Stepping Out Beyond Our Four Walls {Panda Speech}

I am so excited to continue our series “Stepping Out Beyond Our Four Walls.” Earlier this year, Jenna from Speech Room News, Desiree from SLPTalk and I presented at OSLHA on ways we were getting out from our therapy walls and promoting our wonderful profession to our districts and communities. We received such a great response I thought I would ask a few of my friends to share ways they are also making a big difference in their districts. Today’s guest post is from Mandi over at Panda Speech. I absolutely love how they coordinated Special Olympics at their district and piloted a behavior program (which can be quite scary to be the first to try something new)! Read on!

Stepping Out Beyond Our Four Walls by Mandi Schaumburg of Panda Speech!

I am thrilled to be guest blogging today! This is a fun topic and I am excited to read all of the posts!  Thanks Nicole for having me!

As the only SLP in my district, sometimes I feel isolated and that no one understands me!  It is so important to get involved and step-outside your therapy room for this reason. Here are a few ways I do this!

• I am the Communications Officer for our local association (Panhandle Regional Speech and Hearing Association). I get to connect with SLPs in our area through local events, email blasts, and through our website. It really keeps me in the loop with local SLPs!

• I started doing more inclusion therapy in some of my classrooms this year, especially for my students who are in self-contained, life skills classrooms. I have found that therapy is more meaningful this way. Another advantage of inclusion is that you get to engage teachers and aides in the therapy (and they are observing techniques used to enhance communication first hand). I want to expand my inclusion services next year because I know how beneficial it can be.

• I piloted a program for special education and general education students to address behavior concerns in the classroom. I teamed up with the school’s counselor (LPC) and the LSSP (licensed specialist in school psychology) every Friday with a group of 1st grade students. We did the program SuperFlex by Michelle Garcia Winner. It was amazing to collaborate and offer this program outside of my normal caseload. Here is a picture of one of the groups, please notice out super cool capes! If you haven’t seen this program, you are missing out! Click here to check it out!
  

• I provide teacher education through emails, handouts, and I speak at their collaboration meetings yearly. It is important to educate them on what to look for when referring a student for speech therapy services. Every year I have to explain that I do more than just work on Rs! I made a free reference handout for teachers (click here to get it)!

• I coach Special Olympics! This has been one of the most rewarding things I have done! I recruited many students from my district and I feel like it has helped me establish a closer relationship with them and their families. I was the head coach for track this spring and am going to assist for bocce ball and softball this summer! Here is a picture of my track coaching staff this year! Talk about collaboration! A special education teacher, a speech pathologist, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, and a clinic executive director!!!
  

• I team up with my special education director and secretary to provide goodies for teachers and staff during appreciation days/weeks. We always write a special note and thank them for working with us all year! It is so important to have good working relationships with teachers and other professionals in your building!

• I taught character education to 54 kindergartners every Thursday while their teachers had their collaboration meeting. I will have to admit, I was not thrilled at first when they asked me to do this (it stressed me out to give up one hour of paperwork time each week for it) but I did it!  Every six weeks I had a new character trait to teach them, and I ended up LOVING it! I even requested to move up with them to first grade next year! I think willingness to help out in other areas of the school is a really good thing (and I may have sneaked in good social skills lessons at the same time)!

• I am a clinical supervisor for a nearby university. I take on graduate students every year and have developed a wonderful relationship with Communication Disorders department. I love talking about speech-language pathology, so having a graduate student listen rocks! ha ha I would love to teach at a university later on in my career! Here is a photo of my last graduate student and I on her last day (I am always so sad to see them leave!).
  

• I volunteer for a camp for children with disabilities. I was the camp director for past 3 years but this year I had to take a step back (I need more time with my family). I am still helping out this summer though! The camp is unique because it provides activities in the areas of speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. I will be running the speech therapy part! My section will have a story, a snack, and a craft (right up my alley).  I make communication boards and visuals for all of my campers. Check out one of our snacks below!
  

Thank you so much for reading! I am looking forward to reading how other SLPs are stepping outside their four walls too! Have a great summer!

You can find me at www.pandaspeechtherapy.com or click below to find me on your favorite social media site!
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter
Teachers Pay Teachers