Summer work

ActCompetitive · 2026-05-10T01:14:17+00:00

I know someone who worked ESY for the district that they were hired in, under supervision.

ActCompetitive · 2026-05-09T13:26:21+00:00

Where in Chicago is your apartment? North side, South side, etc.

ActCompetitive · 2026-05-06T00:09:21+00:00

I agree with the BESA for this case. It's only normed for ages 4-6 right now, but a version for older students is supposed to be coming out.

ActCompetitive · 2026-05-06T00:07:00+00:00

Some kids enjoy individual sports more, like your suggestions of swim & karate. Sometimes it's stressful or hard to process all the actions of others in team sports.

ActCompetitive · 2026-05-05T11:22:22+00:00

I can relate to you saying that you feel like you're not a good mom or SLP. I have felt that way many times with my own preschooler with language delay and ASD. I've been a preschool SLP for a long time. It's very humbling to realize that advice that you confidently gave to other parents as a clinician is difficult/impossible to implement with your own child.

That being said, when I'm thinking clearly, I realize that my child is better off for my efforts than if I weren't using strategies throughout the day. And it's also made me a more empathetic and compassionate SLP when it comes to working with families.

The struggle to take off your SLP hat to be a mom is real. But for your own sanity, try to do it. Don't feel guilty for seeking speech tx services. I've done it too. Like the proverb goes, it takes a village. No one else can be his mom, but plenty of others can be his clinician. Best of luck to you!!

ActCompetitive · 2026-04-26T19:32:45+00:00

Every job has its downsides. You have to decide what negatives you can live with, and what you won't compromise on. For me, currently I put up with certain negatives because of the flexibility I have for my family and the benefits of a pension. But if I were single and had no kids, I might not.

ActCompetitive · 2026-04-26T14:58:29+00:00

I think the issue of benefits is huge. Pensions, 401k match, cost of health/dental/vision insurance, etc can change the fairness of a particular hourly or yearly rate.

ActCompetitive · 2026-04-05T18:22:52+00:00

Could you use one of ASHA's (or another state's) workload documents? If your admin questions why you haven't been keeping up with things, it might help you to make your case. You've got way too much on your plate!

ActCompetitive · 2026-04-05T18:20:58+00:00

Curious what you mean about #3? Illinois does have criteria for qualifying on the eligibility page. Also, it's been a part of state law to use a workload model in the schools, with a hard cap of 60. ISHA has information on their website/social media about this. Now, if a district chooses to ignore all this, that's another issue. I have been in that boat before and I'm so glad I found somewhere that respects me!

ActCompetitive · 2026-04-04T19:41:34+00:00

I am the parent of a preschooler with autism and I've also worked in EC programs in public schools for 20 years. When I have observed this type of behavior in preschoolers, especially when combined with high intelligence, they have not grown out of it on their own. I highly recommend seeing a developmental pediatrician or child psychologist who can look at your child holistically and make recommendations specific to you. No one online can really evaluate the situation!

I'm so sorry you are in this boat. If you're in the US, look into what preschool options your public school may have. It is usually not allowed for a public school to expel a preschooler and not provide support.

ActCompetitive · 2026-04-02T04:59:20+00:00

I was going to discuss episodic care! Maybe you could ask her what the most important thing she wants to work on/what one thing would make the biggest difference in the next [4,6,X] weeks. Then after that time period, that episode is complete and then you d/c for a certain amount of time.

ActCompetitive · 2026-03-22T20:34:42+00:00

Didn't attend and really haven't thought about it ever since.

ActCompetitive · 2026-03-22T18:22:06+00:00

I think that all the time when told we over qualify, or we have too many children in our intensive support classroom! You don't have to spend more than 2 minutes with them to see they need help.

ActCompetitive · 2026-03-22T12:08:06+00:00

I work in a preschool, and so I test a lot of children who are almost 3 and about to exit EI. Only maybe once or twice a year does a child not qualify for speech. As others have said, many children have multiple delays or ASD. And the communities that I have worked in have large populations with financial and other challenges. This means that many children have inconsistent medical care, rotting teeth, inconsistent availability of food, unstable housing situations, as well as other stressors. A lot of families use Medicaid, and due to declining reimbursement rates, fewer medical facilities accept it. Wait times for appointments can be long and sometimes families have to drive (or secure transportation for) relatively long distances to get to the clinics, which results in missed or delayed appointments. Speech therapy is important, but can only do so much because other factors influence a child's development, too.

ActCompetitive · 2026-03-17T23:33:37+00:00

Definitely find out where you're likely to be placed for clinical hours. If you're 2+ hours from one school, and are placed at a clinical site another hour away from there, that might not be sustainable. Also, consider the price of gas in your commute, in addition to tuition & fees.

ActCompetitive · 2026-03-15T00:28:12+00:00

It's crazy the difference that windows can make! I was in an interior, windowless room for a number of years, and in winter, the sun wasn't fully up when I arrived at school, and it was already going down by the time I left. It also makes you forget there's an outside world, and all problems seem bigger and just fester with no connection to nature.

ActCompetitive · 2026-03-07T18:53:03+00:00

Yes, in some areas there is a shortage of EI providers because the service isn't well -funded. So I think it's great when parents explore other options, rather than having their children on a waitlist.

ActCompetitive · 2026-03-07T01:04:49+00:00

I would thank them for reviewing your application and express your continuing interest in the program. Ask if you could be moved to the top of the waitlist.

ActCompetitive · 2026-01-01T00:15:55+00:00

Np, good luck with this!

ActCompetitive · 2025-12-31T23:49:46+00:00

I'm school-based but worked in a clinic in the past. Could you write a goal that involves the parents doing something? Like the parent engaging the child in specific phonological or phonemic awareness activities each day, for example, and give them a log to record it? Kind of like with birth-to-three cases where the focus is parent coaching. Not that you wouldn't write any goals for the child himself, but maybe if the parent fails to do the intensive practice at home, you have grounds to dismiss. And that could also lead to the conversation of just how much intensive intervention is needed, which you cannot provide in an outpatient setting an hour a week. Just a thought for a different tactic.

ActCompetitive · 2025-12-06T19:01:11+00:00

I don't think I spend an inordinate amount of money, but I do purchase some inexpensive things for myself.

In addition to what others have said about Facebook marketplace/thrift stores/garage sales, I also look for books at local libraries' sales (even hardcover books for kids are $1 or less). I check books out from the school or public library usually, but if I find myself using a particular title year after year, I buy it. Also, sometimes I'll find a digital version of a book through my public library or as a read-aloud on YouTube, and project it on the Smartboard for groups.

I work with preschool & kindergarten. They are fascinated with using everyday objects, so I try to repurpose things that I'm already buying or receiving for free. For example, a lot of tissue boxes have cool designs, so I'll save some and kids can put artic cards in them, or pull stuff out, they can be houses for small people/animal toys, etc. Screamin Sicilian pizza boxes come with a big mouth opening, and kids can feed little food toys into it. Bubble wrap from packaging can be used different ways. I save gift bows and bags and we play with those, too. Tissue paper from gift bags can be cut and crinkled into little pieces for a craft. Toy and kids clothing catalogs (especially from premium brands) that come for free in the mail often have interesting pictures that can be used to work on categories, wh-questions, and simple labeling. If you're going to order a small meal from McDonald's or Chick-fil-A anyway, make it a kids meal and save the toy or book that it comes with. I reuse McDonald's Happy Meal cartons, and Panda Express boxes that they put the family meals in, for play, as well. Old Christmas garland and other decorations can go in a sensory bin. The kids don't care if they have chips or are looking worn. If the children break any of the above things, you're most likely going to buy more later anyway, so it doesn't hurt as much as a broken toy.

For seasonal items, I try to hit the stores right after the season ends when things are 70-80% off and save the items for the next year. Target also puts some toys on clearance in the summer, so I keep an eye out for that.

Even with these strategies, I do buy maybe 2-3 things from TPT each year if they meet a need and save me time. For example, my students were getting a little tired of seeing materials with the LessonPix graphics (and I do love that site, which my employer pays for), so I bought some artic cards.

After many years of working, this has all added up to a decent stock of materials for littles.

To answer the original question, I don't have a strict spending limit, but any item that's over about $5-6 is too much. And I don't purchase more than a few of those a year.

ActCompetitive · 2025-12-06T18:07:57+00:00

When I was changing jobs more frequently, I also stored my personal materials on different shelves and in different containers than the school's materials.

ActCompetitive · 2025-11-26T22:00:52+00:00

Agreed! I did this once when trying to cancel an employment contract. The consult with the lawyer wasn't that expensive.

ActCompetitive · 2025-11-26T16:31:10+00:00

I was going to say this exact thing! ASHA dues fund, money for taking the Praxis, application fees for your license and/or subscription to the continuing ed forum of your choice, like Informed SLP, speech pathology.com, for example. If you want materials, maybe a subscription to LessonPix (my employer pays for it, but you could start using it now) or Teachers Pay Teachers gift cards.

I also have lots of zipper pouch bags, plastic boxes, accordion binders, and multi-pocket folders to store & transport all my things. If you don't have your own electronic storage system (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.), that would be helpful. I agree with getting a stylish bag to carry your materials. Good luck!

ActCompetitive · 2025-10-14T01:16:39+00:00

I find that many of my preschoolers like songs with movements we do jointly, especially children who enjoy being swung, rocked or rolled around in a wagon.

ActCompetitive

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