As promised, this is part 2 of How to Handle a Crazy Workload. Now, back to the juice.
Continuing from Part 1, here’s another way to help advocate for yourself to make working conditions better, for yourself and those you serve. In Part 1, we went over asking your boss/supervisor/superior, for help/support. This can be another option, or maybe plan B. Let’s stick with the example of asking for help seeing students because the caseload skyrocketed from 55 to 85 in a matter of 2 months. If it is not possible to gain another SLP to help see the students, think about the situation differently. What I mean by that is, how can you make any part of your job easier so you can better handle the workload? I want you to think about your schedule, how to group your students, how IEP minutes can be divided up, different activities that can be made (or bought), or asking another SLP to help (rather than asking your supervisor). I want to explain the last suggestion for just a sec, in the case you haven’t asked your supervisor for support yet, it can be helpful to first ask your fellow SLP’s (at the school or in the same contract company) if they have any spare time they can help you. This can be helpful for two reasons, 1. You could solve the problem directly and easily 2. You can solve it without the involvement of your boss/supervisor/superior, which looks really good on you. Employers LOVE it when you can solve your own problems. Just like with your own children (or husband!), isn’t it so nice when they solve their own problems without your help? When they try it first themselves and not just go straight to you for every little thing? That may be how your boss feels (unless he/she is a micromanager). You can be surprised how often other SLP’s will offer to help. But be aware, they may not either. Even if they have offered to help before, they may not follow through. And that’s ok, because at the end of the day your caseload is your responsibility (don’t you just love that clauses in employment contracts “and additional work tasks/responsibilities).
Let’s dive into the other options I listed previously and how each could help provide the support you need.
Option 1: Your Schedule
This may be daunting because, didn’t you just finalize the schedule with everyone and finally make it perfect? However, it may be worth looking into. Moving students into group sessions can really provide more time in your schedule. Time that can be used to attend meetings, complete documentation, plan and prepare for activities, or check in with teachers. Precious time we could all use more of. If group sessions aren’t your jam, you don’t have to do them regularly, they could be in emergency weeks when time is really tight (such as during IEP season). Looking back through your schedule and the times the students are available may open your eyes to new groups or times that are actually better for you and the students. If you work in the schools, it also can help to ask the teacher the times the students ARE NOT available. This can provide more times of when they are available to be pulled from class. You never know!
One thing I have done is completely restructure the length of my sessions. For example, if a student has 80 IEP minutes/month they could be seen for two 40 minute sessions a month, or three 30 minute sessions (with going over 10 minutes), rather than the typical 20 minutes/week. Why would you do that? Let me explain, doing longer sessions is better for groups of 3-5 students, not individual sessions, although they could be done in individual sessions as well. You know your students best. Think of which groups would maybe benefit more from being seen for longer periods of time, but less sessions per month, and it equals the same amount of time overall. If you're now thinking, why would I change all of that in my schedule if the amount of time will be the same anyway? You will save energy. You’ll do less running around switching students from group to group. That’s less time walking throughout the school, unnecessary talking with staff, and less energy spent on managing behaviors in the hallway and throughout the session. I didn’t think it would make a big difference either, but it does! It is very worth it to have more energy at the end of the day.
Option 2: Grouping Your Students
Let’s take a mini step back for a second and answer the question, what makes my workload feel crazy to me? Answering this will help you pinpoint what exactly is stressing you out and making you feel overwhelmed. When I asked myself this question, I immediately thought of a few groups I put together during which I felt that all I was doing was managing behaviors. I didn’t feel that I was getting any good therapy done. After looking at my list of students and their available times, I was able to restructure my groups into groups with easier students. I didn’t feel nearly as anxious and wasn’t wasting as much energy managing behaviors and answering the same question. It also helps to see certain students one on one. The students I’ve noticed that work much better individually compared to in a group are the ones that goof around alot, act like they don’t want to be in speech, middle school aged students, high school aged students, and those that are working on goals that may be embarrassing to others, such as phonological awareness skill or articulation if they are older. Doing this may not necessarily save you time, but it saves you energy, anxiety, and maybe frustration (we’ve all been there).
Option 3: Monthly Classroom Activities
This is exactly how it sounds. This is also only a true classroom activity if it’s done with an entire class. I used to do these when I saw students with multiple disabilities (I apologize in advance if those terms are no longer used), because I had the whole class on my caseload. I quickly realized in sessions how long it took to complete hands on activities, such as crafts, and how much extra help some students needed to complete the tasks within the activity. I needed the help of the classroom aides, but most of the time they couldn’t leave the classroom. I also wanted to do more fun hands on activities that would require more time and the students would require more assistance. That’s how this idea was born! Also note, you must run this by the teacher first (I know that’s pretty obvious, but a reminder doesn’t hurt!). If that makes you nervous, they may have the same perspective my teachers did, that gave them time to get other things done. I basically took over the class, and that gave them that time to get other things done, or they were more than welcome to join the activity! I, of course, gave them the choice. Explaining it that way, kind of talked them into it, showing it was a win-win situation. This is how I did mine: I had the students sit in their regular seats and provided visual directions for each step of the activity. I’ll do another blog about activities with visual directions and the great benefits! I explained the activity and explained to the aides what I needed them to do and how they could help. I remember there was a one-on-one aid for a student with an AAC device, doing these classroom activities was a great opportunity to show the aid how to use the device with the student, how to prompt the student to use it when needed, and how to help the student find icons, etc. This was one of those things I actually didn’t plan to do, but just happened! You never know what will happen when you try something new. Anyway, I also made a keynote/slides presentation to show the visual directions and include videos and links to websites. Since all classrooms have smart boards, I also created activities that the students could come up to the smart board and draw a picture, or circle the answer, etc.
Some of the activities I’ve done are: making holiday cookies, making a leaf wreath, making a haunted house, and making a rainbow craft during the spring. Each activity lasted about 45-60 minutes. Now, you’re probably thinking that is way too long and the students will not engage for that long. Some of them, no. Some students needed sensory breaks, or time to just take a lap around the classroom. And that was ok! I told the staff, however the students regularly participate in class is how I want them to participate during the speech activities. Also, with this being a new person teaching the class, and doing a very fun and engaging activity, the students honestly didn’t mind doing it for an hour. Especially making the holiday cookies! That one was always a favorite.
Some of you may be thinking, “can I count 60 IEP minutes for one activity with the whole class?” Yes! Well, I’m only speaking for Ohio. These activities count for IEP minutes, because you’re targeting their goals during the activity. I will have a future blog about how to target different goals in big groups and whole classroom activities. Something that was (for lack of a better term) convenient for me when I was doing these activities with students with multiple disabilities, they all have very similar goals. This made it easy for me to create them and know I was targeting each goal! Also, it was good for the other students to work on some of the areas that were not specific speech goals for them. I also want to mention, I did not start doing monthly classroom activities to get minutes met right away. However, it did come in handy during progress report time, IEP season, when we had snow days, or if I was sick and out for a day or two. It also made a difference in the motivation of the students. They loved doing something different and more fun! It was also nice to spend more time with the staff and get to know them more. It definitely was a win all around!
Option 4: Create Therapy Rules
This also applies for classrooms, counseling rooms, etc. Set your boundaries with students for their sessions, and share them with the students! They can’t read your mind and automatically know what you consider disrespectful. That’s what I did for the first 5 years, until the lightbulb went off. Why didn’t they know basic manners?! Tell them! And…. it works. Especially do this for your big groups and students that tend to be a little rowdy. That way they know. Your rules are your rules! It is your speech/OT/PT/anything room, you can take control! You don’t have to make a big pretty poster, just tell them straight up (the ones that are old enough to understand of course). The other part of this is, to follow through every time. If one of your rules is that if a student is disrespectful and breaks a rule 3 times, then he/she has to lose a turn at the game. Make them lose a turn, every time he/she breaks your rule. You may be surprised how quickly they remember the rules! I call myself the referee in my sessions when games or toys are played, because that’s what I end up being. There’s been times I’ve sent a student back to class because they broke a rule too many times (he was also fairly warned!). Students actually will respect you more for holding your boundaries and following through on what you say. Because they learn to expect things with you and this leads to them trusting you and feeling comfortable and safe with you. I’ve gotten hugs from students later in the same day I made them lose a turn or kick them out of the speech room (not literally kick them, of course!). I also let the teacher know what happened if I do kick them out of speech, and each one has fully understood. Also, they rarely break the rules after that.
Make sure to provide a reward for following the rules as well, especially when first implemented. Following rules can be harder for students than others and I feel that each do better when positively reinforced for their efforts.
I don’t want to forget to mention, explain the reasoning of the rules too! For example,
“You can only talk if it’s your turn. Because I can’t hear three people talking at the same time!” This is also one of those rules I constantly have to remind them to do at first, because students can be very impulsive. They start talking, not because they are purposefully trying to irritate me by breaking my rules, but they just really want to share their thoughts and all kids struggle with impulse control.
I hope these provided more light at the end of the tunnel for you! These are some of the ideas I’ve done throughout my time as a school SLP, if they help any one of you out there, I’ve done my job!
You’ve got this!
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