I’m Linking up with Mary at Old School Speech for her Favorite Blog Posts of the Month: February Edition. Bloglovin’ has a great new feature that allows saving blogs and categorizing them which has made this post so much easier to compile. The challenge then is limiting myself to five posts as I have saved 21 different and wonderful blogs!! It’s no wonder I can’t get any laundry done; I’m busy reading blogs! Oh well, we all have our distractions! Okay. Here they are!

Read and Write for Google

Sean Sweeney, the self-described “Speech Techie” is an amazing source of information on how to integrate technology into our speech therapy rooms. The information he provides is cutting edge and relevant. I will also admit, he makes me look tech savvy in that I am often able to disseminate what he shares with colleagues. Naturally, I always refer back his blog, but I feel so wonderfully nerdy that I can share techie-stuff! Thanks Sean, you make me look cool.
I saved two of Sean’s posts this month, one on Read and Write for Google and one highlighting Jeopardy Labs.

Speech2U

Kelly writes one of the funniest blogs ever! I find myself truly laughing out loud when I read her posts. She had me at blowing projectiles at a cup pyramid! Enough said!

The Speech Bubble

Maureen’s post appealed to me. I take a wealth of continuing education workshops to maintain both my ASHA certification and my state license, however, how nice to have an option that indicates I have received a credential for my efforts. I am going to pursue this.

The Budget SLP

Diana, a.k.a. The Budget SLP, has been doing this speech thing since 1978! She remembers the days of minimal budgets and as a result became incredibly resourceful. She faithfully scours the internet for budget and user friendly resources and compiles them in her blog for all of us! What an amazing gift! This particular post included over 50 free or inexpensive apps that lend themselves to speech language therapy. A post definitely worth saving! 

I Heart Crafty Things

No month would be complete in our speech room without a craftivity from the ever resourceful and creative Rachel of I Heart Crafty Things. My students loved this Love Monster puppet craft. It was the perfect compliment to the Love Monster story by Rachel Bright.

I hope you had a wonderful, peaceful, and productive February. Here comes March!

When we moved to New Hampshire nearly 19 years ago we used to chuckle at the Yankee ways. Coming from “North Jersey” they seemed so quaint. One of the things that I found humorous was as two cars passed each other the drivers waved. It was an “Uh-Yuh” (please read with a New England lilt) moment. As transplants, or more correctly defectors, to New Hampshire we waved back with moderate discomfort. It was so friendly, so kind, soooooo not what I was used to. Over the years more and more transplants came to New Hampshire and the social and political landscape has morphed. As I was driving recently I waved to a walker and he stared back at me. People don’t wave anymore. I am saddened by this.

I began thinking about social grace.

Social graces are skills used to interact politely in social situations. They include manners, etiquette (the specific accepted rules within a culture for the application of universal manners, deportment and fashion. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/social_graces).

I wrote a piece about social media and a piece about writing. Here is where the two meld. It’s no secret that social media has opened the flood gates of expression. It can be informative and fun. It can also be vituperative and mean. It can be weird and frightening. It has connected us with breakneck speed and what goes out there, goes out there FOREVER! It appears however that the hidden rules, the social graces, the just plain manners have not seeped their way into the collective mindset.

Well here it is for all to see, (or at least those who follow my blog, anyway) some suggestions for social grace:

•  I follow a number of blogs and in many of them there are statements indicating how happy comments make the authors feel. I can relate. These comments allow the author to know someone has read their words and is thinking about their ideas. For better or worse. Comments may take time. Leaving a comment may require a log in. Sometimes the comment gets lost in cyberspace. All valid reasons for not leaving a comment, but for me, I want authors to know that the time they spent crafting a post was well worth it. Here is a tip I have learned, when leaving a comment, copy it before you hit post just in case it “doesn’t take.” I do this for all my comments and Teacher Pay Teacher feedback.
• This relates to email and is something I have experienced largely at work. It appears to me, and this again is just how I view the situation, that when an email is received common courtesy dictates a response. It doesn’t have to be a tome, just a short note back, “Thanks for thinking of me,” “Great idea,” etc. When I don’t hear back from the recipient of an email I often wonder what they thought or whether they even received it! So, may I suggest that when an an email is received you write back? I think it’s just good manners.
• It has probably happened to every blogger courageously putting themselves out there…negative comments. It is so tempting to launch a full on rebuttal, but I have found that only leaves me even more frustrated. A skill I have only recently developed is to respond without defense (do I need to be right?) and simply say, “Thank you for the feedback.” That is it. Nothing else. I recommend this tactic highly as it can save you from all manner of angst. It can also save you from a word war. Trust me 😉
• I do love receiving comments. I also believe I should reply to each and every comment someone has taken the time to leave. Yes, it means a little more effort, but believe me when I say it doesn’t take that much time. I imagine if I had a comment from each reader it might become a daunting task, but in reality, that is just not going to happen. For the headline bloggers this could be more challenging, however a single line acknowledging the comments that I love to receive is worth for me as the author.
• Sometimes, as a reader you might notice a typo or grammatical error. You might not like the vocabulary the author uses or think the word is used incorrectly. Again, this is simply my opinion, everyone is entitled to their own course of action, but is it necessary to CORRECT others? Before correcting an author’s grammar or critiquing word choice consider asking the question, “Is there value in this?” Consider asking yourself, “What is my motivation for doing this?” You may be surprised by the answer.
• Finally, the cover of anonymity has afforded many people a sense of security used to lash out at authors with whom they disagree. The current state of the Internet world allows people to spew negativity with alacrity! Let’s try to exercise decorum when responding to topics of disagreement. There is no rule suggesting we have to agree, however there is an unwritten rule that suggests we do so with civility and the Internet world should be no exception.

It’s that time of year again when love abounds. Hearts are everywhere. We do our share to bolster the economy and buy silly gifts. This year I decided not to spend any money on things, but rather to prepare a lovely dinner comprised of my families favorites, by request. It will be so much more meaningful (for me at least) to share a meal prepared with love and spend some time together while we can. Our kids are growing so fast and I love them so much!

I love the holidays because I can completely exploit them in therapy. These photos are just a “Whitman’s Sampler” of fun we have had this week.

These were fun and effective activities from Meredith, The Peachie Speechie and Rachel, of I Heart Crafty Things

We celebrated the 100th day of school this week and The Peachie Speechie’s Valentine Heart Challenge was the perfect accompaniment.

Pam Dahm created this AMAZING critical thinking activity and offered it for free! My older kids LOVED it!

Pint-Sized Treasures highlighted this craft made with salt dough. This activity addressed vocabulary, pragmatics, following directions, executive functions, and more!

Cupcake Vocabulary was created by Lauren of Busy Bee Speech. The choice of antonyms and synonyms used was perfect for my primary (and some intermediate as well) students. All the love in the air prompted me to reevaluate what I love about my profession. I selected Speech Pathology as a course of study when I was 18 years old. I was completing college applications and needed to enter a preliminary choice of major. I closed my eyes and circled my finger over the majors and landed on Speech Language Pathology. No lie! I suspect Divine intervention because I have never regretted that choice. Why? This is why: I LOVE delving into a test manual in order to flesh out a speech and language profile.  I LOVE collaborating with special educators and occupational and physical therapists, teachers of the deaf and nurses.  I LOVE reaching out to the community to help our students and their families access services.  I LOVE connecting with other SLPs via social media. Instagram is my source of inspiration, recipes, and camaraderie. The different Facebook groups are wonderful venues for troubleshooting difficult cases and learning about resources. The blogosphere has opened up my speech world tenfold.  I LOVE my game closet! It has taken thirty plus years to stock it and some SLP will be very happy when I retire. I LOVE my speech aide. She is a generous and kind soul. I LOVE looking at my old DLM and Teaching Resources cards. They remind me I have a rich history in the profession.  I LOVE the people I work with. They are my dear friends and have  supported me in so many situations (sniff). They have been a part of our children’s lives. They have shared my ups and downs and are a constant source of laughter and strength. I LOVE being an SLP and despite some difficult situations and circumstances, this profession has also brought me the greatest joy

I have learned quite a bit about myself over the years and I feel compelled to share my experiences in an effort to spare other young SLPs the grief I have known. I imagine it is safe to say that many professionals can relate to the experience I am about to describe.

Throughout my years of employment I have encountered situations where I have not agreed with others on a diagnosis or a prescribed course of action concerning a student. It goes without saying that I believed my thinking to be “right.” In those moments of heated dialogue I felt my contributions to be relegated to the bottom rung of the professional expertise ladder. I walked away feeling battered, disrespected, frustrated, and professionally disregarded. Whether I was right or not, truly wasn’t the issue. The issue was that I NEEDED to be right. The issue was that the others also NEEDED to be right and that was where the impasse occurred.

Photo credit: Martin on Flickr

Recently, a situation occurred where my results didn’t support a diagnosis that was being encouraged. While it was very true my test results didn’t fully support the diagnosis being explored there was a discrepancy between functional performance and the standardized results. There was clearly a discrepancy with how language was being used. This notwithstanding, I was committed to my position.

I spent several days before the meeting with a pit in my gut. I called my SLP and special education friends bemoaning my professional conundrum and seeking advice. I also sought confirmation that I was right. I considered how to get my way with the least amount of collateral damage (my professional integrity, my working relationship with my colleagues, my emotional well being, my student’s best interests). And this, young Padawan learner, is the take away; let it go! I divorced myself of the need to be right. I decided that my need to be right was impacting not just myself, but the others on the team, and had the potential to impact my student as well. I was able to temper my summary by writing the following: “What is of paramount concern is the disparity between X’s standardized test performance and his reported ability to successfully navigate the social world. While the root cause of his difficulty is not completely understood, it is very clear that effectively using social communication is extremely difficult for X. This weakness in using language functionally will result in difficulties establishing and maintaining peer relationships as well as impacting his availability for learning in the context of the classroom.” My need to be right was deafening! In letting go I was able to hear what my colleagues were saying.

I know that the need to be right is not exclusive to me. I know that most everyone is married to being right. I also understand that that need is the basis for most, if not all conflicts. It is what causes me to jump into defensiveness, however with this one little exercise of release I was able to free myself from continued contention and work collaboratively in the best interest of my student. I was empowered, not by forcing my point, but by releasing! It is counter intuitive and yet it it is empowering. I have been practicing simply saying, “You may be right,” and it halts the conversation. Uncanny! There is power and strength in recognizing that my expertise is more apparent when I yield. In yielding, I found my voice and it is heard more clearly and more professionally than I would have imagined! Try it and be sure to let me know how it works!

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My first foray into the blogging world was in July 2014. Yes, I am a blogger newbie. What is most important about this is not how long I’ve blogging, but why I began blogging! My desire to share my thoughts and ideas about my life and profession came on the heels of my completion of the ASHA Leadership Development Program.

Truth be told, I didn’t even read the email two years ago announcing the application period. My friend, Jen, sent me an email with a link and said, “Let’s do this!” I thought, “Why not?” As deadlines loomed I grew anxious. I leaned in and got myself together completing the application and naturally believing I had a snowball’s chance in hell. I texted Jen and asked her if she completed the application and she hadn’t. Many thoughts whirled in my curly head, but the idea that I was in it and I was in it alone was paramount! Sometime in April, I think, I received an email that I had been accepted. I was shocked and thrilled. I was 51 years old and I had reached a sort of professional dormancy. At the time, little did I know that this experience would be the single most important thing I could I have done to jump start my career and my life.

I zipped out to California on Wednesday for a two-day whirlwind tour as I had to be back in New Hampshire for a wedding that Saturday. I took the red-eye home and was on an LDP high! I reclaimed who I was as a professional. I re-imagined what I could do. I finally found a place in my heart and mind that truly believed, “If I think it, I can do it.” What was it that set this in motion? Well, I will say the facilitators were fabulous, inspiring, and smart, but the key for me was the other cohort participants. Our little team met every month virtually and connected and grew and commiserated. We wrought friendships and support. I love these women. I think of them often despite being spread all across the country.

As a result of my LDP experience I am compelled to continue striving for professional opportunities that allow me to step away from the stultifying effects of professional hypocrisy. This means I have reframed my mindset that I should know everything about everything. That I can do everything. How is that even possible? I unabashedly admit, “I have to research that” or happily reach out the the “gurus” in our field when I am stumped. It means divining the truth and recognizing there is a time for work and a time for me.

It also means that I had to take a look at my level of involvement in our state association. So many issues confound the ability of speech language pathologist to execute their jobs effectively. Every day I read about the mounting expectations foisted on those in our field. SLPs broadcast daily their struggles in seas of paperwork and incapacitating caseloads. I think of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s letter written from the Birmingham jail where he wrote, “nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored.” The time had arrived for a President-Elect in our state association. So I reached for the next goal and accepted that nomination. By now you may be wondering, “Where’s the correlation with the Emperor ‘s New Clothes?” In Hans Christian Andersen’s tale anyone who could not see the magnificent garments tailored for the king were either stupid or unfit for their positions. No one in the king’s court, including the king himself would openly admit that. “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” I am not one to ignore or deny what is real for me. I refuse to dive headlong into this new position feigning nonchalance and indifference.

I’m nervous. I’m nervous I don’t deserve this role. I’m nervous I can’t fulfill the obligations of the position. I fear leaving the organization in two years with it no better than when I joined. This is constructive anxiety, anxiety that will sharpen my resolve and drive me to not fall into lethargy and inactivity. It builds on the mantra that began in California, “Do one thing everyday that scares you.” This quote from Eleanor Roosevelt has been the driving force behind my choices. It’s the reason I decided to run another half marathon and to ride my bike up the Kancamagus Highway this summer. It’s the reason I’m joining Crossfit and yes, it’s the reason I accepted the nomination from people who believe in me.

I was chatting with my friend Heidi Kay, of PediaStaff fame and our conversation shifted from our love of Dr. Who, Star Trek, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Jamberry nails to my anxiety about my new role with NHSLHA. Quick as can be she suggested I blog about it. She is the brains behind this post and no, there is no impostor syndrome for Annie. Thanks Heidi and thanks ASHA LDP!

Caution: this is in large part, a non speech-language pathology related post. My last post delineated who I want to be as an SLP. This morning I was reflecting more about who I want to be as a human. I once read a quote along these lines, “What if we wore our words? What would the cloaks we wrap ourselves in look like?” My cloak would be garish, unwieldy, and ugly. I’ve recently started listening to the way I talk about myself. Last post I wrote that I want to be an “affirmer” for my students, I want them to know I value their struggles and their efforts. Why is it so hard for me to do that for myself? When my friends say they want to hike or run with me I get intimidated and say, “No you don’t, I’m slow.” When told I’m beautiful, I think, “No, I’m not.” Yesterday, someone told me I’m brilliant and I couldn’t establish eye contact! She noticed and said, “You can look at me when I say that,” but I couldn’t. My words about myself are less than flattering and if I heard my children, a friend, a student, a colleague speak of themselves that way I would swiftly rebut their statement. When I look in a mirror and cringe spewing unkind descriptions, my beautiful daughter comes to my rescue. I DO NOT want her to have to do that!
I have a sign in my speech room that reads, “People by and large become what they think about themselves.” I saw it in an office and after further research discovered it is attributed to a psychologist named William James. So when I refer to myself as fat, slow, old, inept, I reinforce it and become fat, slow, old, and inept. The Annie I talk about is not the Annie I choose to be. I say “choose” because I do have a choice. In order to be loved I must love and that includes loving the person God created in me.
While it can be a challenge to embrace myself, warts and all, if I do, I set an example for my children and my students to accept themselves. How much happier could I be, could we all be if we stopped battering ourselves with unkind words?
On a particularly self-deprecating day, I was leaving work and found a note with a Hershey kiss attached. It was from my young, wise speech assistant. She wrote, “You are beautiful. Just the way God made you.” Oh sweet girl your words brought tears to my eyes and helped me realize how I portray myself to the world! Today is the day it stops! So, hello world, it’s me beautiful, funny, brilliant, loving, buxom Annie! If you happen across this post I challenge you; say to yourself, your family, students, colleagues, everyone out loud, “I am beautiful! Just the way God made me!”

January 2, 2015 already! I recall being 15 and calculating how old I’d be in the year 2000 (39, and I thought that was ancient)! Time goes by so fast. Like most people, I’ve rung in many New Year’s Days ticking off my resolutions and like many I’ve made it to December 31st not meeting them. As a result I decided to stop making resolutions! Instead, I aspire to goals. Naturally, I have a whole list of goals for 2015. 
I plan on tackling that stack of books that keeps increasing vertically. I plan on caring more for this body that keeps increasing horizontally. I plan on continuing to respond to life’s stresses in healthy ways, despite what I am feeling inwardly (a.k.a. acting like an adult). To write more, to risk more, to do more. More, more, more! My goals also inspired me to take a closer look at what I want as an SLP. More specifically who I want to be. Who I want my administrators, colleagues, and students to see when they look at me.


I’ve worn the badge of an SLP for many years. This New Year’s Day I reflected on the traits I believe are inherent to my occupation, my vocation, and any occupation for that matter. I narrowed my list of characteristics down to 10, although there are obviously, countless more. These qualities define who I hope I am. Yes, there are days I fall short, days I fail to listen or affirm. Days patience is fleeting. But, God willing, I will be given tomorrow and a new opportunity to do it better. I have a perfect and forgiving model and I can try again. In 2015 and always I strive to be:


An Innovator: As SLPs we are the MacGyvers of intervention techniques and tools. We see a game in a coffee carrier and a snowman in tap lights. Let’s see what I can cook up with a stick of gum and some dental floss in 2015!

A Realist: We are a very compassionate and caring lot by nature, but being unrealistic about what I can do in therapy just sets me and my students up for failure. If after a long period of time one of my students isn’t progressing, for whatever reason(s), I hope to remember to be realistic without guilt or feelings of failure. As a realist, I understand that not everyone will my accept my interpretations or my help. It is always their choice and doesn’t reflect my skill, my knowledge, or me.


Safe Haven: School is hard. It is even harder for many of our students with speech-language difficulties. My speech room has been dubbed “The Vault.” It is the place where it is safe to say anything. It is a place where academic pressure is greatly reduced, yet students are still challenged. It is a place where I can provide a safety net in a strategy or technique and all feel secure.


Dogged Diagnostician: I love testing! Well, not testing itself, but the interpretation. This is another place where our craft shines through. I love sorting through test results and digging in test manuals to flesh out an accurate picture of a student’s speech-language skills. This is where we put the “pathologist” in “speech-language pathology.”


An Acceptor: I mean, I want my and students and their families to know that I accept them for who they are, their foibles and shortcomings and their strengths, without judgment. I don’t always like what I see and hear, yet it is not my job to judge.


A Role Model: I have an interesting history, better than some and worse than others. It is my story and it has uniquely prepared me for who I am today. I work and succeed each and every day and I want my students to know what they can achieve, to see what is possible, even when they think it is impossible.


An “Affirmer”: I always try to remember to say, “I know this is hard” or “I know you get frustrated. Let’s see how we can reframe this.” I never want to take for granted how challenging what we ask children to do is and I value their efforts.


A Listener: I’ve experienced quite a bit in life, but my experiences don’t qualify me to counsel. They do qualify me to listen, to affirm, to be understanding. Listening means just that, listening, without offering opinions, judgments, suggestions, or solutions. I don’t always have to talk. I certainly appreciate a compassionate ear when troubled. That’s a gift I can freely give to those who want it.


An Advocate: There have been and will always be times I need to advocate for a student. That can be an unnerving experience when my professional experience and opinion doesn’t jive with that of my team. I will continue to be brave in the face of contentious situations or opposition and advocate for the communication needs of those I represent. It is the least I can do.


A “Laugher”: Last, but certainly not least, I really don’t want to take myself too seriously. The consummate SLP must have a sense of humor. I will always provide my students and colleagues with a place where silliness abounds.


Bring. It. On 2015! Show me what you’ve got! I am equipped with the traits for success and more importantly satisfaction and happiness! 

Do I dare try this?

It’s Christmas Eve. I’m in my jammies sipping coffee and trying not to eat cookies for breakfast. Our gifts are wrapped, and our teenagers are tracking Santa on NORAD. I’m planning my day which includes a blog post, laundry, fried calamari, shrimp, pasta and a mandatory run!

Before I shift into full Christmas gear I want to pause and wish everyone a remarkable Christmas. The six months I have spent blogging have opened up a new world for me that has included “meeting” some of the MOST creative and gifted SLPs and teachers. I am in awe of their talents and intelligence. This incredible group of men and women have helped me grow as a professional, a Christian, and a woman. Sooo, I’ve decided to link up with Mary at Old School Speech and highlight my favorite posts from December. I am also breaking the rules a little (yeah, I don’t always follow instructions) and I am listing a favorite post from Your SLP Momma Says written in March 2013 that refers to “professional JOY.” Okay, I took a little latitude there!

Poster available from Debbiedoo’s Blogging and Blabbing

Becoming connected virtually has also, at times left me wondering if I am at all good at what I do. I have been an employed SLP since 1983 and that means I haven’t had the benefit of the training universities now offer SLPs to be. I have had to learn quite a bit along the way with considerable continuing education, reading, and hands on experience. I love this post as it reminded me to consider what I bring to the profession and not to fall into the comparison trap.

I Heart Crafty Things

Rachel, of I heart Crafty Things is a crafty genius. She creates simple, quick crafts that always lend themselves to speech-language therapy. She incorporates materials I generally have on hand or can easily acquire. This lady can create anything from a paper plate or cupcake liner! Remarkable!

I am always on the lookout for activities that are relevant and interest middle school students. Felice, the Dabbling Speechie, hit the mark on this one! I will reluctantly admit, I haven’t seen Elf. I’m more of an It’s a Wonderful Life, White Christmas gal, but I know that won’t do with the middle school set. Felice’s post is a must-save. She lists all the ways to use clips from the movie to target speech-language skills. Well done!

My dear friend, Sparklle, of Sparklle SLP really helped me calm down around “push-in.” I have been having a difficult time with push-in this year despite my best efforts to incorporate academic conversations into the classroom, proper. The biggest obstacle has been finding a time where I can meet with the classroom teachers in order to see how I can support their lessons and meet my students’ goals. My frustration is mounting! Sparklle’s suggestion to offer “periodic push-in” was brilliant. Thanks Sparklle, you’re WONDERFUL!

Speech is Sweet! It is even better with Scarlett offering her weekly book recommendations and activity suggestions. I love Scarlett’s ideas and her Wild About Books Wednesday linky parties are always a resource.

My mantra this Christmas season has been “Remember to stop and taste the cookies.” I mean this both figuratively and literally, although I have absolutely been tasting too many cookies. I am taking time to bear in mind the reason for the season and I am drawn to the words of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, “A God who became so small, could only be mercy and love.” Wishing you and yours a holy and happy Christmas!

Photo credit: www.planetofsuccess.com/blog/ on flickr

Gone are the days of flowery prose and heartfelt missives. Gone are the days where we shared our successes, our sadness, and day to day occurrences in letters.  I guess the closest thing we have today are Christmas newsletters, Christmas cards, and an occasional Hallmark.
Writing letters is a lost art. This loss was felt by a dear friend’s father-in-law and he took action. He writes beautiful letters to his grandsons and gives them a crisp two dollar bill when they write back. Grandpa Joe is a generous man and included my son in the arrangement as Mack has no living grandparents of his own. I was surprised by Mack’s letters; they were thoughtful, descriptive, and funny.

I understand the value of writing. It has tremendous healing power. Whether I’m writing in my journal, writing a letter, writing a blog post, or spending some time verse mapping, writing has has proven to be soothing and restorative.

• Writing allows me to sort out and make sense of troubling experiences. It gives me a place to express myself freely, without fear of reprisal or contention.
• When I’m uncertain about a difficult decision I’ve found writing an excellent way of outlining my pros and cons.  When I see in black and white how one outweighs the other, my options become clearer and my decision easier to make.
• Thoughts are directly linked to feelings and ultimately behavior. Expressing my thoughts on paper allows me to see how those thoughts yield emotional responses. Why I feel a certain way based on a certain thought becomes very clear and then manageable. 
• Writing helps organize me.  That’s why I am so dependent on lists.  Yes, I’m the person who adds an item to a list after it has been completed just so I can cross it off!
• I have kept a journal of sorts since I was ten years old. Looking back at my writing I can see how I have changed and grown. I have watched my handwriting change, my style, my intent. What a wonderful way to see my metamorphosis!
• At times I have had to have difficult conversations. In those instances I write down my talking points and refer to them while speaking thus keeping my mind focused in an emotionally charged situation. It sounds crazy, but it works.
• I read somewhere (and I wish I remember where) that writing can be viewed as a source of meditation; when I write my breathing slows and my mind clears.
• I have turned to writing in moments of anger and frustration. Writing my rage was a way of 
  

  photo credit: Sebastien Wiertz on Flickr

  venting without being hurtful or confrontational. I was also able to make sense of my feelings and determine whether such strong emotion was warranted! In those instances I was able to throw my writing away and move away from the event.

• Writing gives me a purpose, a forum for sharing my experience and dreams. 
• Writing using “I” statements has become one of the most powerful exercises I have done. By phrasing statements using “I” instead of “we,” “you,” or “our” personalizes my writing. I then own the experience, thought, feeling, and behavior. If I own it, I can change it. 

I have been basking in post turkey euphoria!  I enjoyed a wonderful holiday spent with family and friends and returned to work ready to tackle progress reports!  Ugh, so many progress reports so little time!  Well, I completed my final progress report today and feel ready for a blog post!

A term we hear often these days is progress monitoring.  “Progress monitoring is used to assess students’ academic performance, to quantify a student rate of improvement or responsiveness to instruction, and to evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. Progress monitoring can be implemented with individual students or an entire class.”
Progress Monitoring | Center on Response to Intervention 
http://www.rti4success.org/essential-components-rti/progress–monitoring

It is something that I know I began in earnest last school year and while I find it sometimes “inconvenient” I will admit I actually like the process. Progress monitoring provides me with data points indicating evidence of success (or lack thereof) and thereby supports what I am doing or what I need to do as an SLP. It provides me with crucial information about baselines, whether my student is benefiting from the intervention design, and where I need to add or modify goals for the next IEP year.

Last school year I created a very basic tool helpful in assessing progress and establishing baselines. I designed an elementary and middle school level available for free here and here. Using my forms, along with purchased tools created by other SLPs, has helped me stay organized, focused on student goals, and confident about my intervention designs.  How have you used progress monitoring tools in your therapy programs?  I would love to hear your ideas!