Today is the day before Thanksgiving and before I begin my cleaning and cooking frenzy (and shopping for a new food processor as mine broke two days ago!), I want to share an email I received from a colleague and dear friend. She retired in 2016 after having enjoyed a storied and fulfilling career, and has kept active with a variety of volunteer activities that draw on her extensive special education background.

Her endeavors provided her with a new base of comparison: new contexts, new teams, and new protocols often highlight how truly fortunate we were in previous employment settings, despite not always realizing that what we had was awesome. She wrote:

"Over the past months in my work with S---, I have come to realize even more what a phenomenal team you are. I have encountered some children whose educational programs are good, certainly, but some that are lackluster and even neglectful and borderline non-compliant with N---.

These are some of the things you all do that I really appreciate:
You contact outside evaluators and medical professionals to make sure you are addressing the needs of the child appropriately, that you're not missing anything, that you gather as much information about the etiology and strategies of each individual child - this takes open-mindedness and awareness that there is always more to learn. It also acknowledges that you are there to help the child learn and grow.

You try your hardest to write IEPs that are meaningful, and then you follow through. Testing, FBAs, consultations, documentation- you do it in a timely manner, and you do it well.

You engage parents in the process, and are respectful about it. You keep in contact with them, you listen to them, and you help them learn about and understand their children. Even if you don't agree with them, you try hard to make sure they know you are all in this together on behalf of the children.

You treat the children with respect. We have all had students that might be harder to appreciate- but you never let the child know.

You are creative and resourceful, with the goal of making learning fun, accessible, and challenging.

I know that some school districts have significant financial limitations. But S--- doesn't have gobs of money either. That never stops any of you.

Thank you."

In the spirit of gratefulness, I would encourage us all to find a moment to tell a colleague what they mean to you, both professionally and perhaps personally. In an age when we are quick to ruminate on what frustrates, annoys, and divides us, words of support and affirmation are more needed than ever before. 

I appreciate and value YOU, for whatever it is you do and for taking the time to read this blog.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Frenzied SLPs: Gobble up Holiday Goodies

This week the Frenzied SLPs are bringing you a linky topic that is wide open: holiday goodies. First and foremost I would like to thank Sparklle SLP, SLP Runner, and Speech Universe for all the behind the scenes work making this link up possible. They are a well-oiled machine! Posts can include all things holiday; freebies, products, craftivities, and favorite therapy ideas. So dive into that creative SLP vault and bring out your favorites. I am so excited to see what you share.

I have a few trusty activities I would like to share with you. The first is a craftivity I did with my middle school students last year; holiday pom-poms. This activity covered so many therapy targets including vocabulary, direction following, executive functioning, narrative development, and plain old fun. You can grab it here for free.

Thank you Nora for the beautiful photo shop collage! 

My very talented and creative friend Pam of Chit Chat and Small Talk continues to inspire me with her professional know-how and creativity. Pam has authored many, many, many products I love and use frequently, but her Find It On the Go products are exceptional. Pam has created a fall and winter edition that are chock full of versatile activities for your little clients. These products address seasonal vocabulary, concepts, syntax, articulation, direction following and virtually anything else you can think of. I am particularly happy the winter version contains pages for Hanukkah! They are awesome. Winter Find It On the Go can be purchased here and Fall Find It On the Go here, both for an extremely reasonable price. I have requested a spring version, but Pam isn't quite ready for that one, yet :)

Grab this beauty here!

Every year a group of talented and generous SLPs compile an e-catalog of both freebies and featured products. This wonderful compilation is just what the busy SLP needs during the holidays when he/she is operating on overload. I personally have used many of the products listed, free and paid, (we won't talk about my TPT compulsion). Given December is a fairly short month, you should be good to go if you are able to download even a handful of the products listed.

Gifts of Gab is available here.

With so much emphasis on Christmas some of our students who celebrate in other ways may enjoy attention to their celebrations. ALL my students enjoy playing dreidel and over the years I have compiled a nice collection as well as a treasure trove of gelt. It also makes it extra special when chocolate coins are used. For those of you who don't have a dreidel I have created a version that uses cards and follows the same rules as the spinning top version. Have fun!

Available here!

The Frenzied SLPs and I hope you link up! Just follow the instructions below! Please remember to link back to the Frenzied SLPs Facebook page.

My hope for all you, my dear devoted readers, is that this holiday season you are able to enjoy time with your friends and family and remember, take time to stop and smell the cookies!

An InLinkz Link-up