Cheers to 2016!

CHEERS TO A NEW YEAR!

Looking back...

Role Change: This year we found ourselves fulfilling different roles for the 2015-2016 school year.  In the past, we were the building's speech-language pathologists.  After lots of shuffling, analyzing, and transitions, our district started a new model, requiring only one speech-language pathologist in the building.  As Annie was preparing to move to the preschool setting, we were both presented with an opportunity teach an ASD program in the building. Angie was able to move into the ASD position, and Annie took over the speech-language caseload in the building.

Finding a Balance: With our new roles, we found ourselves working every evening on lesson plans, paperwork, and trying to sleep with our newfound stresses.  Our balance of school, blogging, and family was a challenge, and we're still working on it!

Blog Facelift: We started a new look for our blog at the end of this year.  In a few more weeks, it'll be ready to go!  Yay!

MSHA: This year, we attended the Minnesota Speech-Language-Hearing Association Conference.  It's always great to see old colleagues, meet new people, and expand our learning.  The highlight of the convention was meeting Julia Cook and continue building our library of her fabulous books!

Noted highlight- a selfie with Julia Cook's dog, Kirby! 

Social Thinking: We were able to attend the Guided Observation and Social Thinking Targets day in Minneapolis. While there, it affirmed all of the teachings we had learned from the iLaugh model and expanded our knowledge base about writing effective IEP goals for social communication. It also helped our greater understanding of each kind of social communication profile.  Nerdy yes! Yet another great opportunity! 

Looking ahead...

                         
As we look to 2016 we know we will have more than a few continued joys:

Blog posts about books: We love our Book-of-the-Week posts and it helps align our lessons with a theme and Common Core Standards.
                                       
Collaboration: Even in different roles, we continue to bounce ideas off one another, other fellow SLP's, and teaching friends.

Humor: Whenever a student is having a bad day or we are having a bad day, humor is our go-to! (Laughing is better than crying right?)

Thankfulness: We feel so blessed to continue to work in the same building, have a lovely group of you who continue to read the blog, and for the online community of teacherpeneurs that have taught us so much.

New Adventures: This is one thing that we know we will continue to have as 2015 also brought many wonderful destinations in the form of learning opportunities, new roles and blog posts.

Cheers to your new adventures in 2016!