Teaching · Related Services

Feet down, hips back,
desk at the right height.

Watch a student during a real task and mark eight points of seated alignment, the main lean and how often they move. Change the chair, desk or supports, observe again, and see the points add up.

Log an observationWhat you get
$19one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $19

Included with Caveat Classroom and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Related Services toolkit, $99 for 96 items.

Posture observations

The worked example follows one made-up student before and after a footrest and a lower desk, and another on a library stool. Observations save as you type and stay in this browser.

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What you get

Teaching · Related Services$19 · included with Classroom and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A dated observation of seated posture with activity, furniture and minutes; eight alignment points; lean, repositioning, time on task and self-correction; supports in place; notes and the next step; points seen per student over time; printouts, a blank form, a spreadsheet and an export file.
Who it is for
School occupational and physical therapists, OT and PT assistants, and teachers who adjust furniture and seating with them.
Format
Browser log with any number of saved observations. Prints one observation, all of them or a blank form; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the tool opens once you are signed in with it. Included with Caveat Classroom and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Related Services toolkit ($99) and the Teaching Suite pass ($199), and 1 more bundle. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Related Services space in Caveat Teaching.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Watch from the side for a minute during a task the student does every day.
  2. Mark each alignment point as seen, not seen or could not see, for most of the time observed.
  3. Note the main lean and count how often the student repositions.
  4. List supports in place and write the next step: often a furniture change first.
  5. Observe again after the change; the side panel shows points seen moving.

Log an observation

What to look for

Points to look for, seen from the side1Feet supported2Hips back, thighs on the seat3Knees near hip level4Trunk and head upright5Forearms rest, shoulders easy6Desk a little above the elbowPoints to look for, seen from the side1Feet supported2Hips back, thighs on the seat3Knees near hip level4Trunk and head upright5Forearms rest, shoulders easy6Desk a little above the elbow
Points 1 to 3 depend mostly on the chair; 5 and 6 on the desk. When several are not seen, check the furniture size before the student.

Furniture first

Many points that are not seen trace back to furniture that does not fit: a seat too high leaves feet dangling, a desk too high lifts the shoulders. In the worked example a footrest and a lower desk moved the student from 3 to 7 points in a week. Measure the student and the furniture before adding equipment.

Movement is normal

Children shift position, and some need to move to stay alert. A count of repositioning is useful alongside time on task: frequent shifting with little work done says something different from shifting while working. This log describes what was seen; it is not an evaluation.

Sources

  1. Case-Smith, J., & O’Brien, J. C. (Eds.). (2020). Occupational Therapy for Children and Adolescents (8th ed.). Elsevier, chapters on seating, positioning and school-based practice.
  2. Castellucci, H. I., Arezes, P. M., & Viviani, C. A. (2010). Mismatch between classroom furniture and anthropometric measures in Chilean schools. Applied Ergonomics, 41(4), 563–568.
  3. Parcells, C., Stommel, M., & Hubbard, R. P. (1999). Mismatch of classroom furniture and student body dimensions. Journal of Adolescent Health, 24(4), 265–273.
  4. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 34 CFR 300.34: occupational and physical therapy as related services.

The worked example is made up. This log records observations; it is not an evaluation and does not replace a therapist’s judgment. Records stay in this browser until you print or export them. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.