As a graduate student supervisor, I frequently find myself selling the school-setting to speech-language pathology students. Many graduate programs inadvertently spread the idea that working in the schools is somehow “lesser” or not prestigious. As someone who has worked in schools, clinics, private practice, and hospitals, I find this viewpoint misleading and unfair to the… Read more
Viewing posts tagged with: school
Tips for a calm, healthy and fantastic school year!
Almost everyone is officially now “back to school”… how are you feeling about that? Excited? Exhausted? Somewhere in between? I know there have been a million “back to school” posts over the years, so I wanted to compile some great advice and tips and for your inner wellness. If you are not centered and calm, then… Read more
The Importance of Learning Social Skills Outside of the Classroom
An actual email I sent to the staff at my school a few weeks ago: I have a little story to tell…. Xth grade recess is often fairly hectic. We have MANY kids with special needs (both identified and not identified) and I often end up “coaching” the kids on recess and social skills. Today was the second day… Read more
A Prayer For My Day
Heavenly Father, I pray for my day today. I pray for all the children who I will see in the halls, in the classroom, and in my room. I pray you would give them love at home and love at school. Touch them with joy, even in the midst of their often harsh young lives…. Read more
7 Things I Wish I’d Learned Before Working in a School
The following 7 things are things that wish someone had told me these things before I started working in a school! Or… if they did tell me, I wish I had listened! 1. In spite of the fact that my school got a new heating system installed this summer, I am generally freezing. I wear… Read more
Reasons to be a School-Based SLP
I just started back from spring break today and have to say that I am TIRED! It is really hard to go from “sleeping in” to 5am wake ups again! Because it is difficult to come back from breaks, I thought I’d remind myself why I (usually) love what I do: 10. Surrounded by joyful,… Read more
Conference scheduling disaster. Again.
For whatever reason, my kids’ school has an extremely inefficient method of signing up for conferences. Conferences which are almost 2 months away I might add. Yesterday was my kids’ back to school night (yep, a month after school has started). This was me: Enter 1st grade room. Start to look at Marvel Girl’s work, then… Read more
Lunch time woes
September 2012 Dear SLP at my children’s school, I’ve spoken with you in the past as I am the SLP at a school down the street from you and we’ve shared kids before. I also happen to have my own children at your school . At present there are a bunch of parents who are pushing… Read more
1st week of school
I hate the first week of school. There. I’ve said it. While all my other teacher friends are writing sentimental statements about how excited they are about students coming back and how fresh and eager their darlings are, I’m spending the day crying and wondering why I didn’t look for a new job over the… Read more
Take your child to work day
Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. After haggling with my principal, I was approved to bring my 8 year old son to work with me on Thursday. This being an elementary school, and him being an elementary school student, I thought this would be no biggee. Apparently, it was. (That story is for… Read more
How to transform my pathetic year into glittery goo.
As much as I’d love to create a sappy, woe-is-me post, I’ve decided to stick my chin up, put on a fake smile, and throw glitter obnoxiously around until everything looks pretty. Cuz I really like sparkles. Goo: Professor X had a $70,000 surgery that led to no pain relief and increased pain for several… Read more
Speech Club and Mad Libs Monday
I created a new Speech Club this year (and handily tied it to my “professional development” so that my principal would support this new endeavor). All my 3rd-5th articulation only students meet with me daily from approximately 8:45-9:00am to do a quick articulation drill (school officially starts at 9am). They practice their good sounds with… Read more
Top 10 Reasons to be a School-based Speech Pathologist
I had not intended to work in the public schools. I actually fled teaching after a one year nightmarish career as a high school science teacher. The plan was that I would finish my Master’s degree and begin working with adults in a rehab center. Adults like my father after his stroke. Or the… Read more
Scheduling for Speech
Remember in High School when you could have sworn that your English teacher threw all those essays up his stair case. The ones that landed nearest the top step received “A”s, the next steps received “B”s and all remaining papers received a “C”? That teacher was the reason I refused to take any English classes… Read more