Don’t freak out, it’s just the SH sound

There was a moment Monday, before I started my first day of my full-time school internship, where I panicked. Heart fluttering, mind-numbing, terrifying panic. I couldn’t verbalize how to teach the “SH” sound. I couldn’t think of its place or manner of articulation. It was like the knowledge was lost in an ambiguous depth of space and time. *POOF* 4 years of undergrad and a 1.5 years of a Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology, gone. Just. Like. That.

Now that my melodrama is over, it was truly only a momentary freak-out. Followed by a frenzy of technology, clicking, typing, and a slight hand-cramp from the manic episode. It happens to the best of us (that’s what I’m telling myself). So, what did I find you might ask? Allow me to share:

Part 2: Online SLP Graduate Programs

This is the second post in my series regarding Online Speech-Language Pathology graduate schools. Read Part 1 and general information about online SLP graduate programs.

The below interview is with a spunky mother of two, 43 year old lovely lady, and current online graduate student who transitioned from bank manager to Speech-Language Pathologist. I admire anyone who decides to switch careers and become passionate about such an amazing field. If you are considering applying to online SLP programs or know someone who is, please read and share.

Superwoman: A non-traditional SLP graduate student’s story

When things start piling up, you turn to the people you trust and can rely on; one such person in my life and in my SLP graduate program is Tanya Sykes-Clark. She is a first year non-traditional SLP Grad Student here at the University of West Georgia with me.  She is also a wife and mother to four children who range in age from 9 to 19.  When it comes to amazing, I defer to her. I asked for her story and perspective since there are many non-traditional students considering changing careers to Speech-Language Pathology. Allow her to explain…

Non-Traditional Student and the Decision Making Process:  

In 1997 I moved to Georgia and decided to forgo my attempts to obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing. I chose to be a stay at home mom with two children at the time.  My husband was all for it, so I began my journey from stay at home mom to SLP student.  In 1999 I enrolled in a technical school to get my certification as a Medical Assistant.  That was an epic fail when I realized the sight of blood made me sick. In 2005, I elected to get my certification as a real estate agent and was very successful until the 2008 real estate bubble took place. Once again was thrust into considering a career change.  The real estate market not only took a dive, but destroyed any financial security I had.  Back at home again, but this time I was charged with caring for four children.

Thanksgiving and Textbooks

Where are you this Thanksgiving? Sitting in front of a fire? Stuffing your face with turkey and dressing? Spending time with family and friends?

I’m doing much of the above with one very special addition - Completing projects for my SLP graduate program. While some of the reason I’m working through Thanksgiving is slight procrastination, many items such as studying could not be started until we finished covering the material. *Insert sighs and groans here* I’ve decided after almost 6 years of undergraduate and graduate coursework that “breaks” from school really mean time to spend not in class and working on endless projects related to summarizing or studying.