Happy 1st Blogiversary Sublime Speech!

Happy New Year!  It’s incredible that another year has come and gone.  It has been an amazing year for me and this experiment in blogging about what I do in the field of Speech-Language Pathology.  I honestly could not have foreseen the impact that starting a crazy little blog a year ago would have on me, my sessions, and our profession as a whole.  As I move into my 2nd year with Sublime Speech, I wanted to reflect on some of the lessons that a year as an SLPeep has taught me:

• Jewelry Hangers aren’t just for jewelry any longer… Our extensive libraries of cards now reside in them!
• You really can’t be TOO organized, but your coworkers may think you are.  Necessary evil…
• Tracking data is also a necessary evil, but apps + paper data + software + more apps = the most accurate data I’ve kept so far in my career!
• MadLibs make some of the best Artic practice ever!  Plus, they’re great for older students… finally.
• Pinterest will help inspire SLPs and help to spread the word about the incredible SLPeeps who are bloggin’ away!
• Buying games at full price will eat too far into your SLP paycheck, but thrift stores are the perfect place for a treasure hunt!  I’ve found nearly all of my games there.
• The iPad will CHANGE therapy forever…
• … But don’t over-use it or it has a tendency to lose its effect!
• With craft sticks, paint, and sharpies you can create just about anything!
• Nobody has a perfect answer for RtI, but everybody is trying to find it.
• TeachersPayTeachers has the power to change how SLPs create, share, and use materials for therapy!
• Every holiday can be incorporated into therapy… and doing so will help to keep therapy fresh for you and your students!
• Before you pay for an app, find a blogger who reviewed it and investigate it that way!
• You may not love parts of your job (for me it’s articulation therapy, not sure why but it is…) but by creating new and fun ways to target goals, anything can be fun!
• Augmenting books and other materials for students with severe disorders including nonverbal Autism greatly increases their ability to enjoy and follow the book.  I would hate to take away incredible illustrations of the book or game/toy just to provide boardmaker symbols… find a way to combine them!
• Apps make carrying several decks of cards easier than ever.
• There are many benefits to seeing RtI artic students 4-5 times per week in short bursts… even in the hallway!
• You can’t help but have fun with a mustache!
• Facebook will help SLP networking in a whole new way!
• SLPs are some of the most creative and intelligent individuals!

I have “met” and learned from so many individuals this year!  Having a blog has allowed me to be creative and improve my clinical skills daily!  I know my students have benefited from the blog and the blogs of other SLPs across the world.  Thank you to each of you who have supported SubLime Speech this year.  Moving forward into this second year I’m looking forward to more learning, creation, and collaboration!  Here’s to a wonderful 2013!