About — Self-Determined Kids

Welcome to Self-Determined Kids! I've been an occupational therapist and teacher for 30 years, working with children with diverse needs. The most gratifying part of my journey has involved teaching children to embrace self-determination— the power to make decisions for themselves. Research informed me that children with disabilities who take charge of their learning and set their own goals demonstrate greater success in school and career. Click on the podcast link or read below to learn more about my self-determination journey! - Amy

Episode 139 of the OT Schoolhouse Podcast with Jayson Davies

Ever wondered about the transformative power of child-led methods in creating inclusive and empowered learning environments for students with special needs?

Dr. Amy Coopersmith is here to share with us how students receiving special education experience occupation deprivation and the important role of child-led decision-making and planning in occupational therapy.

Through her own personal examples and strategies she shows how these approaches can help foster independence and self-advocacy ultimately unleashing these students' potential.

Tune in to hear more about many strategies such as the use of choice boards, self-monitoring, and the "Captain Me" program.

“Promoting Self-Determination in Children” Podcast

ON THE AIR PODCAST with Dr. Stephanie Bullard Lancaster.

Occupational therapist Amy Coopersmith, OTD, OTR/L, MA Ed, has worked as an educator and OT for more than 30 years. She currently works as a lecturer on topics related to children’s independence and positive mental health. For 18 years, she worked as an OT Supervisor, clinician and evaluator for the NYC Department of Education. Amy is passionate about promoting children’s self-determination through AOTA workshops as well as national/regional conferences and online learning communities. In 2020, she created Captain Me®, a video-based musical self-determination program for all children.

On this podcast, Amy shares about her journey into the profession of OT and introduces listeners to Captain Me®, the program she developed to promote self-determination in children, and to Cappy, the star of that program.