Days of the .... Whaaa???

Today had its moments of laughter, of loving my job, of laminating.... And of saying ridiculous things.

I pushed into a Life Skills Class to get some data on whether a student was generalizing his speech skills outside of my office (he isn't, more on the "Magic Portal" that is my office door later) when another student *NOT ON MY CASELOAD* (i.e., doesn't have a significant language impairment) wrote the following on his assignment:
Q: What day of the week was yesterday?
A: 5

... My first response when he showed me his paper? "A 5 is not a day of the week!" The teacher heard me and laughed at me.... Then realized what the student wrote and sent him to the calendar to look at the WORDS for the days of the week!!! (And since today is the 21st of October, there is no way it was even the date!!!!!!!!!)

That has come up at least 3 times today. During a building special ed meeting, during text messaging after work, and on Facebook. We (our amazing SpEd team) have now dubbed "The 5 File" for ridiculous statements and funny errors. Of which there are many in our lives!!!

As long as you can laugh, right???

Guess what the entry task for these 7th graders will be for the rest of the month?? Saying and writing the days of the week. :)

Hope you had a laugh today!

Sarah

Color Me Frustrated!

I have a few friends who are debating what color "frustrated" is... The consensus seems to be a yellow/orange with some hints of red. Whatever the actual definition, that was how I was feeling as I left work today. For the record: If a student can't identify if a sentence is syntactically or grammatically correct when he reads it or hears it.... He *can't* find and fix subject-verb agreement errors in his writing. I'm not necessarily an expert on many things. But that one I do know. And even though I had my new "IEP Data Check" form (that I made for this week of IEP insanity), even that amount of data wouldn't have changed this teacher from her path of non-progress... I mean, her goal that she wrote for this student who can't ID that there are errors, much less fix them.... But I rant on. Ok. I had already declared it Hot Mess Monday, so I don't know why I was surprised!!

Because of this frustrating interaction, I've started pulling together more materials and new ways to show the different levels of skill acquisition. So that the next time I run into this, I can pull out the data and (maybe) make more of an impact. So stay tuned for some handy forms and materials to show what level a student is at... I'm not reinventing the wheel here, so if you have something else that's fabulous, then share!! :) But I've a fondness for forms that match my needs. And for fonts that feel fabulous. And for getting my kids the goals that they need. ;) So I'm still a little orangy-yellow. But I'll channel that into making some great (for me) materials that I will share with you!!













I had a major breakthrough with a lateral s/z student. I worked with him 8 years ago and have him again. He is still lateralized. A LOT. But. I used some of the tricks from the Eliciting Sounds book (I'm so glad I bought it years ago!!!) and made a cursive T for transitioning to /s/ (They refer to the "German Affricate ts"... I didn't remember that term, so called it a "Fancy T-S"). Same with transitioning d-z. Only in my only-half-a-cup-of-coffee-in-me state, I wrote a not-cursive Z.... I'm not entirely sure what I wrote, but he took to it like a duck to water! We practiced z+vowels! Although the /z/ was harder for his tongue, the motor-planning trouble of turning the voicing on when saying /s/ was harder, so we went with voiced. He was stunned!!!! And so very aware. "Oh, I need to slow down some when I say my Ds." "My tongue keeps bouncing up and down when I try to say that."

I used the envelope trick that I saw posted not long ago (and didn't purchase, because my middle school kids have later developing errors, but I totally used the idea and LOVE IT) paired with my usual set of vowels that I use in a circle, usually, but the slide worked well today!!! Here is a link to the vowels. A regular envelope that you seal closed works perfectly fine if you cut off the end. I'm sure I'll make labels that I can put on envelopes and laminate and everything. But for the first session of the morning? I was thrilled with the progress!!

Here is what else went on today during therapy!! I have to share some happies and some wonderful products from other TpT sellers!!!

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything: Comprehension Book

By The Speech Bubble SLP

I pulled out this classic today when I realized just what a Hot Mess I was... Students screaming in the hallway, beginning orchestra class having kids practice in the hallway... Things were NOT going my way! So I pulled out the book and companion and we worked on sequencing, inferencing (who knew there was info to infer from this story! Why would she go into the woods? Why did she have to walk so far? Why would she need herbs and seeds?), predicting, and basic comprehension. And reading. Oh, man. Some of my students can read well. But most are at a maybe 2nd-3rd grade level. So this was pretty good for the to do!!

By the end of the day, the chaos-meter had hit the high level. I sent this young lady over to make me a sentence. I assumed (incorrectly) that having the wonderful cards stacked on the floor under their respective titles (adjectives, which are almost all 2 words and include a Capital Letter at the beginning, Nouns, Verbs, Adverbs) would be a clue for the order they go in. Oh, no. I printed and laminated all of the Parts of Speech Word Wall By Nicole Allison and added magnets on the back (Best invention? Adhesive Magnets for Business Cards). Voila! Perfect whiteboard activity! Once my student figured out the pattern, she was off to the races! I love the sentences that students on the spectrum come up with!!!! In this picture she is adding punctuation. Because "Mrs. Stevens is the Punctuation Police!" as she told me. :) I adore her!!!

 So those were my shining moments, in among the frustrating ones. :) New materials are coming along and blog ideas are percolating. Only 2 or 3 more IEPs this week.... And 4 evals...

Sarah

This is addicting...

I only went "live" on Teachers Pay Teachers last night... But after making a new (and, in my own opinion, AWESOME and ADORABLE) product last night, I made TWO new ones tonight.


I'm trying them out as paid products, mostly because they are much longer than the first two. You can find them here in my store.

Regular and Irregular Past Tense Verbs. Flash cards are a passion of mine, as they can be super versatile. I've used them in groups (who gets the most or says it first), one on one, to build sentences, to name past/present/future....

I've added task cards where you have to fix the verb that is in parentheses and make it the correct past tense verb.  And I added a little circle on the Halloweeny set to help with hole punching. Because I was making some today and the stupid things didn't line up like I wanted them to and it was annoying.... :) My day was annoying... So I added visuals to help with hole punching mostly for me!!


The Regular Past Tense cards are basic flash cards. I like being able to trim, fold in half,glue well, trim, and laminate. Then my kids can check their work (or each others' work) to make sure they were right. These are also good for making complete sentences.

I included color and black & white in this set to give more variety. Many of my 4th and 5th grade students would ask for their own copies. I'm discovering something similar in middle school.
It also helps for when you run out of ink!!!

:) I haven't had the brain power to really focus on making materials for "Narrative Retell" or "Stating the Main Idea" (although I will get to those... There are too many IEPs with those in them that I didn't write and aren't due anytime soon), but I will. Once I decided that "Tuesdays are the new Mondays" and went with the tired-feeling, my life was better!! So I cuddled up with my laptop and played with clip art and past tense verbs. I really need sleep, now, and to not get sucked into another project. Although it would be really easy to!!!

More to come soon!!! And: I'm taking requests! I can't promise magic, but I will take needed materials into consideration. It might spark a great idea!!

Happy Tuesday!!
Sarah

We're LIVE, People! *UPDATED*

I've uploaded my first free product. (You can jump to it here) And then I went ahead and created an even better one!! I have been using the one I posted as my Freebie for the last few weeks with students needing to improve their syntax skills. But I have quite a few who continue to struggle with putting words in the right order *with* the visual cues of a capital (the first word) and punctuation (the last word)... So I took things a step back to a lower level and made a new set of Fall-themed scrambled sentences.

And then I realized that my PERSONAL laptop doesn't have anything more than Adobe Reader on it, so I couldn't flatten and secure clip art, which won't work for me. So that is being remediated RIGHT NOW. Slowly.... Adobe is downloading onto my laptop... I just need to be able to merge files into a pdf!! So, for now, a short-term solution.

Here is a sneak peek at the new product!! It will be up in my store soon.... Once my computer agrees to merge files!!!

I'm loving it!!!!! Ok. Bedtime....
Sarah

PS: It's UP!!!! And I made it free, too. I'll probably make *this one* my free download to see my work. It's a lot more of what I like making. :) https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Scrambled-Sentences-Complete-Sentence-Task-Cards-2147177

Enjoy!!! (I really am going to bed....)

Testing the Waters

Today is a "Supplemental Day" at work. So no kids, lots of not-applicable-to-speech professional development. On our lunch break I played around with a logo idea... Here it is... I kinda like it!! But I might go with a more "official" one later. Or play with this design to go on products. So here it is!

I did it...

I'm off on a new adventure! I've become a seller on TpT and will be making products with the intent to sell them, not just use them myself. To share the materials that I am driven to make to help my students and myself. To create, not just purchase!!! And to give credit where credit is due!!! (I've worked with artists and designers too long to *not* give credit)

So. Under the tutelage of a more seasoned seller, who works with the same age-range, I'm undertaking a new challenge. Blog more, create more, share materials, make more materials, watch my students bloom, help other middle school SLPs get materials at the levels that they need.

Watch for a makeover of the blog, my logo, my Scattered SLP brand.... You name it!! And for the opening of my TpT store, The Scattered SLP. AHHHHHH!!!!! (While I'm feeling freaked out, my husband said "Why *wouldn't* you do it?" and handed me a notebook! He has confidence in me!)

That's my news. I'm on a purging spree to remove fonts and clip art that aren't for commercial use. If I can't use them in commercial products, out they go.

If you are looking for specific types of materials, let me know. I'll add them to my list of things I want to make!!! I'm so excited. Stay tuned!!!!

Sarah

Wow.

I've thought a lot about ideas for blog posts in the last few months. I didn't realize just how long it had been since I sat down and WROTE one and POSTED it... That's something I want to get better at! I guess you could call it a hiatus, of sorts, when I started working with a non-profit in my "free time" and then combined with a super-early spring that set my allergies at max speed... I spent no time on materials, or really anything work-related, at home (The non-profit work was fascinating, though, and helped me balance other parts of my life). But now I'm back!

I'm still with the non-profit, but we are in a lull after some crazy stuff happened in the crazy parts of the world in which we were operating. I was not anywhere near those locations (for a myriad of reasons!!!), but it was edge-of-your-seat sometimes and completely different from my Speech Life. Now that the school year is in full swing, I am working to discover a good balance between my Work Life, my Home Life, and my need to be of service to others (Combat Vets/ISIS Victims/People in Dire Need). It's a work in progress. Always.

On to the Speechie Stuff!! I'm scattered, as always, but am *LOVING* my new location!!! I was asked to move to the middle school, which was a surprise, but I had no idea how rough things were in my Elementary until I experienced the awesomeness that is my new school!! Personalities, entrenched belief systems about staff and students and procedures, and an office in an old hallways all combined to make for a less-than-ideal setting. While I adored my students and some of my coworkers, I am please with the transition. My new office is full of light and STORAGE!!!! With tons of built-in shelves that are PERFECT for binders! We also have 3 new teachers in SpEd and, so far, we are getting along fabulously! The only things I really miss are the Littles (preschoolers and Kindergarteners) and using a table low enough to use a yoga ball during therapy. Aside from that? Happiest SLP Around!

Moving to 6-8 grade needs has been interesting for many reasons, and the biggest challenge has been MATERIALS. When we put in our material request last year, I didn't know I would be at the middle school AND our supervisor was leaving and didn't quite order everything we asked for... So I got no new materials and the articulation cards are older than I am (and I'm 31, so it's not like I'm brand new)... So. Bless my TpT and IG SLP peeps! I am *so* glad that I got a new HP printer with Instant Ink over the summer. I love back to college sales for technology. I've gone over my 300 page limit for both August and September, but I don't care. It's still way cheaper than buying ink like I used to!!! I've used the money I saved to get more products on TpT. (Later this week I will share some of what I've made and am loving, but it's Sunday night and everything is at work, so no coherent sharing right now...)

Here are a couple pictures of my amazing new office in various stages of transformation. Yes. I have a lot of stuff. No. All of those binders are not full. Nor are all of the drawers full. Every SLP who had used that office over the lat 8 years apparently took over a new drawer, so there were eight (YES, 8) different drawers with hanging files / folders / copied articles / materials / random notes / student work / etc that needed to be cleaned out. And that took awhile. A long while. With many papercuts, shredding, sweating, and some swearing. After being out with a stomach virus for Thursday and Friday last week, I will be cleaning and disinfecting like crazy, so I'll have some updated pictures to share soon!!

Thanks for reading!!! Shorter update next time....
Sarah

Blank Slate

Board with materials on rings hanging below.

Just part of my amazing desk with some of my binders!

Board, CCSS, Quotes. A very big wall to add interest and info to!