Crazy Speech World

Creative Speech Therapy for Your Crazy Speech World

  • Home
  • Start Here
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • Freebies
  • Contact
  • Join the CSW Crew
  • Amazon Finds

Getting Started with a New School Year

One of the things that we all focus on when heading back to school is the logistics.  With a mountain of to-dos, what do we tackle first?

First step of every year is to get organized.  I make my own planner, which you can find here, and I set that beauty up first thing.  I print the pages I need and then bind them with a comb binder.  Some of the pages I keep in this planner and some I keep in a binder.  In my planner, I keep my calendars, to do lists, paperwork trackers, and notes.  I always write out the IEP and re-evaluation due dates first… this keeps me on top of what’s coming.  In my binder, I keep my lesson plans, various logs, meeting notes, and anything else that I might need to survive.

The next thing I do is consider my classroom.  I am so fortunate to have a big, beautiful space with lots of storage and a window.  I have not always been so lucky, so small closet SLPs, I feel you!  Decorating your classroom is different for everyone.  Some people go full on theme and get super creative with their set up.  Some people do nothing.  I am one of those in-betweeners.  All of these options are ok!  The only thing I feel strongly about is that we need to be cognizant of our students’ needs when decorating, rather than our own.

My bulletin boards are always more for function than just decoration, like this vocabulary board.  Here is where I displayed weekly/monthly vocabulary from my Thematic Bulletin Board resource.

Once I start my therapy schedule, I do a lot of routine and relationship building activities.  This is so that my students know the expectations when they come to my room.  We review goals, get their folders set up, and have conversations about classroom rules.  It’s not a super structured therapy lesson, but it’s so important to build that rapport so that your kids know what’s happening every time they come to your speech room.

Then, of course, baseline data.  I need to know where we are!  I continue to use SLP Toolkit as my go to data collector and it makes my life so much easier.  I do this with each student one on one to get a good picture of where they are with their speech and language.

But what do the other students do while I’m having those mini meetings?  That’s where these no prep activities come in.  I print off what I need for each student before they come to their session, that way everybody has something to do while they are waiting for their turn with me.

Once I get all their data together and know what everyone needs, we hit the ground running . I often utilize this theme therapy calendar to plan what I’m doing for therapy each week.  I find it super useful to plan therapy with themes because there is so much material available that I get bogged down without a focus.  A theme provides this for me.  Not to mention it engages my students and I can make curricular connections!

Did I miss anything?   What else do you do to prep for the new year?  Happy back to school, friends!

signature

Please share!

  • Tweet
«
»

Filed Under: Back To School, Organization, SLP Files

Comments

  1. Nikki says

    at

    What type of lesson plans do you use? Or an idea of what they look like

    • Jenn says

      at

      The ones I use are in my SLP Planner…they have boxes for groups, the type of therapy, and I just write in the activity. Nothing fancy or very comprehensive!

My goal is simple. I want to provide you with helpful resources to engage your students in quality & creative therapy sessions

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Tags

animals articulation books carryover categories Christmas comprehension craftivity data collection describing Expressive Language fall following directions freebie games grammar guest post Halloween holidays iPad language literacy non-fiction no prep ocean Old Lady open ended games phonological processes pinterest project pirates reading receptive language retell sequencing Social Thinking speech therapy Spring summer theme therapy TPT Valentine's verbs WH questions winter written language

Archives

Latest on Pinterest

  • Using open ended activities and games in speech therapy can make planning sessions so much easier! Here are a few suggestions that worked well for me. Do you remember the first time you were faced with a mixed group and were realllllllllly unsure about what to do? I do… picture it, St. Augustine 2007 😅 I was […]
  • Using open ended activities and games in speech therapy can make planning sessions so much easier! Here are a few suggestions that worked well for me. Do you remember the first time you were faced with a mixed group and were realllllllllly unsure about what to do? I do… picture it, St. Augustine 2007 😅 I was […]
  • Using open ended activities and games in speech therapy can make planning sessions so much easier! Here are a few suggestions that worked well for me. Do you remember the first time you were faced with a mixed group and were realllllllllly unsure about what to do? I do… picture it, St. Augustine 2007 😅 I was […]
  • Using open ended activities and games in speech therapy can make planning sessions so much easier! Here are a few suggestions that worked well for me. Do you remember the first time you were faced with a mixed group and were realllllllllly unsure about what to do? I do… picture it, St. Augustine 2007 😅 I was […]
  • Using open ended activities and games in speech therapy can make planning sessions so much easier! Here are a few suggestions that worked well for me. Do you remember the first time you were faced with a mixed group and were realllllllllly unsure about what to do? I do… picture it, St. Augustine 2007 😅 I was […]
  • Using open ended activities and games in speech therapy can make planning sessions so much easier! Here are a few suggestions that worked well for me. Do you remember the first time you were faced with a mixed group and were realllllllllly unsure about what to do? I do… picture it, St. Augustine 2007 😅 I was […]
  • Using open ended activities and games in speech therapy can make planning sessions so much easier! Here are a few suggestions that worked well for me. Do you remember the first time you were faced with a mixed group and were realllllllllly unsure about what to do? I do… picture it, St. Augustine 2007 😅 I was […]
Follow Me on Pinterest

Latest on Instagram

Meet Blob (NOT Bob)… and I’m here to tell you Meet Blob (NOT Bob)… and I’m here to tell you that you need this one in your therapy sessions.
Blob is a creature that can morph into anything and he does!  But someone keeps calling him Bob instead of by his name, which is frustrating for him. Finally he decides to just be himself, and he also stands up for himself to be called the correct name.
This one has all kinds of important lessons, and I think the name piece is super important for kids. Every child deserves to be called by their name and correctly. It’s a perfect beginning of the year book!
This book would also be great for: 
⚪️perspective taking
⚪️Targeting /b/ or /l/ clusters
⚪️Describing the different things Blob turns into
⚪️Compare and contrast
⚪️Discussing children’s interests and what they can be
⚪️Making decisions
Amazon Affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3LbZDi7
What Will You Be? by Yamile Saied Medez and Kate A What Will You Be? by Yamile Saied Medez and Kate Alizadeh is such a wonderful story about a young girl and her abuela, dreaming about what she will be when she grows up.... Perfect for Grandparents Day 🫶🏻

Here's what I love about it for therapy:
👉🏼Themes of self awareness, being yourself, and interacting with the world around you
👉🏼Some figurative language that allows for deeper discussions with older students on your caseload
👉🏼Present tense verbs, including present progressive
👉🏼Lots of rich Tier 2 vocabulary with strong verbs and nouns (i.e. warrior, march, destined)
👉🏼Whimsical pictures that will engage your kids​
Have you picked this one up yet?
🎓THEY MASTERED IT!! It’s graduation day, so i 🎓THEY MASTERED IT!! It’s graduation day, so it’s the perfect day to break my social media summer break and shout out these amazing new SLPs!!!!

I started this job two years ago, and this cohort started this journey with me. To say I’m proud of them is the biggest understatement of the year. My heart is so full of love for this group of young women and they are going to be AMAZING world changers through their work as SLPs. 

I’ve learned that being a supervisor means a lot more than imparting my wisdom about being an SLP.  Teaching how to navigate life and deal with loss, and how to manage stress and work boundaries are just as important as how to do therapy or write a SOAP note. 

And for Allison… thank you for all that you taught us and continuing to look down on all of us from heaven 🤍

Happy graduation, Class of 24!! I love you all and I can’t wait to see what you do! Go Noles!!
I read 13 books last month and enjoyed every singl I read 13 books last month and enjoyed every single one!! I don’t usually share these in feed but it seems like summer is a good time to share good books 😂 My top 5 for May were…

1.  Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler was my absolute favorite. So, so good I couldn’t put it down! 5⭐️

2. When You Left Me Speecless by @authorjesschristine was delicious!! SLP romance that is SO spicy and a fun read by one of our very own. 5⭐️

3.  Idea of You by Robinne Lee was another adorable, spicy read that I tore through in one day. Followed up with the movie featuring Anne Hathaway and *chef’s kiss* 4.5⭐️

4.  The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah was intense and beautiful and made me feel all the things. Kristin Hannah could write a grocery list and I would read it. She is so consistently amazing! 5⭐️

5. Hidden Potential by Adam Grant was a fantastic nonfiction book that I read with some of my coworkers and we all agreed it was a must!  4.5 ⭐️

What have you been reading and loving lately?! Tell me in the comments so I can add it to my list 😍
Happy SLP Day, friends 🩷 YOU deserve all the ce Happy SLP Day, friends 🩷 YOU deserve all the celebration!!
I have the perfect new book for your speech therap I have the perfect new book for your speech therapy sessions::: Meet Floof 🐱 

Floof by Heidi McKinnon is an adorable new book that follows a silly cat that is doing what most cats do… getting into everything and taking naps!

What I love most about this story is the minimal words on each page, with fantastic illustrations that tell a bit of a different story. This is absolutely perfect to get your kids engaged and chatting about all the things they see Floof doing (and target verbs, prepositions, expanding utterances, and about a hundred other skills)

So many speech and language opportunities with this one, it’s a MUST read!  Want the link? Comment “Floof” and I’ll send you right over to Amazon so you can grab your own copy. 

I was provided with a copy of Floof in exchange for a review, but opinions and recommendations are all mine 🤍
Another semester done, another group of amazing wo Another semester done, another group of amazing women steal my heart ❤️ So dang lucky to get to do this work, SO proud of these future SLPs 🫶

Something that has been heavy on my heart lately::: I wish SLPs stop demonizing grad school, it’s such a problem especially on social. There are tons of people, me included, working really hard to make sure these young people have great experiences. Is it hard?  Hell yes. But can it also be amazing? Hell yes.

And if you had a terrible experience, what are you doing to change it for others?  Complaining about it on social is only doing harm to our field… and that’s fresh from the mouths of my students. It makes them anxious and scared and is such a negative influence. 

How about instead, we talk about boundaries and balancing it all, how to have difficult conversations and self advocacy, growth mindsets and overcoming challenges. How about we help prepare them instead of scare them? 

Just a thought 🌸 

Signed a tired clinical supervisor who pours her heart and soul into her grad students 🩷
For 13 years I worked as an SLP in the schools. I For 13 years I worked as an SLP in the schools. I was so happy there, I never thought I would leave… I imagined having a whole happy career in an elementary school and retiring and that would be that. 

But it wasn’t. 

The pandemic hit and I started to drown in that life that I used to love so much. So I left. And everyone said how brave I was, but I was so scared and sad and confused. Without being a school SLP, I didn’t know who I was anymore. How was my identity as a human so wrapped up in my job?  I started questioning whether or not I even wanted to be an SLP anymore. 

But I did. 

I found my way back through opportunity after opportunity. These doors that opened, led me back to my passion for a field I love. And it looks a whole lot different now than I ever imagined.

And that’s good.

We are so lucky to work in a field filled with possibilities. I tell my grad students all the time, you don’t have to pick a path and walk it forever. What works now, may not work for you in 5 years. Hell, it may not work next year. 

Stop putting pressure on yourselves and each other to be something specific. Med SLP, school SLP, peds, adults… we can do it ALL.

We grow, we change, we keep going. THAT Is where the beauty is 🩵 create the life you love and screw what you’re “supposed” to do.
Unbelievable. That’s all I got. Unbelievable. That’s all I got.
Follow on Instagram

Latest on Facebook

Crazy Speech World

4 months ago

Crazy Speech World
Looking for some SLPs that work with Kindergarten students and K teachers! Click here: fsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3wPgsNVnlcbwAom ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Crazy Speech World

8 months ago

Crazy Speech World
These category acorns are a freebie in my shop! Lots of fun ways to use these in therapy! bit.ly/CSWacorns ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Crazy Speech World

8 months ago

Crazy Speech World
It’s officially fall...and even thought it’s still in the 90s here in Florida, it’s time for fall themed activities! These clip categories are a fun activity for your students because it’s hands on and interactive 😍 bit.ly/2RhKYFB ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Crazy Speech World

8 months ago

Crazy Speech World
Speech stamps give your students the opportunity to work on speech and phonological awareness skills at the same time! Comes with digital and paper versions to fit all your therapy needs! bit.ly/CSWstamps ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Crazy Speech World

8 months ago

Crazy Speech World
Meet Blob (NOT Bob)… and I’m here to tell you that you need this one in your therapy sessions.Blob is a creature that can morph into anything and he does! But someone keeps calling him Bob instead of by his name, which is frustrating for him. Finally he decides to just be himself, and he also stands up for himself to be called the correct name.This one has all kinds of important lessons, and I think the name piece is super important for kids. Every child deserves to be called by their name and correctly. It’s a perfect beginning of the year book!This book would also be great for: ⚪️perspective taking⚪️Targeting /b/ or /l/ clusters⚪️Describing the different things Blob turns into⚪️Compare and contrast⚪️Discussing children’s interests and what they can be⚪️Making decisionsAmazon Affiliate link: amzn.to/3LbZDi7 ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Copyright © 2025 · Website Design By Jumping Jax Designs