Honest Thoughts
Hello and Happy Holidays! Let’s get the cliche out of the way—can you believe it’s the holiday season already?
I have to admit, I’ve been feeling distinctly disconnected from the holiday season so far this year. People were decorating for Christmas quickly after Halloween ended and while I never decorate before Thanksgiving but don’t begrudge people who do, this year it’s really messing with my sense of time. I’m hoping that as December starts swinging, I’ll feel a little more festive. But if not… I’m determined not to fret.
From My Desk
This past month, I faced the same question from at least two of my middle school students: “Why am I in speech?” One of these students doesn’t really need services anymore, which I had already planned to express at our next meeting. The other student does need support but doesn’t want it. I had very candid conversations with both of them, explaining why they were still receiving speech, giving my opinion on whether or not they still needed it, and, most importantly, asking them how they felt about that. The student who doesn’t need services still enjoys speech—they just want to miss less class. The student who doesn’t want speech agrees that he has needs but the things he’s done in speech aren’t meeting them.
These conversations have brought to mind some questions to ask (yourself, students, and others) about when services are and are not the best option.
What do you (the student) need help with?
How do you (the student) feel about coming to speech?
What am I doing with the student and why?
Is there any research I need to do to better address these needs?
Is my materials toolbox running low or been overused?
Can you (the teachers) address these needs with my help?
Can I address these needs effectively in less time?
Did I build a relationship with the student first?
Have I explained what we’re working on and why?
Is it time for an assessment and/or a meeting?
While I was writing this, I received an email from the parents of the second student. In it, she thanked me for being willing to admit things weren’t working. I think we need to remember that more often. SLPs tend to have a, “I can save the world!” complex, when the truth is… we can’t. We can certainly make a huge difference in people’s lives, but it is dependent on so, so many different factors of which we are only one.
Month’s Most Used Therapy Materials
Pink Cat Games
I would not have thought this website would go over with my middle schoolers, but it’s amazing how something as simple as spinning a wheel for points can motivate a student! I haven’t done this yet, but I love that you can create your own question sets. I’m planning to spend some time soon creating sets that are more middle school appropriate.
Creature Campers and Cat Ninja on Epic! Books
I’ve been doing a lot of book reading this month. I can’t lie, my energy is significantly lower this school year for a host of reasons, so I’m taking advantage of things that can take a little bit off of me! Epic! is great for that because of its Read to Me section of books. I can’t read aloud quite as much as usual, so Creature Campers and Cat Ninja have been godsends!
Plans for Next Month
✨My Halloween and Thanksgiving Boom decks have been well received the last couple of months, and I was thinking of making another version for December but… I really didn’t want to only release something that was strictly Christmas. I decided that, ideally, I would have a Christmas deck and a winter deck. I didn’t have time to create both this year, so I plan to have two versions next year!
✨ After a big holiday, I like to do a big ole therapy reset. For me, that looks like:
Spending the first couple weeks progress monitoring the exact goals on the IEP
Triple checking upcoming IEP and eligibility dates and making sure they’re on my calendar
Doing a bulk therapy buy to restock my therapy materials for spring
What’s Giving Me Life
Cozy mysteries a la Myrtlewood Mysteries
My Kindle stand and remote set up. I can’t vouch for their longevity as I just got them a week or so ago but boy, am I in my cozy era with it.
My traveler’s notebook set up. This one I can vouch for—it’s amazing! I have the leather cover, weekly planner, blank notebooks, extra connecting bands, and zipper pouch. My notebook consists of a pouch of pens, a weekly planner, a collections notebook (Bullet Journal style), and a long form journal.
And also, I started journaling using different color pens for my cycle recently (one for menstruation, one for follicular stage/ovulation, and one for the luteal phase). I love getting to look through my journals and easily catch patterns based on where I am in my cycle. I adapted this idea from Claire Baker.
Rooibos tea. I’m three months into my caffeine-free life, subbing rooibos for my Yorkshire and I’ve officially reached the point where I really want it in the morning. The ritual feels restored.
“Wisdom comes with winters.”
I hope you all have such a warm and festive holiday season.
Christin
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