Ahhh….speech sessions have ended at the schools I’m at and my paperwork is typed and sent out.  Yipee!  Summer vacation!

I will be seeing a few kiddos here and there, but for the most part my days will be blessedly unscheduled.  I can’t wait!  I have big pesto plans for all the basil on my patio (and perhaps if I sweat garlic all summer, I’ll keep the mosquitoes at bay).  We’ll go blueberry picking and spend time at the pool.  I’m thinking seriously about investing in a hammock.

I do have some speech goals though as well; things I just don’t have time to get around to when I’m hauling a speech bag to and fro.  Here are some of the to-dos I hope to have checked off by September:

1.  Stuttering DVDs:  I bought “The Child Who Stutters:  Practical Ideas for the School Clinician Series” from the Stuttering Foundation looking for some new techniques and ideas.  I had some reservations about how well it would keep my attention, but the little bit I’ve done so far is good.  Fingers crossed that holds true throughout.
2. ASHA Schools Conference:  Every year I want to go, but the timing and/or the place doesn’t work for me.  This year I’ll already be in Chicago at that time, and it’s a straight shot to Milwaukee so it’s look good that I’ll be there.  I’m so excited! (Have you been before?  I’m looking for tips and recommendations!)
3. Google Docs:  I’ve been itching to get into this since I read Ruth’s post, “Google Forms and Spreadsheets:  Fun Times with Data Collection!” on her blog, Chapel Hill Snippets, but I was reluctant to make changes in the middle of the school year.  Plus, even though I am a private practitioner, a change like this would require “approval” from one of my schools so I wanted to be thorough in considering any possible confidentiality issues.  I’m determined however, to be up to speech by August.
4. Reading:  I do gravitate toward mystery novels.  In fact, by now Girl Gone (Flynn) should be “delivered” to my Kindle (delivery of pre-orders to an e-reader has a delicious Christmas morning feel), and I’ll also be making time for Broken Harbor (French) and Death Comes to Pemberley (James).  But I am picking up some educational books as well.  Motivation Breakthrough is the assigned reading for staff at one of my schools and, while as a contract employee and parent, I’m not required to, I like to participate.  I’m also curious to open The Big Picture:  Education is Everyone’s Business (Little).
5. Cool off:  Summer is a great excuse to see some lightweight films and stay current with the young crowd.  I’ve already seen The Avengers—fabulous, and if you have to force yourself to view superhero movies this one is the biggie.  Plus, you’re done in two hours.  If you tried to get all that backstory at the comic book store or from the merchandise tie-ins at Target it would take you weeks.  (And, by the way, you can’t fake in-the-know information with kids.)  Since I’m a big fan of good vs. evil, karmic justice and conflicted heroes, I’ll be attending several comic book blockbusters.  If nothing else, I think it’s a good practice to stay in touch with your angst-y, misfit side (particularly if you work with school aged kids or are raising them.)  I’m also very hopeful about Brave.  I’m one of the (very) few people left cold by both Wall-E and Up, but I feel like Pixar will hit the mark for me this time around.

Anyone else have speechie goals or plans for the summer?  Any mystery aficionados dying to share a favorite author or series?