Tips and Tools for Speech Therapy: New School Placement

  BE REALISTIC–  Okay, we all hate the dreaded closet! Shoot for the moon in your requests but compromise for the stars if that is truly what is available for you.  Now, I’m not suggesting that you be a push-over.  Make sure you have what you need for the best interests of your students and for your sanity (i.e. computer, table/desk, large enough space to pull a few kids, telephone, etc.) but be realistic (especially when in older buildings with possible limited resources).  If you get more than what you need, be thankful! For example, I will be providing my services mostly as a push-in.  However, one of my school sites have been fabulous enough to offer me a little space of my own that will have a table for the few pull out sessions I may need to provide, a filing cabinet and a book case so I can leave some of my supplies there instead of hauling them back and forth from home daily, and a laptop that is wirelessly connected to a printer so that I can get my paperwork and reports completed while on campus.  Would it be a dream to have a huge room to myself with a smartboard? It would be!  However, that is not realistic as I am the traveling SLP (there is another on site that has a great little office, but she sees the Pre-K through 5^th and is there five days a week) who will be there part-time providing mostly push-in services in an older school that is already bursting at the seams. Therefore, I am extremely thankful for my own little space in the school!