What's Your Function?

What’s Your Function?

Do you remember the School House Rock Song- Conjunction, Junction, What’s Your Function? It was one of my favorites! 

What a great question! How do we really know if what we are doing is working? Does it have any meaning for the student? A good way to monitor this is through function.

According to the Dictionary, the definition of function is: (noun) an activity or purpose natural to or intended for a person or thing. An example: "bridges perform the function of providing access across water".

What is functional in school from a gross motor standpoint you ask? Well, some examples are:

1.    Walking/moving in the hallway, classroom, playground, cafeteria

2.    Getting on/off the bus

3.    Accessing fieldtrips

4.    Is there special equipment that the student needs to walk, stand, or move?

5.    Does the student need help in P.E.?

6.    Can the student physically make it out of the building for fire/disaster drills?

7.    Does the student have the physical strength to sit for circle time or other academic activities?

The above list is not inclusive, there are many many many many many (you get the idea) other functions a student needs for his or her school day.

How we write our goals should reflect function. Goals for mobility are classroom goals, the PT is there to support these goals.

If your PT is doing exercises but not then using that strength to do something functional (like walking up and down stairs), ask them…..What’s the function?

Movement Matters- Whitney Carter PT, DPT

Video Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPoBE-E8VOc