I thought I would take the time to ask some Frequently Asked Questions!
What's your favorite area of SLP?
Preschool! Preschool language to be specific!
Everything used to be free. Why are you charging for products now?
The bigger this blog gets (yay! exciting!) the more time I spend on it. I don't chart it, but I would guess the blog works out to just about a part time job. Since I'm spending much more time now, I am selling therapy items. You wouldn't expect to work for 20 hours per week without any compensation. Things have changed, but I hope you'll stick around! Luckily for you there are still freebies! And nothing costs more than your bill at Starbucks. Plus it's always your choice to purchase or not!
Can you make more freebies?
Well, we just covered why I'm not. But I do multiple giveaways on my facebook page every week. Maybe you'll win a copy!
How do you price your TPT products?
I choose them based on the time it takes me to create, the length of the document, and also the cost of the clipart. I always find myself struggling to pick a price. I ask myself what is fair to you, and what is fair to me. If I spend 12 hours making a document, it's going to cost more than something that only takes me an hour to whip up! Hence the variety you see in my store! Similarly - packs, that include multiple games cost more because it takes more time to make them!
How long does it take you to make your therapy materials?
That depends greatly on the topic of the item. I might spend anywhere from 1-15 hours making documents in the packets I sell. That's why the TPT prices vary. For example, Candy Land games that include pictures take a lot of time. I have to search for a picture, download it and insert it into the document. Then I need to do that 500 more times. I work on those projects over several weeks. Other things such as a simple 's'more category' game might only take me an hour to create and so they cost less. I try to be fair and hope you continue to see value in the items I post. You can always email me with feedback about TPT items.
Another great thing about TPT is you can see other purchaser's comments and ratings before you purchase. That might help you make decisions before purchasing. Just click on Rating & Comments! (Thanks for rating items - this helps others decide!)
How do you have time? No, seriously, how do you have time?
First of all, It kinda bugs me when people post 'you must have a lighter caseload than me.' It's a pet peeve. You CAN however comment that things I post are time savers and you don't know how I have time to do it :) I have a caseload of about 60 something (3 days preschool 2 days elementary) in my schools. I work a second job one day per week after school. Plus I have a regular life. This blog has definitely turned into another part time job, but I love it! Just imagine the time you would spend at a part time job, and that's how I do it!
Well, then how do you have the energy?
I like to be busy. And making therapy materials is something I can do while I sit in at home and watch The Voice! I threw my energy into SRN this year when I needed a distraction. (My dad passed unexpectedly this year.) When you guys give me positive reinforcement is just encourages me to keep going! I usually write all my posts on Mondays, then I put them up throughout the week. Although I check email and do social media pretty much daily. I always have a document open on my computer working on something. So if a group cancels I can spend 10 minutes here or there working on things.
Tell me about your days...
Okay - this seems weird, but here's a snapshot during the week I'm writing this!
Monday
8-9 Prep: Check email, prep materials, send out screening permission forms, finish an IEP
905-1145 – Treatment in my elementary groups
1145-1205 Lunch
1205-1230- Prep for RTI meeting tomorrow
12-130 Tx in groups
130-215 Testing Block. Finish one screening. Spend 15 minutes cutting laminate.
215-330 Tx in groups
330-4 Billing and finish an IEP.
4-5 Grocery & Target
5-7 Eat Dinner, Relax, Clean Kitchen, Do Laundry
7-8 Post Rosie’s Walk download, catch up on SRN social media, return emails.
8-9 Finalize Conference Presentation for later this week - Thanks for having me OSSPEAC
9-11 Watch DVR’d The Voice, Work on Candy Land Preschool Language 2
Tuesday
8-820 Prep Check email
820-9 Intervention Assistance Team Meeting (our RTI team)
905-1145 Tx in groups
1145-1210 Lunch & Paperwork.
1210-1230 Work on an IEP
1230-330 Tx in groups
330-345 Medicaid Billing
345-400 Emails, clean up
400- Go grab Chipotle (YAY!)
415 – Arrive at Private Clinic
430-500 Write Tx plans/Progress notes/eat dinner
500-700 Individual Clients
7-730 Documentation
745 Arrive home
745 Arrive home
8-9 Return emails, call it a day!
Wednesday
8-4 Work
4-6 Happy Hour
6-8 Relax and enjoy couch time!
Wednesday
8-4 Work
4-6 Happy Hour
6-8 Relax and enjoy couch time!
How do you time manage for the blog?
I have a blog calendar, things like reviews with specific due dates go on the blog calendar. Then I fill it in with treatment ideas. I usually leave powerpoint open on my computer running in the background. I email myself ideas throughout my day or weeks, so I always have ideas I'm waiting to execute. If I get a spare few moments, I pull up that powerpoint and word on whatever I've got in progress. I sometimes work on documents for therapy at work, but do most of it at home.
How do you share information with teachers, so that you can all be working together to help kids with their communication skills?
EMAIL!!! My room is also right next to the lunch room, so I try to pop in and check in while they are heating up their lunches (sometimes I have to let my group do silent work for 3 minutes to get this accomplished - but it's usually worth it!)
What clipart do you use?
Graphics Factory, Maree Truelove, KPM Doodles, Scrappin Doodles. I like to search etsy if I need something specific.
How do you do Middle School Therapy?
I don't. Sorry! I tried my hand at a few TPT materials, try those out.
Ipad, chipper chats, EET, CandyLand, CandyLand Castle, Pop Up Pirate, Fun Decks, and the things I make!
What's that font?
Usually: Pea Hollee
What's that font?
Usually: Pea Hollee
Do you do inclusion therapy?
I do total inclusion for preschool. At the elementary level I do pull-out. I would LOVE to do some inclusion but just haven't found a way to meet the IEP minutes using that model.
Have you ever supervised someone during their CF?
Nope. I think I would like to in the future though!
How do you stay in contact with parents?
I have a communication log in each folder for elementary. Parents and I write back in forth on it. I try to email occasionally too. At preschool, I send home an newsletter each night and write individual data on it.
Do you write lesson plans?
Not for elementary. For those groups I jot notes on my treatment data sheet if there is something I need to remember to work on. I usually have my lesson plans in my head. I don't have to turn them so I don't write them. For preschool, I have a sheet that outlines ideas to use with each book. That way, from year to year I don't forget anything! But I don't turn in specific lessons plans.
What are your professional goals?
I'm not so sure yet! For now I love pediatric therapy. I love making materials. I'm sure where that will take me, but I really love interacting with other SLP's so I hope I can keep finding new avenues for that.
Whew! I think that covers a lot of it! Thanks for asking!
Whew! I think that covers a lot of it! Thanks for asking!
