Blog Archives
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:
2012 ASHA Convention: Blogger_Echo
I was quite excited to learn I was chosen to be 1 of 3 official 2012 ASHA Convention Bloggers. The details of the selection process are a mystery to me but I like to imagine I was chosen because they heard of my newbie (semi-awesome) blog, my excitement to join the profession, and my ever-so-amateur photos I post on here as well. Or perhaps it is because there is a lack of blogs written by SLPs or student SLPs in the great state of Georgia, which just so happens to be hosting the convention. I tend to think it’s more the latter, but no matter the reason, here is where I string together letters and words to form what is my blog.
The Wizard of Oz and SLPs
Have you ever thought ASHA was similar to the great Wizard of Oz? I gathered my thoughts, and I have found I enjoy a great many quotes quite relevant to my life:
“Back where I come from, we have universities, seats of great learning, where men go to become great thinkers. And when they come out, they think deep thoughts and with no more brains than you have. But they have one thing you haven’t got: a diploma.”
“Back where I come from there are men who do nothing all day but good deeds. They are called phila… er, phila… er, yes, er, Good Deed Doers.”
“Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!”
- Wizard of Oz
Social EBP for SLP
When I decided to start blogging about SLP related things, I never stopped to think, “Will anyone actually read my blog?” It was more about putting my answers out into the cyber world because I couldn’t “Google-it-out” (instead of ‘figure-it-out ). When I have an SLP related question about a new therapy idea, rationale for a therapy approach, or just want to see what other #slpeeps are doing, doesn’t everyone just Google it?
Maybe I’m not speaking to the entire crowd of Google enthusiast, but I am sure a few of you might relate. Now, I know the ‘book’ says Evidence Based Practice is the way to go, and I agree to a certain extent. However, when you run out of ideas, plateau in your data, get bored of your own warm-ups/drills/games…where else can you turn besides journals?
- SLP friends
- Creative teachers and tweak their classroom activities/ideas
- SLP blogs
I think these should have their own EBP - “The EBP Social Heptagon”
SLP Graduate Program
So after a few messages from some of my Twitter followers (@SLPeepEcho) and some people who have come across my blog , I’m realizing it is difficult to find information about what a school’s Graduate program is like.
I have some insight into the University of West Georgia’s Speech-Language Pathology Master’s of Education Program. Just to be clear, I have no personal or financial investment in the program; just a desire to share my experiences from going here for both my Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees in SLP:
#SinceWeBeingHonest + SLPeepEcho
I noticed #SinceWeBeingHonest is trending today on Twitter. Beyond the use of auxiliary ”be”, I find it interesting so many people were compelled to share something honestly.
I think I will join the #SinceWeBeingHonest bandwagon with some #SLPeep truthiness:
#SinceWeBeingHonest SLP grad school is not as easy or as difficult as I imagined
- I imagined I would be neck-deep in books 24/7 and speaking SLP jargon like a crazy person
- Turns out I’m only knee-deep in books/internet 3 hours a day 4 days a week. With a job, extras, and friends on the side to keep it manageable
#SinceWeBeingHonest My graduate courses are intense yet interesting…
- Dysphagia, Aural Rehabilitation, Voice Disorders, Language and Literacy —so much to learn and know for life.
- You can really do some damage if you don’t know what your are doing and how all this info works on real-life patients
- It really was important to know all the muscles of the head, neck and face #duh
