As a school based speech language therapist, I know that there is always plenty of work to do. Just remember that you make a difference everyday while working with all your lovely speech-language students. Their progress represents the fruits of your labor.
So, what is productivity really? I am sure that you may think, “Of course, I am productive everyday.” There may be other times when you may feel that your day is not as productive when students are absent from therapy to take classroom assessments or attend Special Olympics. Despite missed speech-language therapy sessions, I am sure that you are able to readily fill your schedule with other tasks or have a short break. After all productivity for a school-based SLP is a measure of completing direct and indirect speech-language therapy tasks.
Direct therapy tasks involve the time you spend providing speech-language therapy to the students on your caseload while indirect tasks involve job tasks that don’t involve working with students. I am going to share 6 Daily Productivity Activities for School-Based SLPS. This can help you remember all that you do to promote growth of your students’ skills and the tasks that are a part of the daily job. These are things that you can share with the teachers of students you work with and administration as well so they understand the job of a speech-language pathologist.
6 Daily Productivity Activities for School Based SLPs :
1) Complete direct speech-language therapy. You are productive when you complete working with the students on your daily schedule for speech-language therapy. It certainly is a job well done when you finish working with your 8, 9, 10, or even 11 speech group sessions for the day. You did it!
2) Read and respond to daily email. Save the ones that you need. Delete the ones that aren’t relevant. Keep it simple. This will help you declutter your email inbox and do things that matter.
3) Complete ALL daily data/therapy notes. Your data collection and daily note system may vary for each child, but just make sure you get it done the same day to avoid a heaping pile of documentation after a few days.
4) Attend/facilitate IEP meetings and/or staff meetings. This includes your participation in initial eligibility, re-evaluation, annual IEP review meetings, parent/teacher conferences, SLP team meetings, special education team meetings and regular school staff meetings. Got energy shake or coffee?
5) Complete documentation and review. There are many items to document and review. Analyzing students’ data. Revising/creating new data sheets. Writing evaluation reports. Writing progress notes. Medicaid billing. Electronic data entry. Scanning IEP signature pages. Attaching signature pages in IEP electronic records. Daily or monthly therapy session plans. Filing paperwork. Other documentation per your school district.
6) Research and problem solve. Think of solutions to challenging therapy sessions to improve student engagement and progress. Chat, consult, collaborate with other SLPs, special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and/or general education teachers to find practical solutions. Read research articles for best evidence based practice tips for tricky cases.
Take time to reflect on all the great things you do as an SLP everyday. I know there are many things SLPs may do outside of work related to their job. There is often more time spent on documentation, creating therapy activities, shopping for novel therapy finds at the local dollar store or Target, scrolling through Pinterest, reading blogs, or viewing Instagram accounts for new ideas and inspiration. Take time to reflect on the fruits that you are producing too. After all, the students are why we do what we do everyday. Keep up the great work!