6 Summer Activities for School SLPs
Summer is a wonderful opportunity for School Speech Language Pathologists to rest and recharge from the school year. Not only does it provide School SLPs with time to take a break, it is also a great chance to focus on career advancement whether that is continuing education, planning for the upcoming school year or looking for a new job position. From self-care ideas to continuing education, read below for 6 summer activity ideas for School SLPs.
1. Summer Planning
Get ahead of the game and start planning for your upcoming school year! Try to think of a way to incorporate your summer activities as a sharing opportunity with your upcoming students. Perhaps you can plant a vegetable garden and record the growth process throughout the summer months. Take photos along the way so you can create a photo album at the end of the summer that you can share with your new students. Incorporating a summer activity, such as planting a vegetable garden, allows you to develop a new skill while giving you the chance to look forward to the upcoming school year. What other summer activities can you do that would be a great learning opportunity for your upcoming students?
2. Self-Care for SLPs
While your career is certainly a priority, practicing self-care is equally as important. Self-care is something that can look different for each of us and is crucial for maintaining our mental, physical and emotion well-being. Some self-care ideas may include blocking off time to read, work on a craft, or find a new hobby to try. Perhaps you can focus on a new skill by taking a yoga class, cooking course, or training for a local 5k race. Whatever makes you happy and helps you to relieve stress is what you should focus on incorporating into your busy schedule.
3. SLP Vacation
Burnout is a reality for many people in the workplace. While burnout is becoming an all too common epidemic in today’s workplace, there are steps to take in order to avoid it. One of these ways is to take a break. Take care of yourself and make sure you are at your best by planning a getaway to explore a new destination. Give yourself the opportunity to appreciate somewhere you’ve never been and learn something new. It’s important to give yourself space to disconnect from the busyness of your everyday and allow yourself to reset. Come back to the upcoming school year feeling well-rested and eager to take on the new year!
4. Career Assessment
Take the time to educate yourself on what is happening within the SLP profession. Stay up to date with current salary trends, SLP certification requirements as well as available SLP positions. Educating yourself on these topics can help you make the best decision for your career. Choosing to pursue a new position can be a time-consuming process on your own. The Bilingual Therapies team is here to help connect you with the perfect employment opportunity for you to grow in your career.
5. Continuing Education
According to ASHA Certification Maintenance Standards, certificate holders are required to accumulate 30 Certification Maintenance Hours (CMHs) of professional development during each 3-year certification maintenance interval in order to maintain their ASHA Certificates of Clinical Competence (CCC). The Bilingual Symposium takes place each summer and offers the opportunity to earn up to 11 hours of professional development. Next year, the symposium will be held in Austin, TX. Be sure to follow along with Bilingual Therapies’ social media pages for more details such as when registration will open. This is a great opportunity to travel and explore an amazing city while earning professional development hours.
6. Summer Volunteer Opportunities
The summer is a wonderful time to volunteer in your community. Look for volunteer opportunities such as Habitat for Humanity, a local food bank, animal shelter or youth mentor. Bilingual SLPs may also find that there are many local organizations that are in need of volunteers who speak a language other than English.
How have you done some of the items listed above to keep your skills honed over the summer while taking care of yourself? Please share your experiences below.
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