I am starting a new feature this month! It’s called SLPreneur Saturday and I am so excited! Each month I will feature 1-2 SLPs who are rocking it. Some will be school based SLPs with a blog or TpT store. Some may have a podcast. Others could be those brave souls who ventured into private practice. Either way, you will get links to their social media. Be sure to go follow each of these wonderful SLPs.
For my first featured SLP, I am bringing you Kelly from Thumb Bunny Speech. She has some adorable therapy materials in her TpT store! Plus I love that her new baby’s room has a pink and white striped wall with a flamingo theme. So jealous right now. Thank you Kelly!!!
How long have you been an SLP? 11 years this month!
What setting are you in currently?Currently I work in an elementary school serving preschool through fifth grade, with a mix of everything from speech/language disorders, learning disabilities, autism, intellectual disabilities, and developmental delays. In the past, I have also worked at a middle school as well as an alternative high school for students with emotional and behavioral disorders.
Tell your favorite area of speech therapy to address.This year, I have a lot of articulation students, so I actually miss working on language goals! My favorite kind of therapy is anything literacy-based, so I love to pull out a great book to address as many areas of need as I can.
What is your favorite product in your TpT store? (If you have one)My “Escape the Speech Room” thematic games were a labor of love but get some of the best feedback! They are great for mixed groups because they target a lot of different skills, and the students seem to really be motivated by the challenge element.
Do you have a blog? What’s your favorite post? It doesn’t have to be the most popular one. I don’t have a personal blog, but I love to read others!
What is one piece of advice you would give to new SLPs in the field? Don’t suffer in silence. I’ve supervised a handful of new SLPs and tell them to ask as many questions as they can come up with, even if they think something might be silly. There are plenty of supervisors, fellow clinicians, colleagues, administrators and/or teachers (if you work in a school setting) who are there to help you – they just need to know if, and in what areas, you’re struggling so they can best advocate for and assist you. Jumping into our field, even with a great educational background and clinical experience, can be overwhelming. Very few clinicians “knock it out of the park” their very first year. Working in this field is a learning process with pieces that are constantly evolving (your therapy style, how you like to take data, how you handle yourself in meetings, time management, etc.) – we all just try to find that balance and be the best clinicians we can!
Favorite way to self-care:My favorite way to relax would definitely have to be getting manicures. A little pampering goes a long way!
What book would you recommend? Doesn’t have to be a speech book. Eat That Frog! was a great book I read as part of a professional development initiative in my previous county. It’s all about how to stop procrastinating and be more productive with your time – I still use tips from that book to this day.
Please go follow Thumb Bunny Speech on TpT and Instagram!! Make sure you tell Kelly you saw her here!!
Manicures for me too! 🙂 I love learning about other SLP’s!