Present Notes:
This week on SLP Espresso Speak, Hallie sits down with Bridget Karp, a passionate and skilled speech-language pathologist specializing in center faculty remedy. Bridget has six years of experience throughout varied settings, together with private and non-private faculties and early intervention. She combines her information with dedication in serving to her college students develop confidence and autonomy.
Bridget talks about how instruments like SLP Elevate have streamlined her planning course of, making classes each enjoyable and efficient. She shares suggestions in holding remedy participating similar to tailoring actions to college students’ pursuits, selling self-advocacy, and incorporating playful strategies. See how small selections and considerate planning could make an enormous distinction for center schoolers, making your classes extra impactful and stress-free!
Here is what we realized:
- Center faculty college students thrive when given autonomy and possession in classes.
- Easy, student-led actions like video games could make remedy more practical.
- Tailoring content material to scholar pursuits boosts engagement and progress.
- Instruments like SLP Elevate save time and supply versatile, age-appropriate supplies.
- Empowering college students to advocate for themselves is essential on the center faculty stage.
RESOURCES
Try Bridget’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bktheslp/
Be taught extra about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:
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TRANSCRIPT
00:00:00 Hallie: Hey there SLP, working with grades 4 by 12. New faculty yr, new you. Let’s not go into this faculty yr feeling overwhelmed and behind on paperwork. Let’s not fear about college students asking why they’re coming to speech. Let’s not have college students shrug of their shoulders and taking a look at you saying, why am I right here? I do not wanna be right here. Let’s as a substitute have your college students excited to come back to speech, able to tackle the challenges you present and make large progress in the direction of their objectives.
00:00:30 Hallie: In case you are able to make this faculty yr, the yr that you simply depart work promptly on the finish of the day, plan in an hour or much less every week and go into each session assured that your college students will grasp the session goals, then SLP Elevate is simply what it’s essential to make this faculty yr a profitable one. Both go to slpelevate.com or ship me a DM on Instagram with the phrase culb, C-U-L-B, and we are able to talk about if SLP Elevate is best for you and your college students. Now could be the time to get your time again. And now could be the time to get your college students excited to come back to speech. SLB Elevate is ideal for you.
00:01:15 Hallie: Welcome to SLP Espresso Speak, the podcast designed solely for speech language pathologists who work with older college students, grades 4 by 12. I’m your host, Hallie Sherman, your SLP behind Speech Time Enjoyable, the Speech Retreat Convention, and the SLP Elevate membership. And I am thrilled to deliver you conversations, methods, and insights that gives you the jolt of inspiration that you simply want. Whether or not you are tuning in throughout your morning commute, on a break in between classes, and even throughout a well-deserved rest time. I’m right here for you every week. Let’s do that SLPs.
00:01:56 Hallie: Hey, hey, and welcome to a different episode of SLP Espresso Speak. It’s the second week of January and I wished to deliver on Bridget Karp right here as a result of she will not be solely an incredible SLP, however she’s additionally an SLP Elevate member. And I do know that so lots of you should have questions that you simply wanna hear answered about her experiences utilizing the sources and dealing with older college students. So Bridget, welcome to the present.
00:02:23 Bridget: Thanks a lot for having me.
00:02:24 Hallie: Inform everybody somewhat bit extra about you and your SLP journey.
00:02:28 Bridget: So that is my sixth yr as an SLP. I at the moment work at a public center faculty. And earlier than this, I’ve labored in different center faculties in California. I’ve additionally labored somewhat bit in early intervention and at public or non-public faculties, excuse me, as nicely. However at the moment, I am in my third yr at my present center faculty.
00:02:55 Hallie: What have been some challenges while you first began working with that age group?
00:02:59 Bridget: So my favourite factor, but additionally what’s difficult, is studying learn how to mesh with their character whereas offering therapeutic advantages. Generally they wish to be some place else, do one thing else. So for me, it is about discovering what works for them and the way we are able to goal their objectives however nonetheless make it enjoyable. And so they’re additionally figuring themselves out, who they’re, what they like, what they do not like. And they also’re studying that and I am studying that about them too. So I like this age group since you’re actually seeing them develop up, which I feel is lots of enjoyable.
00:03:42 Hallie: Have been you stunned to search out that you simply like working with this age group?
00:03:45 Bridget: Sure, I initially wished to work with elementary college students once I first began my profession after getting my license. And even at first, once I was in my CF, I wished to work initially with elementary college students. And the place they’d accessible was for center faculty and highschool. And I grew to like it and I’ve tried a number of different populations since then, however in the end got here again to center faculty. And I feel for anybody that’s perhaps interested by it, undoubtedly give it a go if it is an choice for you. You would possibly discover that you simply actually prefer it.
00:04:27 Bridget: I’ve had a graduate scholar that simply began her SLP profession and she or he once more had the identical thought processes I did. After which after her internship with me, she determined to take a job at a center faculty. Watch, you bought her Cs. So I like it. It has its challenges, however I feel all settings do. And I feel lots of people may thrive at center faculty if they offer it an opportunity.
00:04:57 Hallie: I so agree. I so agree. And I felt the identical actual manner once I went on the interview with my closing district in my profession. And so they’re like, so we’ll put you within the fifth and sixth grade. I am like, what? What? I am like, I assumed it was elementary. And I am like, OK, a job is a job. I acquired to simply take it. I have to pay the payments. So I took it.
00:05:16 Hallie: And I used to be shocked to search out additionally that I used to be like, oh, one, much less evaluations. That was a perk for me. I used to be like, much less initials, as a result of they’ve already been like labeled at this level. All proper, works for me. I used to be like, I used to be not tying footwear as a lot. I did not wanna say in any respect, as a lot anymore. There have been some wants nonetheless of the shoe lacing, however I used to be shocked to search out that as nicely. I used to be like, wow. After which I’m going out after that known as the job safety as a result of nobody wished to modify with me.
00:05:47 Bridget: Yeah, that is my third yr at center faculty and I used to be open to a different placement, however in the end I stayed and it has been good to date. Yeah.
00:05:57 Hallie: I imply, I shared the no tying of the footwear and the evaluations. What would you say apart from such as you stated, what would you say can be like an aha second you have had working with this age group? Like that simply has stunned you.
00:06:09 Bridget: I’d say how a lot they like easy video games and easy actions. I feel we regularly assume as college students become old that the issues we do with them must be actually advanced, however if truth be told they like issues which can be easy and what I like about this age group too is that they are going to let you know if they do not like one thing or in the event that they wish to swap actions extra readily than perhaps an elementary schooler that I discovered in my expertise.
00:06:46 Bridget: However you even have somewhat extra freedom with what you do with them is what I discovered. They don’t seem to be anticipating to play a recreation the complete session. Or in the event that they play a recreation, it’s going to be one that you may actually tailor to their objectives. And so that is what I actually appreciated is I nonetheless use a framework of play and scholar or little one led, which is doable. I feel lots of people that work with older college students do not assume that is a risk, however it undoubtedly is.
00:07:24 Bridget: And I’ve observed my classes go even higher if it is scholar led or partially scholar led versus that is what we’re doing and so they don’t have any say. That is an age the place they’re additionally pushing the boundaries somewhat bit, seeing what they’ll and can’t do. And so I like my room to be a protected place for them to discover these boundaries in a respectful manner.
00:07:50 Hallie: I like that. Do you could have a favourite recreation? Do you wish to play with them?
00:07:53 Bridget: Proper now, I’ve a pair college students that we’re doing Monopoly with, and that has been lots of enjoyable. We’re engaged on articulation sounds. And so I stated, go forward, , we did a studying after which I stated, we now have some further time, go forward and select a recreation for us. And surprisingly, that is what they picked. And it is one in every of my favorites. It does take a while. So I’ve it behind my room and we come again to it every week.
00:08:26 Bridget: However the youngsters actually like a recreation known as, I feel it is known as Smackin’ Snack. It is by Goliath Video games. It is somewhat merchandising machine and it has little snacks that you simply put in, you push, after which the top of the sport is signaled by meals monsters that come out of the perimeters. In order that’s been a success. So lots of these video games with sort of shifting components are tremendous fashionable, not simply with center faculty, however elementary. I’ve labored with older college students as nicely which can be tremendous into these sorts of video games too.
00:09:00 Hallie: I like it. And the snack one, it does not require batteries or something like that, guys.
00:09:04 Bridget: I do not consider so, yeah.
00:09:06 Hallie: It is just like the crocodile dentist, like you do not know when it is gonna pop.
00:09:09 Bridget: Yeah, precisely.
00:09:09 Hallie: I feel sort of issues. I like it, a lot enjoyable. What would you say is your favourite purpose to work on with the stage group?
00:09:22 Bridget: I actually like articulation might be one in every of my favourite areas. And I do have fairly a number of articulation college students on my caseload. Most of them are for R. A few of them are Okay and G.
00:09:41 Hallie: Attention-grabbing.
00:09:42 Bridget: Yeah. And so it has been fascinating to determine learn how to navigate that technique of working with these college students. However I’ve graduated a number of college students, not this yr as a result of we’re nonetheless early within the yr. However the previous couple of years, I have been capable of actually work with college students on their articulation and get them to a spot the place they really feel assured about their speech, they’re producing their sounds recurrently.
00:10:13 Bridget: I additionally say I actually like self-advocacy objectives, the place I’ve stuttering college students which have self-advocacy objectives, language college students with self-advocacy objectives, as a result of that is an enormous a part of communication, particularly at this age while you’ve transitioned from the adults are at all times in cost and so they let you know what to do in a manner versus while you’re in center faculty, lots of the possession falls on you. Like, you need to end your homework and be answerable for your homework and you need to be respectful and sort to friends and academics. I like this self advocacy objectives as a result of they actually transition properly from center faculty to life past.
00:11:04 Hallie: I like that, particularly after they have extra academics and there is extra our bodies and each instructor has a special educating fashion. And so they want to have the ability to advocate for themselves in case the instructor forgets to present them preferential seating or time or no matter.
00:11:24 Bridget: Yeah.
00:11:25 Hallie: If they do not converse up, they cannot anticipate mommy to do it anymore.
00:11:29 Bridget: Proper.
00:11:31 Hallie: Like at that time, by the point they inform mommy.
00:11:33 Bridget: Proper. Precisely.
00:11:35 Hallie: They may take out their telephone and textual content her, however let’s be actual right here. I like that. And that is so usually, articulation will be difficult with the older ones as a result of they’re uninterested in it. They’re pissed off. Like, all my buddies have graduated. I do not wish to be right here anymore. However they’re additionally very, it could be extra conscious of their problem talking. They could be embarrassed about it.
00:11:59 Bridget: Positively.
00:12:00 Hallie: How are some methods you sort out that?
00:12:03 Bridget: So to maintain remedy participating, I like to make use of your supplies as a result of at first of the varsity yr, I do some questionnaire or survey to find out about their pursuits. And I can normally discover a passage about one thing that’s sort of of their wheelhouse of pursuits. So in the event that they actually like pizza or sweet, I can normally discover a meals passage or one thing which may curiosity them. I’ve lots of youngsters which can be into science, completely different science matters. So there’s nice passages there.
00:12:44 Bridget: After which that little one led, play primarily based sort of remedy can also be, I feel a good way to encourage youngsters to maintain coming to speech, the place if I simply say, hey, we’re gonna learn this passage, sure, it could be one thing fascinating for them to examine, however oftentimes I am doing blended teams. And so generally it could be of excessive curiosity to at least one scholar and the opposite scholar could also be , however not as a lot.
00:13:21 Bridget: So once I herald that play-based, student-led aspect of my classes, I really feel that it encourages them and so they know that, hey, it is a protected place. That is the place we’re engaged on our objectives, however it’s additionally a time, a spot the place we are able to have enjoyable. Miss Karp, that is what the scholars name me, offers me selections. She permits me to choose the passage we learn or I get to choose a recreation as soon as we end our passage and skim our objectives.
00:13:59 Bridget: So I feel permitting them to make some selections throughout your session is absolutely useful as a result of it offers them possession of what they’re doing and permits them to really feel protected and valued and never like somebody’s simply making them come to speech every week. So I feel actually that concept of possession and autonomy is absolutely useful for our center faculty college students and past as nicely.
00:14:29 Hallie: So, so true and so useful. And we now have so many themes on there for science. You could have the factitious intelligence, we now have pure disasters, we now have, oh my goodness, cool science. So many in there and extra to come back, so.
00:14:42 Bridget: Yeah.
00:14:43 Hallie: You are proper, however there’s tons of issues on there for any theme, any curiosity. I like it that not solely are you giving them the empowerment to choose no matter they wish to do, however it reveals them that you simply care and that you simply’re listening. It is not like, hey, what are you into? And I am simply by no means going to make use of it. You are truly using that info they gave you. She truly remembered what I stated final week.
00:15:05 Hallie: As a result of so usually when they’re going all through their day in math class, science class, they do not have that luxurious of, oh, I’ll study one thing that I am into. I simply must undergo the motions and it is arduous for me and it is boring and it is no matter. And we wish to be that place of their day the place they get to really feel empowered, revered, valued. So I like that. What are another ways in which SLP Elevate has helped you make simply planning simpler for your self?
00:15:37 Bridget: Yeah, so I print out quite a lot of passages from SLP Elevate. After which I’ve a spinning wheel and I write all the choices for passages as a result of once more, I like that concept of permitting college students to have some alternative. I am not gonna say, hey, choose a passage from 100, clearly, however I may need six completely different choices after which they get to spin the wheel and that is a enjoyable manner for them to do it. Generally I am going to say, hey, I’ve these two passages. I do know you actually like sweet. There’s one about gummy bears and there is one about chocolate. Which one would you wish to learn?
00:16:20 Bridget: So I just like the number of passages on SLP Elevate. And in addition the extent of passages, I are inclined to go for those which can be longer as a result of I get extra articulation repetitions that manner. For my college students that stutter, it offers them extra alternatives to both use open stuttering, if that is a method they’ve opted for, or if they’ve chosen different methods to make use of.
00:16:54 Bridget: So I allow them to have that alternative. And it takes lots of time that I could have used for planning prior to now and permits me to work on different issues as a result of as everyone knows, we as SLPs put on many hats and have many little tasks happening on a regular basis.
00:17:20 Bridget: I additionally like how there are completely different worksheets for various objectives, so vocabulary, studying comprehension and I can use these. However the passages are additionally versatile in that perhaps I wish to work on verbs with college students, and I can look within the passage and take a look at the verbs and see, okay, this passage has some nice previous tense verbs, and that is a purpose college students engaged on.
00:17:51 Bridget: And with the worksheet, it is a tip for anybody that works in faculties and which may use SLP Elevate or perhaps . As a substitute of printing a number of copies of the worksheets, of the readings or the worksheets that you may write on, the vocabulary ones or issues like that. I take advantage of, I feel they’re known as dry erase sheet, the place it is sort of like a sheet protector. They’re simply on Amazon. It is like a dry erase board, however they’re clear. And so every session I’ve, I simply put the passages in there.
00:18:33 Bridget: And oftentimes once I ask college students questions, I’ve them spotlight their reply. However as a substitute of getting to print 20 copies, I simply have a number of, have them spotlight, make observe of their solutions, after which erase it and use it for the subsequent group. So should you get the SLP Elevate membership and also you wish to use the passages, however you do not wanna print 20, 40, 60 copies. I’d extremely advocate these. So then that additionally sort of leaves room for prep. You are not spending tons of time printing issues and organizing papers.
00:19:17 Hallie: So true, I like that. I used to be at all times afraid of jamming the photocopying machine. So I used to be afraid of it.
00:19:23 Bridget: Yeah, that is honest.
00:19:24 Hallie: Another excuse I’d fall for like dry erase sleeves. I am like, if I do not want a photocopying machine with 65 plus college students and, but additionally the advantage of that is you are taking a pencil away from a scholar and lending them proper with dry erase markers. One other empowering factor to your college students, like, hey, you needn’t use a pencil, you should use one thing else. What coloration?
00:19:45 Bridget: Yeah. And generally it is once I first began utilizing these, as a result of I did initially once I began in faculties do paper and pencil. I did not know the wiser. After which once I acquired these dry erase markers and sleeves. I did not assume a lot of them. I assumed, yeah, these are gonna be useful. However yeah, I’ve six dry erase sleeves and so they all have completely different colours across the rim. So I allow them to choose their dry erase sheet and so they get to place their worksheet in there. After which I allow them to choose a marker coloration.
00:20:17 Bridget: And surprisingly, some college students actually have been into it. They’re like, ooh, take a look at all the colours. And I feel it simply offers them that sense of alternative and that it does not must be so strict. We’re not making all the selections for them. So I feel it simply, giving them selections, not all the selections, however giving them some alternative is also empowering and inspiring for them.
00:20:47 Hallie: I like that. How have you ever really feel it has helped you simply be like extra assured and extra able to go every day?
00:20:59 Bridget: Yeah, I feel for me, earlier than I’d attempt to look in every single place for passages to learn, and I’d spend hours on TPT looking for acceptable supplies for my college students. And with center faculty, it’s harder as a result of you could have some college students which can be studying at a fourth grade degree, however they’re in sixth grade. And you’ve got some college students which can be studying at grade degree and nonetheless different college students that perhaps their studying’s somewhat extra superior or they like matters that perhaps have not been mentioned lots earlier than.
00:21:38 Bridget: So what I like about SLP Elevate is the completely different leveled readings. And I am not having to go looking in every single place for supplies which can be going to work for my college students. So it takes lots of time away from having to analysis and search for supplies which used to take me a very long time. And generally what I discovered wasn’t precisely what I hoped for. It labored, however not in addition to I had hoped. So with SLP Elevate, it simply takes rather less time to search out supplies which can be going to work and simply the number of matters has been useful as nicely, particularly should you’re center faculty or secondary.
00:22:33 Hallie: Superior. Properly, in any case, you get model new themes every month. We’ve got not missed a month and you have entry to all of the earlier ones. So should you missed anime month, it is okay. You may get entry to it. Should you missed Minecraft month in December, it is okay. You could have entry to it.
00:22:52 Hallie: And that was one thing that was so arduous for me early on in my profession, is that my college students have been sixth grade studying at a primary grade degree, and issues that I used to be discovering on Academics Pay Academics or the place else would seem like a primary grade worksheet. I could not present them a primary grade worksheet, and strolling confidently, like with my head held excessive, like, hey, I am right here that will help you.
00:23:14 Bridget: Yeah. As a result of I discovered that they know when issues are meant for youthful youngsters. They choose up on issues fairly fast. And in order that’s why I like SLP Elevate as a result of their passages meant for college students their age. And also you would not say, oh, this appears to be like prefer it’s for a primary grader. You already know it is for meant for a center faculty scholar. So I like that side of it as nicely.
00:23:50 Bridget: And the themes I’ve discovered are actually enjoyable and an important number of themes has been actually useful as a result of I’ve college students with all kinds of pursuits. A few of them are fairly area of interest. I’ve had college students which can be obsessive about axolotls and really, very particular issues, which is nice. After which I’ve different college students which have pursuits that lots of center schoolers have Minecraft as an enormous one, Roblox, Pokemon, et cetera.
00:24:24 Hallie: And that is why we’re at all times including, as we discover issues that college students are into that we now have not hit but, we’re including to it. And should you guys are listening, in January, the theme is wholesome habits. So all issues, New 12 months’s decision kind, associated kind issues. So get excited for that one. Any final bit of recommendation or something you’d wish to share for anybody listening, wish to study extra?
00:24:55 Bridget: Yeah, I feel it is necessary to ask for assist. And if you’re having any hassle as an SLP on the center faculty degree, discover these folks which can be going to help you and have suggestions. I’ve had a number of folks attain out to me. They know my expertise as a center faculty SLP or secondary SLP. So I discovered that simply reaching out to folks and constructing a neighborhood, whether or not it is by SLP Elevate, I’ve met Hallie and plenty of different superb folks by the membership and among the talks which were accessible there.
00:25:38 Bridget: And simply actually constructing that neighborhood of help has been extremely useful and I feel additionally you could have invaluable experiences as nicely. Even should you’re model new to the profession or whether or not you are like myself, you have been in it for somewhat bit however nonetheless comparatively new or whether or not you have been at this for 20 plus years, there’s at all times one thing beneficial to share about what you have completed or what you propose to do. So actually construct that neighborhood nonetheless you’ll be able to.
00:26:13 Hallie: These are true. The sector is at all times altering and there is at all times extra to study. Like, hey, just like the neurodiversity affirming motion, like that was not one thing, , once I began my profession, most 20 years in the past, that was not a factor. Even like AAC, there was no iPads. There’s simply so many issues which can be continually altering. And by having the neighborhood and having the help makes you’re feeling not alone, particularly when not usually do you get skilled growth that is acceptable and trainings by your, , district or employment. Thanks so, a lot Bridget. The place can folks study extra about you and what you wish to share?
00:26:52 Bridget: Finest place is Instagram. I am on there fairly a bit. My username is bktheslp. And should you message me there, we are able to join in different methods, however that is the easiest way to succeed in me and see what I do as an SLP. You may see lots of center faculty content material but additionally lots of help for SLPs in terms of psychological well being. And if you’re somebody that is simply beginning their profession, perhaps you are a CS, a graduate scholar, I attempt to publish issues that hopefully make you’re feeling empowered as nicely.
00:27:35 Hallie: Thanks a lot Bridget for sharing your expertise as a center faculty SLP and as an SLP using SLP Elevate. I at all times finish my episodes with a joke as a result of jokes construct rapport. They’re enjoyable and really language primarily based. So what kind of muffins do snowmen like?
00:27:54 Bridget: What muffins?
00:27:55 Hallie: Any cake with a number of icing. I’m, my corny dad jokes, however I am chink eyes. Till subsequent week, everybody, keep out of hassle.
00:28:12 Hallie: Thanks a lot for tuning in to a different episode of SLP Espresso Speak. It means the world to me that you simply’re tuning in every week and getting the jolt of inspiration you want. Yow will discover all the hyperlinks and knowledge talked about on this episode at my web site, speechtimefun.com. Remember to comply with the present so you do not miss any future episodes. And whilst you’re there, it will imply the world to me should you would take a number of seconds and depart me an sincere evaluation. See you subsequent week with one other episode stuffed with enjoyable and inspiration from one SLP to a different. Have enjoyable guys!
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