During the pandemic I did a lot of walking in my neighborhood. What else was there to do?
Every time I walked by this one house on the corner there was such a beautiful fragrance in the air. One day the owner was outside and I asked him about it. He said his wife was magical with plants and had all sorts of jasmine growing in the back yard. 🌱🌱🌱
So I of course decided I needed some. I went to Lowe’s and bought a nice little jasmine shrub and Brad helped me plant it.
I watered it and waited for the flowers and the fragrance.
No flowers. No fragrance. And actually very little growth.
I kept watering and checking…watering and checking.
Nothing. But it did stay alive, it just basically looked the same.
A year went by.
No flowers.
I thought maybe I’m doing something wrong? Maybe I don’t have the right touch?
Almost another whole year goes by but at the end of March, I look and the plant has tripled in size with tons of shiny green leaves. 🌱🌱🌱😊
And now after 22 months my jasmine plant is flowering. 🎉🎉🎉
Lots of little star shaped blooms and they smell heavenly.
I feel like there’s an analogy here between this jasmine plant and working with AAC.
A student gets an AAC device and we expect greatness. But nothing happens.
What we forget is that things are happening beneath the surface!
Things that we can’t see and sometimes don’t understand.
Your student might be busy growing receptively or having a physical growth spurt.
The expressive piece, or the output, WILL happen but usually not on our timeline.
So while you are nurturing and giving him access would you like some extra tools to help?
I’ve got you covered.
Click here to download your free core word activity
This is for you if you want to build your confidence and begin the journey to empowered AAC modeling but need a few additional strategies, tips and tools. All you need to do is add bubbles!
This May I hit the one year mark for meditation. That means I actually showed up every day for ten minutes for me. That’s kind of monumental.
I think I was able to do it because ten minutes isn’t a huge time commitment. Really it’s ten minutes less social media scroll time, which I can certainly spare.
I wish I could say each meditation was perfect, blissful and ohm-inducing, but not so much. There were a few days that I stayed in the zone a little longer than others. But honestly most of the days it’s just like life: scattered, imperfect, and random with moments of clarity and genius.
What I got back from the ten minute a day investment has been really invaluable; little subtle lasting changes in my approach to every day life. For example, I have more patience. I’m not sure how that happened. Maybe it has to do with a better knowledge of time.
I have more pockets of calmness. I think it’s because I am more aware of how busy the mind can be and how random thoughts are always passing through.
I have a better awareness of the ability to change gears and how easy it is. I can remind myself those are just thoughts, they don’t have to be real.
I am more present more often; which makes me feel more grounded in gratitude. By that I mean instead of rushing from experience to experience, I get little reminders to breathe, be in this moment and soak in all the good stuff. And that goes for the bad stuff too. I know it might sound counter intuitive but now when I am in physical pain I let myself really feel it. Instead of panicking, I focus on where the pain is occurring in my body and give it a number on a scale of 1 to 10. I breathe into it. It really works.
Best of all I feel like I have an increased capacity for every day joy. It’s that feeling of being in the right body at the exact right time in your life. Those moments are fleeting but so delicious.
So how did I do it? I used my phone, ear buds, and a meditation app called Headspace.
They pretty much walk you through everything. Selling features for me were: really cool teaching animations, Andy’s cool British accent and it’s all backed by research. Watch Andy’s appearance on Jimmy Fallon here.
I’ve tried other forms of meditation but for some reason this is the right one for me. You can try it for 10 days for free too, that’s how I got started. Click the link here to learn more about Headspace.
Would you like to try Headspace for a whole month for FREE? Just comment below and tell me what qualities you want to cultivate through meditation. I’ll pick a winner on June 30, 2018.
Who’s going to the ASHA Convention in LA this year? That’s where I’ll be November 9-11 and this will be my 5th ASHA convention. Honestly, with over 15,000 people atteding, it can be a little overwhelming. If you’re a first-timer (or even second or third), I’ve put together 10 tips to getting the most out of ASHA convention 2017.
Tip #1 Plan your courses ahead of time
I know sometimes it’s fun to just wing it, but this is not one of those times. You’re probably spending a lot of money on registration, hotel room, meals, and travel. Let’s get the most bang for your buck, grab your program pocket planner (you should’ve received it in the mail) and highlight some of the courses that look really interesting. Then you can look them up online here.
Tip #2 Plan to make some connections
Think about what specific topics you’re most interested in. Maybe this is an area where you’d like to connect with like-minded SLPs. Show up early for the course so you can talk to some of the people sitting next to you. Even if you’re shy, it’s to say something like “I’m excited about this course” or “how’s the convention going for your so far?”, just break the ice.
Talk to the presenters after their talk.
When you’re walking around if you see an SLP blogger or TPT seller that you follow on social media, say hello.
Tip #3 Show up Early
Some of the courses fill up quickly, so there early and grab a good seat for yourself. It’s no fun standing against the back wall for being in the overflow room.
Tip #4 Bring snacks
Your brain is going to be on overload with all this great new information and just from the energy of being around so many people. You’re going to want to feed it and lots of times the lineup for snack items is really long. I like to bring almonds, trail mix, protein bars and a water bottle. (You’re going to thank me for this tip.)
Tip #5 Plan lunch
Plan ahead for your lunches. If you have back to back courses it’s pretty tricky to leave the convention center and get back on time. Because, let’s face it, everyone’s got to eat, so the restaurants get really crowded. I usually do a combination of the ASHA prepaid lunches and snacks. Or you could plan to skip one of the 1:00 sessions and have a fun lunch with some of your SLP friends. Yes, it’s okay, you don’t have to go to every time slot. It’s important to connect and network too.
Tip #6 Remember shoes are everything
Really consider your footwear. You’re going to be walking a lot and standing a lot in the Exhibition Hall, so keep it comfortable and profesh.
Tip #7 Bring layers
Of course, you can dress however you want. Remember you’re going to be sitting a lot, so you want to be comfortable. But you’re going to want to look professional too, (at least I do). I plan to dress in layers, because you never know what the temperature’s going to be like in each room. There’s nothing worse than trying to concentrate when you’re freezing or roasting.
Tip #8 Plan your Exhibit Hall Attack
The first few times, it can be a little overwhelming because it’s HUGE. Get the floor plan that comes with your registration packet and have a look. (Or look at Tip #10) Does that sound geeky? I just remember my first time. I didn’t have a plan and I ended up getting completely overwhelmed and exhausted. Now I do it differently. I go through the floor plan and highlight all of the booths I know I can’t miss. Then, I make sure I go to those first. I also schedule myself a nice block of time to look at things.
This is a great opportunity to check out some of the big vendor’s booths. There’s always tons of swag. Super Duper has a huge area (it’s like a store), where you can actually purchase therapy materials. They also give you a big huge tote bag to carry everything in. Again, plan ahead, you don’t want to be caring that huge bag with you all day to all your classes.
Tip #9 Explore and have some fun
Take advantage of being somewhere different. Go to some of the meetups, check out a fun restaurant, and maybe you’ll even have time to go to the beach.
Tip #10 Get the ASHA 2017 Convention app.
This free app allows you to sync your schedule and see your friends schedule. It also has maps and a What’s On Now feature to keep you totally in-the-know.
That’s all for now. I hope you find these ten tips helpful and I would love to see you in Los Angeles! I’ll be posting on Instagram (Beautiful Speech Life) and maybe even Facebook Live.
One of the best things about going to an ASHA convention is connecting. We all work so hard, it’s nice to have time to socialize with people who speak our language.
As a school speech language pathologist (SLP) we are lucky to be a part of some wonderful SLP success stories. After all, that’s why we do this job; we love to be able to make a difference.
This is a really cool little story with a happy ending. A few years ago we got a new student in one of our functional skills classrooms. He was really quiet and when he did speak, he was very difficult to understand due to a severe phonological disorder. Little Ivan (not his real name) had also gone for years with an undetected hearing loss.
With time we were able to correct a lot of his phonological errors. As people begin to understand him, he became more confident and less shy. Ivan was a very kind student and quickly became the leader of the class. So much so, that we started to wonder about his diagnosis of moderate intellectual disability.[spacer height=”20px”]
When he was reevaluated, sure enough Ivan’s former diagnosis did not fit. Turns out he simply had a learning disability. I guess that the learning disability paired with the extreme shyness, the inability to be understood, the language impairment and the hearing loss had all combined against him.[spacer height=”20px”]
Our team slowly transitioned Ivan into the resource room and general education setting. We took it slowly and had lots of supports in place. The first day he took the regular bus home (instead of the sped bus) the school psychologist and I followed the bus to make sure he was able to independently get off the bus and go straight home. (He was).[spacer height=”20px”]
It wasn’t an easy transition and we had to stand up against a lot of people that didn’t believe us. But it was so worth it![spacer height=”20px”]
I’m happy to say that Ivan has is still in a general education classroom with resource support. I still get tears in my eyes telling this story, we were able to change the course of his life. That is so powerful![spacer height=”20px”]
Let’s celebrate our wins together! Today is the start of a new feature. I’m sharing one of my SLP success stories today and in the coming weeks I’ll feature yours. I’d love for you to submit a quick story, just email me at [email protected] if you’re interested. I can’t wait to hear what you have to say.[spacer height=”20px”]
Shine Bright,
P.S. You can read more inspirational stories about SLP bosses here and here. I’d also love for you to come and join the fun on facebook, you can be the first to see live videos where I share SLP tips and tricks.
Do you love planners as much as I do? I created a special SLP summer planner just to help you make sure your summer doesn’t slip away.
And the best part…it’s FREE!
WE made it through another year! Now for a well-deserved summer break. If you’re like me you start the summer with very well-intended plans of projects, revamps and things-to-do. Sometimes the transition from flat out running and wrangling kids all day to summer relaxation can be a little tricky. SLP Summer Planner to the rescue.
So you take a few days to adjust. You make some vacation plans and you sleep in. Binge watch Netflix and before you know it, summer’s over. If you’re happy with that then great.
But… what if you start the summer knowing how you want to feel at the end of it? What if we a take little time to reflect on the past year and celebrate our successes? Let’s make time for what we really want to do with these precious months and use the SLP Summer Planner to make it happen.
What can you do to take care of yourself and refill the well? Who do you want to spend your time with? Figure out if you really want to do projects. If yes, pick ones that will make you feel good. Maybe you just want to sit under a tree and get lost in a book.
Give yourself what you need. The work you do is so very important. You really do make a difference. Because you “SLP”-ed Like a Boss all year, you deserve to be the boss of your summer.
I hope you use this SLP Summer Planner with a sense of play and intention. Then when summer comes to an end (which it always does) you can use the final sheets to transition into the coming school year.
Wishing you an incredible summer,
Beautiful Speech Life
P.S. Watch for the SLP Like a Boss School Planner coming soon.
At this busy time of stuffing Thanksgiving turkeys, holiday parties and Christmas shopping, life can get a little frantic.[spacer height=”20px”]
Why not take a few minutes with me now to stop and reflect on what you are truly thankful for?[spacer height=”20px”]
I’m always curious about what other SLPs are most thankful for about our profession. So I asked some of my SLP friends from across the U.S. and Canada this question. “What are you thankful for in your profession and your life?” Here’s what they had to say:[spacer height=”20px”]
Linda Look, Looks Like Language
Professionally, I am thankful for having such a varied set of experiences during my career and for all of the SLPs and teachers who have given me such lovely feedback at my store. Personally, I am always thankful for having healthy children, and this year, for having my beautiful daughter-in-law join my family.[spacer height=”20px”]
Collette, Alberta Speechie
Professionally, I’m thankful for working with amazing colleagues. I learn so much everyday and have a great support system. Personally , I’m thankful for my friends and family who are always there when I need them.[spacer height=”20px”]
Ashley, AGB Speech Therapy
I am beyond grateful for the opportunity I have to work with, encourage and impact families. The fact that I am paid for this work still blows my mind most days. Personally, I am thankful for the support I have received from family and friends to jump out on my own with my private practice.[spacer height=”20px”]
Jennifer, Speech Therapy Fun
I am thankful for this profession because of the options that it gives us! I was able to take this year off to be with my newborn and two children. I am able to work part time or full time depending on what is best for my family at that time. Not many professions let you do that! I am also thankful for this profession because it has allowed me to help so many children and meet so many other amazing SLPs![spacer height=”20px”]
Lisette, Speech Sprouts
I am thankful for all the doors this wonderful profession has opened for me. I would say I was a reluctant introvert in my younger years. I truly found my “jam” in learning how to help people with communication disorders. Along the way, I discovered more confidence in myself, and the ability to step out of my comfort zone to try new adventures. I am thankful I get to work with both children and adults who need help expressing themselves. It makes me treasure the gift of communication. I am thankful for the opportunity to learn something new each time I am faced with a new student or challenge. I am thankful this profession values my creativity, ability to problem-solve for my students and patients, and gives me the freedom to set the course of my therapy, armed with a solid knowledge base and understanding of my student’s individual needs. Finally, I am thankful for the many amazing students, families, SLPs, and teachers this profession has given me the privilege of meeting. They inspire me each and every day.[spacer height=”20px”]
Tamatha, TLC Talk Shop
I am thankful to have a career that I truly love and the opportunity to impact others lives by helping to open the door of communication. I am thankful that the same career provides me with so may possible avenues to pursue that I do not grow restless and can continue to grow professionally and help children, adults, and families. Personally, I am thankful for a supportive and loving husband and a beautiful, smart, funny, creative, sassy miracle (my daughter)![spacer height=”20px”]
Marisha, Road to Speech
I am thankful for my husband being supportive of all my crazy endeavors. I am also thankful for the sweet, awesome kids that I get to work with.[spacer height=”20px”]
Sarah, SLP Toolkit
Personally, I am thankful for an amazing family that loves me and supports me and believes in me! They have been so patient with me as I’m trying to balance so many things and I couldn’t do anything without them![spacer height=”20px”]
Professionally, I am thankful for the advancements in technology that allow us to know and do more than ever before! We literally have resources at the tip of our fingers that can help us to be out best! I am also grateful to be associated with smart, creative women that are working hard to make a difference! [spacer height=”20px”]
Kim, Activity Tailor
I’m so grateful for parents who work tirelessly to get the support their children need and are willing to learn a new set of skills so their child reaches their potential and their children who make me laugh. Every. Single. Day.
I’m so appreciative my online friends and colleagues who’ve made me a much better clinician than I would have been on my own.
I’m so thankful for my family, all of whom are taking on huge new challenges, rather fearlessly, and inspiring me to take more risks in my own career.[spacer height=”20px”]
Hallie, Speech Time Fun
I am thankful for my family (especially my 2 year old daughter), my friends, and having a job I love! Wine and coffee are bonus loves too![spacer height=”20px”]
Felice, The Dabbling Speechie
I am thankful for parents that believe in me and instilled the idea that all people are worthy of respect and dignity. I am thankful for my husband and children as they put up with all my shenanigans![spacer height=”20px”]
Doesn’t that make you feel all warm and cozy inside? I LOVE being in the company of these engaging, smart, caring women![spacer height=”20px”]
As for me, I’m grateful for you. I so appreciate you taking the time to read what I’m writing and listen to what I’m saying. I love interacting with you and sharing ideas. Our profession is so important. We play a pivotal role in the education of thousands of children and their families. That is such an honor and a privilege that we share.[spacer height=”20px”]
What about you? What’s on your gratitude list? I’d love to know…please share in the comments below.[spacer height=”20px”]
Wishing you and your family many blessings,[spacer height=”20px”]
P.S. I’m also thankful for cute shoes, red wine, can’t-put-it-down novels, Instagram, Brad, my family and laughing out loud.
Hey there I’m Anne Page. I help heart centered SLPs and educators put the fun in functional communication. 