Robin Kronenberger, a physical therapist with Harris County Department of Education (HCDE), discovered her passion for serving those with physical limitations at a young age when it was very close to home. Her dedication grew the more she worked in the field, eventually finding her way from hospitals and rehabilitation centers to school-based therapy. It’s on campus and serving students where Kronenberger says she’s found the place she’s meant to be.
In observance of National Physical Therapy Month, celebrated every October, HCDE recognizes and appreciates the numerous physical therapists and physical therapist assistants in its School-Based Therapy Services division. These professionals are pivotal in supporting students with disabilities and assisting their classroom mobility and function. Among them is Kronenberger, who this week shares insights from her journey as a physical therapist. She reflects on her passion to be in the classroom and why she’s inspired to help students overcome mental, physical and emotional challenges.
What inspired you to get into this field altogether?
When I was younger, my grandfather suffered a stroke and I helped my grandmother take care of him. I’d assist in moving him from his wheelchair to other surfaces. I worked in acute rehab and all the other settings before I moved into schools. But that’s when I first realized I could enjoy this profession. I thought I’d work forever in hospital settings, intense rehab settings and sports medicine but once I found schools and kids, I’ll never go back. I love working in pediatrics.
Why school-based therapy?
My son was about to enter kindergarten. I knew some HCDE PTs and they said that I needed to come work for HCDE. They told me I would love it, but I’d only done medical and didn’t know anything. I was used to working with people on vents, spinal cord injuries and strokes. I just never knew school-based therapy could also be so challenging and so rewarding. So, I interviewed and shadowed, and thought that maybe it was time for a change. Pediatrics opened my eyes to a whole new way of doing therapy and supporting kids in their educational needs in schools.
How much do you enjoy being part of the team that helps these students be successful?
I will say that we have a wonderful occupational therapy, physical therapy and musical therapy team. We are busy but we work so well together. It’s a collaborative team and I really enjoy helping kids access their school environments. Recently, we collaborated with a welding teacher to help this student in a wheelchair be able to participate. He built the desk – I don’t know how to weld – but it was this great collaboration with the staff here where this kid could pursue the welding pathway.
I’ve been practicing for 29 years as a physical therapist. I like to get in there. I like to get my hands dirty and just get in there and do my work. Helping the kids and the families get their full experience of what school should be like for them socially and emotionally is important.
What is that moment like when you’ve helped reach a solution for a student?
It’s not about fixing kids or fixing a “problem.” We have to be accepting of neurodiversity. It’s more about finding that solution and how can we make this work that serves everybody. How do we get to a place where we serve the student the best way possible, where they can access their educational environment the best way and in a positive way? I’m really big on people accepting neurodiversity in schools.
What advice would you give your younger self now knowing what you know about school-based therapy?
We support kids and their educational needs and goals. So I think I would tell myself that there isn’t always a medical answer. When I was in medical, I went in, did my physical therapy and left. But in schools, there’s so much collaboration with other professionals – teachers, principals, transportation and other disciplines. I had no idea back then, but I like it.
I like the diversity in schools. It keeps things fresh for me. It’s not a protocol and not having a protocol is great because you learn to know what is important to the student and their family.
To learn more about HCDE School-Based Therapy Services, visit hcde-texas.org/therapy-services.