likely will learn more from your student than you think … take the experience as the gift that it is.”

Lisa Mendez and Leanne Leclair