Handling Stress

Hi Friends,

After the work week I've had, I find myself thinking a lot about the stressful aspects of our jobs. Sure, working with these kiddos can be a whole lot of fun and amazingly rewarding, but we all have days where we get overwhelmed and are reaching for strategies to help us cope. I personally had a very draining day yesterday and frankly, an exhausting week overall at work. I am thankful that at the end of the day, I love the core of my job... because if I didn't then this week would have been much harder.

 

I find my most stressful times involve intense IEP meetings and piles of paperwork. The kiddos themselves are rarely the thing that stresses me out. So after an intense week of IEPs, assessments and paperwork, I'm looking back and sharing the functional and not-so-functional ways I coped with my stress.

 

1) Ryan Gosling "Hey Girl" Memes always seem to make me giggle and I instantly feel a little better. Wine helps too.

 

 

2) A run outside with my happy pup really helps me put things into perspective and appreciate all the good things.

 

 

3) I sometimes cope with stress by being sassy. Yep, that's the not-so-functional way to cope. It doesn't really solve anything but it makes me feel a little better sometimes, honestly. :)

 

 

4) A night with girlfriends  is also a great cure for a stressful work week. Especially if some of those girlfriends happen to be SLPs. I'll be doing that tomorrow night, actually.

 

 

5) I lean on my husband. Even when he is stressed out with his own stuff, he makes time for mine. Even if he just lets me vent and says nothing back, it's nice to cuddle up next to him and feel heard.

 

 

6) I pray about it. I pray for patience, I pray that I can take something positive from a stressful experience. I have to admit that this isn't usually my first line of defense when I'm stressed, but it should be.

 

 

 

What are the most stressful aspects of your job as a special education teacher, general education teacher, OT or SLP? How do you cope with stress?
 

Quick Tip Tuesday

Hi friends!

Today, I'm linking up with School SLP for her Quick Tip Tuesday Linky! 

This link-up is designed for SLPs to share a quick tip(s) related to the speech and language world. The goal is to share information in a short-read format.

Here you go….

If you have kiddos that are easy to drill when it comes to articulation targets, using a tally counter or "clicker" is an easy addition to therapy sessions. Whether your students are at the carryover level and using their sounds in conversation OR they are at the phonemically loaded sentence level, it will surprise you how much a "clicker" will excite and motivate your students.

I use  a "clicker" in therapy regularly with my Speedy Speech students (2x10 individual drill sessions with 3rd grade and up). The kids love to see how many productions they can make of their sound and they especially love to try to surpass their previous total. I use this tool during conversational tasks as an auditory reminder and a way to tally the amount of target sounds my students use when we chat. I use a "clicker" alongside reading level tasks with seasonal books or paragraph level reading prompts. I also use it with a Super Duper book called "See it, Say it Artic Reps". Each page results in the reader saying their sound 100 times! 

You can get a "clicker" or tally counter on Amazon. I'm actually looking into buying some of the fun colored ones. :)

I hope that was a helpful quick tip! Have a wonderful Tuesday!

A Look at my Lessons 1/25/15

Hi Friends! 

I hope you had a great weekend! My husband and I used our weekend to relax and recharge with friends in the mountains. We all had a great time, but it went by so quickly! It was Sunday before I knew it! 

Now, I don't know about you, but on Sunday evenings I tend to get a little anxious about what is waiting for me in the work week ahead. I've found that making basic lesson plans for the week tends to make my Sunday anxiety lessen. After a while, once I've gotten used to the process of writing up lesson plans, it becomes pretty easy. I think it will also be awesome this time next year when I have lesson plans to work from (and just tweak a bit) as opposed to reinventing the wheel.

I've decided to start sharing these lesson plans with you! These posts will be titled "A Look at my Lessons". I'm already making them for myself so I might as well share… if it helps someone feel a little less anxious about their Monday morning, that makes me happy! :)

I know everyone has caseloads made up of varying ages and abilities… so my lesson plans may not apply to everyone. However, I often use open-ended reinforcement activities and those can be utilized for many different therapy groups. I should also caution that I've listed mainly the materials I'm going to use- I don't include behavioral strategies, prompting and modifications in my lesson plans… they are VERY general. But, they give me place to start when it comes to therapy for the week!

I've listed the names of my lesson plan activities below and where you can get them (if they are available on TpT). :)

Roll a Super Bowl Football by SLP Chelsea (me)

Football Challenge sheets by Peachie Speechie

Football Chip Board by Karen Dickson

Super Bowl Prediction Sheet by Hannah Martin

Describing a NFL mascot by Speech Room News

Unexpected vs. Expected: Super Bowl by SLP Chelsea (me)

Let's Plan a Super Bowl Party by SLP Chelsea (me) --- It's FREE!

The activity for my Speedy Speech kiddos titled "I'm Going to a Super Bowl Party and I'm Bringing…" is just what it sounds like. You may remember this game from car rides growing up… I know I played it on many a road trip. I do this activity with my kiddos that are at the carryover level. We simply write down their sound on a piece of paper (so I can point to it as a visual reminder throughout the activity and they can remember to only use words with that sound) and we take turns stating "I'm going to a Super Bowl party and I'm bringing __________". The game gets pretty difficult because they have to remember what was said and they have to remember it in order. So, I wouldn't suggest it for your kiddos who will have trouble with that. Here's an example---

Target sound - /R/

Me: I'm going to a Super Bowl party and I'm bringing tortilla chips.

Student: I'm going to a Super Bowl party and I'm bringing tortilla chips and roses.

Me: I'm going to a Super Bowl party and I'm bringing tortilla chips, roses and paper plates.

Student: I'm going to a Super Bowl party and I'm bringing tortilla chips, roses, paper plates and a parachute.

As you can see, it gets difficult pretty fast but it also gets pretty silly. I tell the kids they can "bring" any item as long as it has their sound in it. :) 

I hope this was helpful! I love doing themes for therapy- the kiddos obviously love it, the themes help me plan easier and they make me look forward therapy sessions! When work gets crazy with IEPs, assessments, scheduling, etc…. having my lessons already planned out helps out so much!

If you happen to stop by my store to pick up some materials, make sure to FOLLOW ME! That way, you will be notified whenever I post new products! Also PLEASE leave feedback if you've used my products, free or paid. I love to hear your input AND you get TpT credits if you provide feedback… those credits can actually be used to buy products on TpT!

I'm linking up with Old School Speech for her "Week in Review" linky! Check out her page for more weekly lesson plan ideas and/or link up to share yours!

Have a wonderful week, everyone!!! 

New Blog Design & Products

Hi friends!
This will be a quick post- I'm working on another one for Monday. However, I had to share!

As you can see, I have a brand new blog design!!! I am so thrilled with how it turned out! It's absolutely gorgeous and reflects my personality perfectly! Plus, my puppy Olive is included! I hope you like my new design. If you're looking for a great blog designer, check out Blogs Fit for a Queen! Shanon did an amazing job and was such a breeze to work with. She didn't rest until it was exactly what I wanted!

I'm so excited to share my ideas and products with you, please follow me on other social media sites to keep up with everything I'm doing! The social media buttons on my blog header can direct you there as well!

 

Although I'm just getting started as a blogger and TpT designer, I've been pinning like crazy on Pinterest for quite a while now- I have tons of great boards to follow. I also a post regularly on Instagram and Facebook. I love to share therapy ideas, silly ecards and pictures of my daily life as a dog-mom, wife and SLP!

 

I have a bunch of new products in my Teachers Pay Teachers store, so please check them out! I'm really excited to use my new materials in therapy! I even have a Super Bowl themed therapy plan for next week, using one of my new materials!

 

Anyway, thank you for all of your support. It's already so amazing to see how many people I can connect with and share ideas with through all of these social avenues. Have a great weekend, friends! Talk to you soon!

 

 

 



Go-To Games & Open-Ended Reinforcements

Hi Friends!

Today I'm sharing with you my go-to games and open-ended reinforcers. These are items that I use regularly during speech & language groups. They are ideal for groups of kiddos with different goals and/or fleeting attention (aka preschool boys). I use these items along with articulation cards/apps and language cards/apps.... I rarely use them as a stand-alone therapy activity unless the sole purpose of the session is very basic (maintaining play with peers, following adult directions, etc).

Games:

Snail's Pace Race

I love this game! It's a really simple concept- the kiddos get to pick the snail that they think will win. Everyone can choose the same snail or they can each choose different snails... it doesn't matter. Tip: I make sure to write down everyone's "votes" ahead of time so I can remember AND so they don't change their snail choice last minute. Once everyone choose a snail, the first kiddo does his/her targeted exercise (artic cards, language cards, etc.) and then get to roll the dice. They move the corresponding snails and play moves to the next kiddo. I love this game because of its simplicity and the fact that it keeps all players engaged, even when it isn't their turn. I found it at Lakeshore, but you can also find it on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Ravensburger-Snails-Pace-Race-Childrens/dp/B004KZ8P2Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421431191&sr=8-1&keywords=snail%27s+pace+race

Ice Cream Scoops of Fun

I can't tell you how many times I've played this game with my kiddos. It never gets old for them! Who doesn't love ice cream? When it is their turn, each kiddo spins the ice cream scoop and it reveals an ice cream flavor. They then have to search for that flavor of ice cream. I typically give 2 chances per turn. If they find an ice cream that matches the flavor in the scooper, they get to keep it in their bowl. Whoever has the most ice cream scoops in their bowl, wins! I got this game at Target years ago.... you can find an updated version of it on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Ice-Cream-Scoops/dp/B00005BXCC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421431287&sr=8-1&keywords=ice+cream+scoops+of+fun

Silly Faces

This game is super cute. The kids get to spin during each turn to choose a different part of their "silly face". The game uses colorforms that stick nicely to the cardboard faces. My preschoolers especially love this game- they always giggle at their creations! This game can also be used for describing tasks. I am pretty sure I got this game at Target, but you can also find it on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Colorforms-Silly-Faces-Stick-Ons-Game/dp/B00000IZW2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421431115&sr=8-1&keywords=silly+faces+game

 Jumping Jack

This is one of my newer go-to games. It's the same concept as pop-up-pirate but it is simplified since there is a small number of carrots. I don't use the spinner that comes with the game, I just have each kiddo pull out one carrot for their turn. I tell them that the goal is to not make the bunny jump out. :) They burst out in laughter when the bunny finally does. You can find it at Target or on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Goliath-Games-30514-Jumping-Jack/dp/B00I8Z6GAM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421431217&sr=8-1&keywords=jumping+jack

Apps

Speech Stickers

When I first downloaded this app, I didn't use it very much. I felt restricted by the simple word shapes and phonemes built into the app. But, when I started using it for the apraxic and severe phono kiddos it applied to, I realized pretty quickly that I could make it work as a simple and highly motivating reinforcement strategy for any kiddo!

Now, if I am using this app with a kiddo who is working on higher level sounds or honestly, any task, I simply treat it as a "sticker reward". Once the student completes 5 productions of the artic/phono target, or any task asked of him/her, I let the student put 5 "stickers" up and get the action reward. The "action reward" is a silly child narrated action with the stickers. The students have many actions to choose from, including: A bus that picks up all the stickers, a rocket that loads the stickers and takes off and even a shark that makes "Jaws" noises and swims after the stickers. The kids get a kick out of it and each "action reward" takes approximately 10 seconds.

You can find this App in the App store on your iPad or tablet. :)

I literally used this as my only game with my preschoolers yesterday (4 wiggly preschool boys, to be exact) and I had their full attention for a whole 30 minutes! I just grabbed a stack of Kaufman cards that applied to each kiddo and for each turn, I asked them to do 3 productions of 2 cards each. Once completed, they got to put up all 5 stickers and choose a reward. The kiddos who were waiting for their turn remained completely engaged- they couldn't wait to see what action would be picked next! I shared a video of their giggles yesterday on my Instagram ( slpchelsea ). If you missed it... enjoy. :)



Fellow SLP/Teacher TPT Materials

Dice Game from: The Buckeye Speech Path

 http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Dice-Game-Open-Ended-Game-for-Speech-Therapy-450883

Snow Day Quick Drill from: Mia McDaniel

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Snow-Day-Quick-Drill-for-articulation-or-fluency-therapy-RtI-1083702

Winter Token Boards from: Tech 'n Talk SLPs

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Winter-Token-Boards-for-use-with-Magnetic-Wand-and-Chips-1009101

Seasonal Bingo Games from: Crazy Little Projects blog

http://crazylittleprojects.com/2014/01/free-printable-valentines-day-bingo-game.html

She has variations for every season! They are super cute and colorful! I've provided the link to her Valentine's Day Bingo, but search her blog for Halloween, Christmas, Easter, etc. :)

There are other items that I may use as reinforcers during group speech sessions, but these are the ones I currently find myself reaching for on a regular basis. :) Thanks for reading- I hope I've given you some ideas!

By Monday, January 19th, I am hoping to have a handful of my own super cute items finally available for purchase in my TPT store. I'm working very hard on these materials for you! I promise they'll be worth the wait! Check out my store for adorable and functional materials! http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Slp-Chelsea

Hello, World!

Hi there!

I have many goals for 2015. I haven't officially written them down or anything, but they are floating around in my head constantly. I've started a blog before but never followed through. I've thought about making products on Teachers Pay Teachers but I thought it would be too difficult, so I never got started. 2015 is the year to get these things done! So, here I am. I guess I should start by telling you a little bit about myself.

I'm a licensed and ASHA certified speech-language pathologist. I completed my B.A. in Communicative Disorders at Cal State Fullerton in 2007 and my M.S. at University of Redlands in 2009. I am passionate about the field, and although working in the public school setting is full of many stressors, I still really love my job. 

I live in Orange County, CA. As I mentioned, I work in the public school setting with preschool to 5th grade students, all ranging in ability. The students I work with are typically impacted by: autism, apraxia, language disorders, ADHD, articulation disorders, phonological disorders, fluency disorders, traumatic brain injury, hearing loss, emotional disturbances or behavioral disorders… the list goes on. My students push me to be a better person and therapist every day. 

My hope for this blog is to share some of my daily triumphs and tribulations, therapy ideas, activities and even printable materials. I am obsessed with Pinterest and fellow SLP bloggers- they are truly paving the way for a whole new SLP world and I just hope to add to it! 

Thanks for stopping by! Come back soon!

Chelsea