Kacey at Doodlebugs Teaching hosts a weekly linky.
We love to join in.
Tuesday night my BFF and I went to the Eagles concert.
It was fabulous!
It is a miracle that we got to the venue.
I can get lost anywhere.
And my BFF is no better.
We tend to get lost more than the average person.
But we made it, sang along all night and did not want it to end.

On Wednesday, I received $4,000 worth of books for our school's literacy library!
Whoo-hoo!  
The literacy library consists of paperback, leveled book sets for guided reading 
and books for students to take home.
The literacy library has been stagnant for the last two years, so it is exciting
to be getting new books for the sweeties.
Thursday was our Team Read party.
Last summer we started a summer reading program in our district for all students.
Students who made it to home base were invited to the party.
We had fun and are ready for our new Team Read members to
join us in August 2015.
I am so lucky that my dad is a talented magician.
So, he put on a magic show for the sweeties at the Team Read Party.
The kids loved it!
My mom volunteers at my school.
So you see her watching the magic show.
Here are some of the sweeties after the party.
First up was magic show.
Next, we frosted Rice Krispie treats with chocolate or vanilla frosting
Add a few rainbow sprinkles.
Then it was time for Bingo!
We played traditional bingo and blackout bingo.
The sweeties loaded up on prizes, too!

We have a long weekend.  
Then I have 4 days of school left.
4.....whoo hoo!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend,
Amy


Ah, May... time for spring, Mother's Day, graduations, all lovely things, right? BUT - it's also time for end-of-the-school-year paperwork crunch and timelines! The stress of it all! The Frenzied SLPs are writing posts all month long to make your own frenzied and stressed SLP life a little easier!

My tip is: post visuals around your room to encourage yourself.

Pictured below is a Wall of Fame, which came about from desperately trying to cover ugly walls. At the end of the 2011-12 school year, I was discouraged about how many students I felt like I had not helped. Sitting at my table, with my face in my hands, I looked up to see that 13 students had been dismissed! It was a huge encourager. I vowed to never go without a Wall of Fame again. Here is this year's Wall of Fame that goes with the school theme of Saddle Up for a Great Year!
 Wild West Bulletin Board Set for SLPs by All Y'all Need
That's 8 kids who have been dismissed! Now, I could focus on only eight. But I choose not to. Instead, I focus on the celebration and how many students are working to get their own names on the Wall of Fame!

The second thing I often look at is a note.
It's anonymous. I have no idea who wrote it. But it's on my bulletin board. When I'm typing away on reports and FIEs and re-evals and IEPs and whatever else, this note is in direct sight when I look up from my laptop. It's a reminder. No matter how much I'm sighing when I fill out the (redundant) COSF or bill for Medicaid that doesn't go to the SLP pot, this note reminds me that someone is always watching. What can I do to help and encourage others? If paperwork is the bane of my existence, I have it pretty good compared to the self-contained Sp Ed teacher who gets bitten, the principal who gets chewed out by parents, the custodians who have to clean up bodily fluids, and the list goes on.

So keep those nice notes and post them! And here's another tip for your bulletin board - move things around. You don't have to change things, but once you get used to seeing them, you look past them. You know how the grocery store changes things up so you actually have to look for products? That's to shake up shopping habits. By rearranging items on your bulletin board, you'll take a fresh look at them!



Kacey at Doodlebugs Teaching hosts a weekly linky.
We love to join in.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
I work at two elementaries, and both of my principals and PTA's are super about including me.
Which is great, since SLPs don't have an appreciation day.
I appreciate being appreciated with treats, post-it pads, and red-carpet treatment!
Monday was May the 4th, or May the Fourth Be With You.
One of the licensed assistants I supervise is very creative.
I bet you knew you could use dry-erase markers on tables.
But did you know they also work on doors? I didn't.
This drawing got a LOT of attention, just in time for BHSM!
To get some good end-of-year data for the language students, she used Grammar Gumballs from Super Duper Inc. It was bright, fun, and a hit with the students!
And she talked about Cinco de Mayo vocabulary with Fiesta Fun from Ask Away: What a Wonderful World.
 Fiesta Fun by All Y'all Need

And this was the first full week of Better Hearing and Speech Month!
This month is set aside to raise awareness of communication disorders.
My schools have awareness.
So I took the opportunity to share some voice tips for teachers.
Educators are the #2 profession (after singers) to be at risk for voice problems.
So does Sublime Speech. Take a look!




Guess what?!? It's May - the month of BHSM, graduation, Mother's Day, end of school... and the Teacher Appreciation Sale at TpT! All Y'all Need is participating in the sale, and as always, linking up with Speech Room News for the What's In Your Cart? Linky!

For the sale, and for finishing out the school year, check out our Write and Say the Room: Animals and Biomes/Habitats. This unit is great for mixed groups because you can work on artic, language, and fluency with students! Plus, students write their own words on the recording sheet, which means ready-to-go homework!
 Write & Say the Room: Animals and Biomes/Habitats by All Y'all Need
If you are already thinking about next year but not sure what your assignment will be, take a look at Real World Language: Social Cues and Situations We Use Every Day. This packet helps literal thinkers learn social concepts in a hierarchy from context to sentence completion to sentences to jokes. And multiple choices are provided for different levels! This packet also includes a take-home sheet for students - and they fill it out, so it saves you some prep time! It's perfect for various grade levels!
 Real World Language by All Y'all Need
Of course, I need a few things, too. Schoolhouse Talk always has great products, and Spoiler Alert! looks like a ton of fun!
The Picnic Slam! game from Pam Dahm looks great for summer! All of her Slam! books are on my wishlist.
Mia McDaniel always has fun products, so I'm going to take advantage of the sale to get a leg up for next year with her Back to School Fun Pack.
Be sure to use the code THANKYOU at checkout for an additional discount! Happy shopping!

My cousins and I are extremely excited to link up with Angie from Lucky Little Learners and Ashley from Schroeder Shenanigans in 2nd for the second linky party! If you don't know who they are, check them out now! They are truly amazing!! I wish I could say that I have ground breaking forms of parent communication to share... Sadly, I do not. I teach in a small town so I see many of my parents on a daily basis. That helps keep communication alive and kickin'. I also use a fabulous tool called Remind (formerly Remind 101). It helps me remind parents of upcoming events, deadlines, etc...  For example, it's going to be very helpful this weekend because I forgot to send my reminder notes home about Monday being Hat Day. Oopsie! There is also a way to chat with parents on Remind without having to share your phone number. I haven't used it, but friends have and they love it! Anyway, most of my parent communication comes in the form of email, face-to-face, or phone calls. How do you communicate with your parents?
Check out these fabulous educators to get some new tricks of the trade! 
Listening
The Eagles.
Seeing them in concert later this month!
Don Henley is my fave, even though you are not supposed to have favorites.

Loving
Eat at Jacoby's where the food is beyond delicious.
You will not be sorry.

Thinking
Bridal brunch tomorrow.
Gift is purchased.
Now, onto what to wear?
And will I remember everyone's name?

Wanting
More reading.   So much for productivity.
Life of a librarian.

Needing
It is almost that time that teachers love to love.
Ok, you were thinking of summer.
Me, too.
But also there is a special "thankyou" event coming up on TpT.
I am sure I need to add to my wishlist.

Summer Yes
See y'all in Vegas!!!!

Summer Hope
Garth!

Summer Dream
Alarms should not exist in summer.
That's all.

Link up with our Texas girl Farley to join the fun!

Happy May!

Kacey at Doodlebugs Teaching hosts a weekly linky.
We love to join in.
I am sharing a few little blasts from the past in today's post.
Laura is the Disney girl in the family.
She loves Disney and knows all there is to know about how to get 
the most of the Disney experience.
But in May of 2011, we took a girls' trip to Disney.
It was me, Laura, Lisa, Lisa's mom and my BFF.
We had a blast!
Happy Anniversary to Prince William and Catherine.
My BFF gave me the prettiest cup and saucer set to celebrate their wedding.
Direct from England.
Now, we are on Baby Watch #2 for Prince William and Catherine.
Or you TeamPrince or TeamPrincess?
I am thinking we might have another boy in the family.
There was also this Royal Wedding.
Their big event was on July 29, 1981.
It was a beautiful wedding.
Here is another BIG wedding.
It happened on November 16 in 1981.
Now, I know, they are not royalty.
But I was hooked on "General Hospital" for way too many years.
Check it out in our TpT store.

Happy May Day!


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