This BONUS episode is an interview with Theresa from Lady in the Box about starting up the school year. The focus of this episode is starting the school year off right, with a focus on telepractice. However you are starting this Fall, this episode will help remind you of what you already know, learn a few new tips, and start the year with clarity. Whether you are virtual or in person this Fall, this episode will include: doable and practical ways to start out the school year with teletherapy.
“We all provide therapy in different ways. This is simply to provide resources that might guide you during this crazy time.” Lady in the Box
Six Tips for Teletherapy
1. Build rapport each session (use the start and end of the session to get to know each other)
2. Make a spreadsheet of your caseload before the first day (Speechy Musings Template) and make sure the students on your online IEP system are actually the ones that are on your caseload
3. Be ready to fail sometimes and expect the unexpected without taking it personally (tech will glitch, activities won’t work, students will have “off” days, students will be absent or the student might not show up, you’ll miss things in an email) - learn and move on and be gentle with yourself
4. Have visuals of your speech room rules and routines on your end and the student’s end, and teach them for the first two weeks. Take your time to teach them.
When students are at home: no snacks, wear clothes, wear a headset
When students are at school: Eyes watching, ears listening, quiet hands
5. Have fun; students will pick up on your energy and your day will go much more smoothly if you can make light of frustrations and “stay loose”
6. Meet as much of your caseload 1:1 early on in the school year to build a relationship and take away the novelty of the video
What to do the First Month
Sarah discusses what she does the first month -
Week 1: connecting with staff, responding to email, create caseload list, figure out who is on your caseload
Week 2: pull kids individually, do probes and build rapport
Week 3 & 4: Running sessions practicing routines and behavior expectations
Theresa discusses what she does the first month -
Introduces herself to new teachers, connecting with staff, collaborate with onsite SLP to break up the caseload, review IEPs and goals, get IEPs for move ins, looking at teacher’s schedules, becoming a collaborator in a teacher’s Google Classroom
Some activity suggestions: Tic Tac Toe, Dots in Boxes, Guess Who (using Google Images and Google Slides with annotation feature), Would You Rather
Self Care Challenge
Theresa shares to figure out what works for you and to acknowledge it’s OK not to like typical “self care” activities. Theresa shares trying running and realizing that it’s not a good self care activity for her, but that yoga and walking has been a better fit.
SLP Happy Hour Teacher’s Pay Teachers Store
Theresa’s links:
