Progress Monitoring: Baselines and Beyond

The Frenzied SLPs are discussing data collection now that school is back in full swing!  Today I'll be sharing one way I like to take daily data quickly when I have a client with several goals in a 1:1 therapy setting.  If you'd like to see how I took data in the school setting click here.

Firstly, when working in private practice, I like to create a basic treatment plan, a course of action in which I would like to see progress.  Below is an example of a basic treatment plan.

Then I take the goal sheet and create a daily data sheet:
1.  I align the goal #s from the treatment plan to the goal sheet so I know which goals I am targeting without having to re-write them for each session.
2.  I can simply take data only on the goals I target each session.
3.  I also add a place for additional notes.
4.  I would typically hand write on this form, rather than type.  So if I would need additional lines for notes, I would simply continue to the next like and so on until I finished the note.  Then simply add the date of the next session on the next fully clear line.

And that's it!  I can use one sheet of paper for numerous therapy sessions without having to write re-write goals or other excessive information.

How about you?  Do you have a quick data collection system too?  Feel free to share!

Happy Talking!

An InLinkz Link-up

SLP Love Hurts: A Frenzied SLPs Link Up

It's February and LOVE is in the air!  The Frenzied SLPs know that sometimes love hurts and many times when we love our jobs and clients/students as much as we do, it can sometimes result in a bit of pain on our end.  So this Frenzied Link Up we are turning the "lovey dovey" feelings of St. Valentine's day upside down and sharing our "Love Hurts" stories from the lens of the SLP.

My story begins many many years ago.  I had been practicing speech pathology for about 5 years at this time, when I started a new job.  The first day on the job, I was raring and ready to go.  I was eager to prove myself and show this school they made the best hire choice.  So when I walked into the classroom to bring a little friend back to the speech therapy room, I was not at all worried when the classroom teacher cautioned me regarding his behaviors.  I was no longer the green SLP I was out of graduate school.  No. I was the savvy SLP, who had spent the last 5 years reading and researching various disorders and disabilities.  I was the energetic SLP who was not afraid to tackle any new challenge.  This was not my first rodeo.  I knew I "had this".

My new friend and I walked down the hallway to my therapy room and began play therapy without incident.  My confidence was building by the second.  I was going to conquer the world, or at least this caseload.  I was going to have all my non-verbal students talking within days of meeting me through my sheer determination and fun loving attitude.  Looking back I can see I had very high hopes that were quite unrealistic, but in the time, well, like I said, I thought "I had this".

Then something amazing happened.  Something wonderful.  Humiliating, but wonderful.  As I was confidently playing on the floor with my new friend, I leaned forward to pick up a car. Without skipping a beat, my new pal drove a race car in his right hand while he punched me in the eye with his left.  He didn't look up.  He didn't say a word.  In fact, I almost wasn't sure it actually happened, until my eye started to water.  Oh, it happened all right.  My right eye was beginning to swell.

In that moment I learned a lesson that has stayed with me for the rest of my life.  I broke a cardinal rule when I leaned forward and got too close to my new buddy.  I entered his personal space bubble and I did it without knowing if he was comfortable or ready for such an intrusion.  In time we became the best of friends and I loved his spunk and spark!  But that day, my first day on the job, I had to suck up my wounded pride and take him back to his classroom with a red, puffy, swollen eye.  Some of the best moments in my life have been moments such as this, moments when I have been a bit humbled.

So even though loving our job too much will sometimes result in a bit of pain, pain physically or pain to one's ego (Ha!),  the lesson I want to pass on to you today is the very one this little guy taught me that day several years:  never enter a child's personal space bubble without building a proper rapport first.  I've never forgotten this lesson and in fact, it's helped me many many times over the last decade.  I hope it helps you too!

I love my job.  Sometimes love hurts and sometimes, as John Cougar Mellencamp says, it "hurts so good".  This story, this lesson for me, was a good hurt and I'll always be grateful to my buddy for teaching me this lesson.

Have a tip or lesson you learned because #SLPLoveHurts?  Feel free to comment below.  (Please remember to keep all identifiable client information confidential)

An InLinkz Link-up

Frenzied SLPs Link Up: Quick and Easy Recipes

Today the Frenzied SLPs are linking up to bring you some of our favorite fun easy recipes for your frenzied days.  My recipe is less of a recipe and more of a cheat make shift meal but here goes.

For the days I have no time whatsoever to cook or days like the past weekend, where I spend hours shoveling and had little or no energy for anything else, my crock pot becomes my most favorite kitchen appliance.

Easy Peasy Crock Pot Meatball Subs:

Ingredients: 

1) bag of frozen meatballs

2) 1-2 jars of tomato sauce (depending on how much you like. We use 2.)

3)  provolone cheese (or cheese of your choice)

4)  Rolls

Directions:  Throw the bag of frozen meatballs into a crock pot (on top of a spoonful or two of tomato sauce), and cover with tomato sauce.  Set on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.  Once done, add cheese and meatballs to rolls and voila', you have an easy peasy meatball sub!

Tip:  We tend to make all the meatballs at once and just freeze smaller portions of what we have left so they too can be a quick meal at another time.

Sides:  We like to add a quick Ceasar salad with this as a side using 1 head of romaine lettuce, some chopped/slices black olives, shredded Parmesan cheese, and some Ceasar dressing.

And that's it!  A piping hot meal waiting for you when you are ready to sit down and eat!   

Do you have a favorite crock pot meal for your frenzied days?  Feel free to share below. I'm always looking for new recipes!!! 

An InLinkz Link-up

Thankful and Grateful Blog Hop

The Frenzied SLPs are doing it again...another link up!  This time we are showing our gratitude to you, our readers, for sticking with us on this linky journey.  So, who wants to have a little fun?  Well, if you have been following this link up, than you know already that we are giving away some awesome gift cards to TpT (who doesn't need speech materials?) and Starbucks (more importantly, who doesn't need some coffee?)!  

All you have to do is follow a few simple steps to enter to win:

1. Read each Thankful and Grateful post from The Frenzied SLPs! 

2. Collect the character at the bottom of each post. Don't forget to write down the characters in order to reveal the secret phrase. 

3. Enter the Rafflecopter at the end of any post by entering the phrase. 

4. Visit The Frenzied SLPs Facebook Page for an extra entry.

And that's it! Three lucky winners will be chosen after the rafflecopter closes on 11/13/2015. Good luck to you all!!!

So what am I grateful for this Thanksgiving?

Well so much has happened in my family life over the last year but here are the top 5 things I'm thankful for:

1.  Retirement!:  Um...what?  Retirement?  Well actually I am very grateful that my husband officially retired from the military after 21 years of service this past February.  Of course this means a lot of change, however, the best benefit (hands down) to myself and my children is that for my husband there will be NO MORE DEPLOYMENTS! Yahoo!!!  (All the military spouses out there reading this know what a joyous celebration this is. Ha!)

2.  Transitions!:  Along with retirement came the need to transition from military life to civilian life, which equates to new jobs, a new home, new friends, new...well...everything!  So, thanks be to God, my husband was offered a job he enjoys on the east coast, where we were able to relocate to be closer to our extended families as well.

3.  Unemployment!:  I know you are scratching your head on this one as well but the truth is, when we relocated, I had to close up shop.  I had to close the doors to my private practice, which was always my dream, and head due east.  Yet the joy I have been given from time with my children has been the most unexpected blessing of it all this year!  I will never get that time back and I'm so grateful, I have had it with my two boys.

4.  Sleepless Nights!:  For over a year now, my youngest, who arrived in late September of 2014, has not slept through the night.  He tends to wake up anywhere from 3-5 times a night and this sleep deprived mama was really struggling there for some time.  But, I cannot say I didn't love the time I have had snuggling and cuddling with my little guy in the wee hours of the morning!  Watching him nurse, or snuggle into me fills me up over and over again and I wouldn't change it for the world! (Picture above just for cuteness!!!)

5.  New Horizons!:  And lastly, I'm so grateful to have completed the transition to our new home, gotten my newest state speech license, and completed the paperwork to start up my business...again.  So, the doors of my private practice are OFFICIALLY open once again!  

What a great life I am blessed to live!!!!

So how about you?  What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving?  I'd love to know!

Ok so if you have started this blog hop, here, you can click on the picture below to take you to the first blog in the hop.  If you have been following along on this hop, then by all means, click on the picture for the next blog post. Don't FORGET to grab my letter before you hop right out of here!  

Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tip Monday: Finishing the Year Strong!

So today I'm linking up with The Frenzied SLPs page to discuss what get's us through the tough times of work!  I have a few tricks I use when times get tough to get me through the bad days and here they are (not in any particular order):

1. CHOCOLATE!: Yes, yes, I know you are saying "Duh!" but seriously, always have some types of sweets on hand for the stressful moments!  Take five and have a bite.  Let those endorphines release inside your brain to help take away some of that stress!

2. 5 mins of darkness: I have done this several times when I feel a stress migraine coming on.  I just close my laptop, turn off my light and shut my office door.  When it was really bad I used to lay on the floor b/c it's cooler on the floor and helps with the dizziness that accompanies my migraines.  If the door was shut, most people knew not to disturb!

3.  Christmas Music:  WHAT?  I know this sounds crazy, but Christmas carols just put me in a good mood. I've always LOVED the season and when all else failed, I'd pop in a trusty Christmas CD (that I keep on hand all year long for such occassions!), and play it loud enough just for me to enjoy!  It's reminds me of the time of year when people are generous, happy, understanding and compassionate to others.  I love it!  Christmas music not your thing? I understand.  Pick whatever CD or type of music you'd like.  Just remember to keep it on hand for these moments because sometimes a GREAT day turns badly very quickly when you have a terrible IEP or staff meeting!

4.  Pep talk: The last think I recommend doing is giving yourself a pep talk.  Keep nice parent notes or teacher emails handy and when you feel the world is pushing you down, read these things. Remember your toughest cases and how well they succeeded.  Remember why you are in this profession in the first place.  And always tell yourself, "you'll never have this day again".  How great does that feel to remember that you'll never have to go through the pain and stress of this day again? Or remember that this day isn't over and you can still do something to make it great!  Either way it's a win-win.

Good luck. I know the end of the school year is crunch time!  Just take a breath, grab some chocolate, hum a little bit of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (or your musical choice) and I'll see ya' on the other side!