My Five Takeaways as a CF

Starting a new job can be daunting, especially in your first year as a clinical fellow. Here are five things I learned throughout my CF year that have helped me become a better speech therapist. 

1. Relationships in your schools are IMPORTANT. Focus on building relationships with teachers, secretaries, custodians, and other school staff. Teachers know your students best. Collaborating with teachers can help you make plans and goals to best serve each student’s needs. Secretaries know the ins and outs of the schools regarding scheduling, field trips, and other school-wide activities that can affect your day-to-day schedules. Custodians can make your day at work much smoother. They are a lifesaver if you get locked out of your room, lock something important in your room, or ever find yourself in need of a mop. 
2. You don’t need to buy every resource, toy, and speech material. You can do a lot with a little. Materials that I found most successful starting out include markers, crayons, colored pencils, blocks for creative play, and any cause-and-effect toy. There are many ways to make simple toys and activities work for multiple students throughout the day.
3. Ask questions. It's okay not to know. You’re not expected to know everything, but what is important is that you take the time to ask questions and learn. Utilize your supervisor. Your supervisor is there for a reason, to help and give feedback for you to become the best therapist you can be. 
4. Be adaptable. Not every session is going to go according to plan, and that's okay. Focus on building relationships with your students rather than focusing on hitting the right number of trials for each session at the beginning. Once the relationships are established it’s easier to figure out the best plan of care for each student’s needs. 
5. Take breaks. To be the best speech therapist, you have to be the best you. It’s okay to take breaks and prioritize self-care routines in order to create a work-life balance that best serves you.

Maggie Murr Carter, M.S., CCC-SLP