New Grad Confidence (plus a giveaway!)

new grad

***Congratulations to Maggie L. and Stephanie B. who won their choice of three digital downloads from my TpT store!***

The majority of the time, I find myself dealing with the same types of issues–general artic with a smattering of phonological processing, maybe some apraxia; language issues that have them behind peers but not usually enough to recommend an alternative placement; some moderate fluency struggles.  But recently, I’ve had a number of clients with different needs–disorders I’ve worked with in the past, but not in a while.  It’s had me, happily, searching for information and answers.

But it also had me thinking about the confidence of a new grad.  I noticed that PediaStaff had a discussion in which they were recommending new grads find a placement with experienced therapists on site.  (There were new grads chomping at the bit to be on their own). I frequently field queries from new therapists wanting to start a private practice.

I remember feeling much this way myself.  I had lots of questions about procedures/paperwork but for the most part I felt well prepared. Nothing like naivety to give you confidence!

Nowadays, I operate with a mixture of “we’ve got this” and “good Lord what’s happening here?”  Often equal parts of both for each client, because each child does bring something I’ve seen before and a good dose of something all their own whether it be “how are they even making that sound,” or a unique avoidance behavior for anything even remotely resembling work.  And I actually feel comfortable in this middle ground. I know I’m a better therapist because of it.

Anyone else have that same feeling of…confident humility?

And new grads, a giveaway just for you.  Leave me the name of the school you graduated from (within the past year) by midnight EST on Sunday May 18, 2014. I’ll select two winners at random who can choose any three digital products from my TPT store. Good luck!

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This Post Has 14 Comments

  1. Lara

    I have had a larger than usually number of triennial/re-evaluations this school year. I am finding that many of my students score quite poorly on the memory-based task on formal assessment measures such as the CELF and the TAPS. I am wondering if anyone else is experiencing this.

    1. admin

      Lara, Let me post this on my FaceBook page and see if we can get some input. I find the memory items to be tough for a lot of kids, and more so now than in years past. Kim

  2. Brianna

    I graduated from Northern Arizona University!

  3. Maggie Leisten

    Hi! I graduated from Marquette University this past year!

  4. SLP_Echo

    I constantly feel like this. Some days I walk out of the office thinking – “Man, I nailed it today”. Other days, I’m like “What was I doing? Fumbling around…”

    I graduated from the University of West Georgia July 2013 (M.Ed.)

  5. Stephanie Brown

    Hi, I graduated from Western Carolina University last week. I am trying to work on my confidence.

  6. Treasyri

    I operate with a mixture of “we’ve got this” and “good Lord what’s happening here?”

    Story of my life lol! Graduated from Hampton University this past sunday 🙂

  7. Becca

    I graduated from Illinois State University last weekend, I am definitely looking for a placement with experienced therapists to help me!

  8. Amanda P

    I graduated from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania in May 2013. My first year has been a roller coaster. I’m in the school setting between two schools with very different case loads. Between the two schools I have general artic & language kids but also a hearing impaired classroom, severe oral and limb apraxia, Autism, 2 AAC devices, and selective mutism so it has been a ride but I’ve enjoyed it.

  9. Lara

    Thanks Kim!

  10. Chris M

    I graduated from the University of Oklahoma last week. CFY here I come!

  11. Amanda B

    I just graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania last Saturday! During my school internship, I worked with many students with CAP, many AAC devices, 3 Life Skills Support Classrooms, and 2 Austism Support rooms. I was blessed with a terrific experience!

  12. Holly Garrison

    I graduated from Syracuse University this past week and will be starting a CF placement in a special needs preschool setting!

  13. Faith P

    I just graduated from Bloomsburg University last Friday. It’s always encouraging to know that professionals who are out in the field sometimes feel like they don’t know what’s going on. It lets me know that no matter how much experience someone has-they might still have moments of uncertainty.

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The views expressed in this blog are my own and are intended to inspire other speech-language pathologists in their own practice. If you are a parent, teacher or other educator, these ideas are not intended to take the place of treatment by a certified clinician. Read full disclaimer here.