More than just an "r"...

The other week, I heard that reoccurring comment, "Oh.  I thought speech teachers  helped kids fix their "r"s. (Insert huge *sigh* here.)  Well, yes I do, but that is merely the tip of the iceberg. In fact, this is what I wanted to say:

First, I am a speech-language pathologist (SLP).  I evaluate, diagnosis, and treat.  (That being said, I want to express that I work in a school with  a VERY talented group of educators.  It is not the fact that I am called a teacher-which I receive as a compliment, but that I have a very different identity. It's hard to articulate; the way I can equate it is to mistake your doctor for a dentist or a musician for an actor.)

Secondly, I spent six semesters in graduate school, studying everything from neuroanatomy to aural rehabilitation.  I completed more than 350 hours of supervised clinical practicum clock hours and 25 observation hours, completed a medical externship, wrote a thesis, took and passed both comps and the national exam, and then completed nine months of a clinical fellowship year.  

Thirdly, I am licensed to work with populations ranging from birth to 100+.  I work with the pediatric and adult population with needs in the following areas: articulation, phonology, apraxia, stuttering, cleft palate, voice, expressive and receptive language, pragmatic language, alternative and augmentative communication, auditory processing, dysarthria, aphasia, oral motor, dysphagia, hearing, traumatic brain injury.  I work with populations who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, down syndrome, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease among others.  

I have the unique opportunity to work in a variety of settings.  While I choose to work in a school and  private practice, I also have the awesome opportunity to work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, short-term and long-term nursing care facilities, colleges and universities, home care, care centers, and research labs.  Because I have made the choice to work where I do, I must to hold a national license through the American Speech and Hearing Association, a state educational license, and a department of health license while maintaining continue education credits for each license.

I understand that this response would be totally obnoxious and way too time consuming.  Quite frankly, it would be an absolute turn-off, which is why I am blogging about it instead.  This is my profession in a nutshell.  So, yes, I do work on the "r" sound in addition to everything else.