What Have YOU Learned on the Job?
I have enjoyed reading the
ADVANCE "Advice to Generation Y"
therapist entries! I want to share the top 5 things I was NOT taught in grad
school, but learned on the job!
1. Every where you go, you'll hear speech and language
disorders. You're an amazing diagnostician! Sometimes you'll be at the park or at the
children's museum with your kids talking to the parents. But you won't say
anything or give advice unless asked - you're a professional!
2. Your own children are NOT professional, and
might say something in a loud voice
like, "Mommy, I think '_____' needs speech, not for articulation, but for
language..."
3. Every time you go to Target or the grocery store
you will run into children who smile as if they know you. Although you
recognize children from your caseload, the non-speech students know YOU. So you
have to smile and say "hi" just in case they go to your school.
4. After you've worked for a while, you'll be
amazed at how quickly time goes by through calculating ages on test protocols.
"Wait a minute, that kid was born in WHAT year? And he's THAT old? That means
I'm...???"
5. You will NEVER be caught up with paperwork.
There is never an empty to-do list until you're all closed up for the summer.
That's OK. Just enjoy the summer and don't think about the to-do list that awaits
you.
Please add what you have learned on the job in the comment
section below, or on the ADVANCE Facebook page.