November is here! And I’m throwing a sale! Thursday and Friday only! Stock up on your Thanksgiving goodies now! 
I thought I would take the time to ask some Frequently Asked Questions! 
What’s your favorite area of SLP? Preschool! Preschool language to be specific! Everything used to be free. Why are you charging for products now? The bigger this blog gets (yay! exciting!) the more time I spend on it. I don’t chart it, but I would guess the blog works out to just about a part time job. Since I’m spending much more time now, I am selling therapy items. You wouldn’t expect to work for 20 hours per week without any compensation. Things have changed, but I hope you’ll stick around! Luckily for you there are still freebies! And nothing costs more than your bill at Starbucks. Plus it’s always your choice to purchase or not! Can you make more freebies? Well, we just covered why I’m not. But I do multiple giveaways on my facebook page every week. Maybe you’ll win a copy! How do you price your TPT products? I choose them based on the time it takes me to create, the length of the document, and also the cost of the clipart. I always find myself struggling to pick a price. I ask myself what is fair to you, and what is fair to me. If I spend 12 hours making a document, it’s going to cost more than something that only takes me an hour to whip up! Hence the variety you see in my store! Similarly – packs, that include multiple games cost more because it takes more time to make them! How long does it take you to make your therapy materials? That depends greatly on the topic of the item. I might spend anywhere from 1-15 hours making documents in the packets I sell. That’s why the TPT prices vary. For example, Candy Land games that include pictures take a lot of time. I have to search for a picture, download it and insert it into the document. Then I need to do that 500 more times. I work on those projects over several weeks. Other things such as a simple ‘s’more category’ game might only take me an hour to create and so they cost less. I try to be fair and hope you continue to see value in the items I post. You can always email me with feedback about TPT items. 
Another great thing about TPT is you can see other purchaser’s comments and ratings before you purchase. That might help you make decisions before purchasing. Just click on Rating & Comments! (Thanks for rating items – this helps others decide!) How do you have time? No, seriously, how do you have time? First of all, It kinda bugs me when people post ‘you must have a lighter caseload than me.’ It’s a pet peeve. You CAN however comment that things I post are time savers and you don’t know how I have time to do it 🙂 I have a caseload of about 60 something (3 days preschool 2 days elementary) in my schools. I work a second job one day per week after school. Plus I have a regular life. This blog has definitely turned into another part time job, but I love it! Just imagine the time you would spend at a part time job, and that’s how I do it! Well, then how do you have the energy? I like to be busy. And making therapy materials is something I can do while I sit in at home and watch The Voice! I threw my energy into SRN this year when I needed a distraction. (My dad passed unexpectedly this year.) When you guys give me positive reinforcement is just encourages me to keep going! I usually write all my posts on Mondays, then I put them up throughout the week. Although I check email and do social media pretty much daily. I always have a document open on my computer working on something. So if a group cancels I can spend 10 minutes here or there working on things. Tell me about your days… Okay – this seems weird, but here’s a snapshot during the week I’m writing this! Monday
8-9 Prep: Check email, prep materials, send out screening permission forms, finish an IEP
905-1145 – Treatment in my elementary groups
1145-1205 Lunch
1205-1230- Prep for RTI meeting tomorrow
12-130 Tx in groups
130-215 Testing Block. Finish one screening. Spend 15 minutes cutting laminate.
215-330 Tx in groups
330-4 Billing and finish an IEP.
4-5 Grocery & Target
5-7 Eat Dinner, Relax, Clean Kitchen, Do Laundry
7-8 Post Rosie’s Walk download, catch up on SRN social media, return emails.
8-9 Finalize Conference Presentation for later this week – Thanks for having me OSSPEAC
9-11 Watch DVR’d The Voice, Work on Candy Land Preschool Language 2
Tuesday
8-820 Prep Check email
820-9 Intervention Assistance Team Meeting (our RTI team)
905-1145 Tx in groups
1145-1210 Lunch & Paperwork.
1210-1230 Work on an IEP
1230-330 Tx in groups
330-345 Medicaid Billing
345-400 Emails, clean up
400- Go grab Chipotle (YAY!)
415 – Arrive at Private Clinic
430-500 Write Tx plans/Progress notes/eat dinner
500-700 Individual Clients
7-730 Documentation 745 Arrive home
8-9 Return emails, call it a day!
Wednesday 8-4 Work 4-6 Happy Hour 6-8 Relax and enjoy couch time! How do you time manage for the blog? I have a blog calendar, things like reviews with specific due dates go on the blog calendar. Then I fill it in with treatment ideas. I usually leave powerpoint open on my computer running in the background. I email myself ideas throughout my day or weeks, so I always have ideas I’m waiting to execute. If I get a spare few moments, I pull up that powerpoint and word on whatever I’ve got in progress. I sometimes work on documents for therapy at work, but do most of it at home. How do you share information with teachers, so that you can all be working together to help kids with their communication skills? EMAIL!!! My room is also right next to the lunch room, so I try to pop in and check in while they are heating up their lunches (sometimes I have to let my group do silent work for 3 minutes to get this accomplished – but it’s usually worth it!) What clipart do you use? Graphics Factory, Maree Truelove, KPM Doodles, Scrappin Doodles. I like to search etsy if I need something specific. How do you do Middle School Therapy? I don’t. Sorry! I tried my hand at a few TPT materials, try those out.
Could you include actual pictures instead of clipart?
To sell or share things on the Internet you must have licenses. So I can’t just go into google images and copy images. I would have to physically take the pictures myself. Right now I buy sets of clip art and I am subscribed to a graphics website. At this time, I don’t anticipate switching to pictures.
What’s your favorite Cocktail? (haha Thanks Karen)
You’ll have to meet me at happy hour to find out!
How do you keep track of data.
I use paper data sheets. I had large columns and rows with the IEP goals across the top and the date on the left hand side. Usually about 4 rows fits on one sheet, so it gives me lots of room to write and I can also glance across and see what goals I haven’t targeted in the last few weeks.
Where do you get your ideas/inspiration?
I really only make materials for what I need for my own clients. I make games and activities I think they will enjoy. I’ve always been creative, so it isn’t difficult for me.
What are your favorite materials?
Ipad, chipper chats, EET, CandyLand, CandyLand Castle, Pop Up Pirate, Fun Decks, and the things I make! What’s that font? Usually: Pea Hollee Do you do inclusion therapy? I do total inclusion for preschool. At the elementary level I do pull-out. I would LOVE to do some inclusion but just haven’t found a way to meet the IEP minutes using that model. Have you ever supervised someone during their CF? Nope. I think I would like to in the future though! How do you stay in contact with parents? I have a communication log in each folder for elementary. Parents and I write back in forth on it. I try to email occasionally too. At preschool, I send home an newsletter each night and write individual data on it. Do you write lesson plans? Not for elementary. For those groups I jot notes on my treatment data sheet if there is something I need to remember to work on. I usually have my lesson plans in my head. I don’t have to turn them so I don’t write them. For preschool, I have a sheet that outlines ideas to use with each book. That way, from year to year I don’t forget anything! But I don’t turn in specific lessons plans. What are your professional goals? I’m not so sure yet! For now I love pediatric therapy. I love making materials. I’m sure where that will take me, but I really love interacting with other SLP’s so I hope I can keep finding new avenues for that. Whew! I think that covers a lot of it! Thanks for asking!
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Great post Jenna. Before I had kids I did a LOT of what you do (I didn’t have a blog but I made a lot of my own stuff) and I had a heavy caseload (not # wise but workload wise). Now, I have time to blog because I don’t work full time 😉
You do an INCREDIBLE job and make fantastic materials and you deserve to be compensated. GOOD FOR YOU! That is why I have advertisements on my blog and have some other things in the works. People who do not blog have no idea how long it takes (outside of the time it makes to make things!). It really is a part time job.
Keep up the great work!
Thanks Katie! We love it but it does take time! Thanks for all your blogging! I don’t think I could do it if I had babies at home!
You are truly amazing! Glad you opened your store on TPT so you can be reimbursed for all of your hard work, because you surely deserve it! Keep the games coming, my speechies and I really enjoy them:)
Thanks Phoebe! I so appreciate the support!
I love your materials and am so happy you share them and your ideas! I have NO PROBLEM paying for materials and think that is only fair for all of the work you do! I am known as the laminating queen at work and actually love printing, laminating and cutting out materials!! This is my 31st year as a school SLP and am grateful for new ideas and materials!!!!! I love your blog! Thank you for all you do!!!
Thank you Amy! Our laminator has been broken for a month. It’s KILLING me!
I have been following your blog for awhile, and I love it! I am a current first year grad student, so I am always looking for new ideas. I love your freebies, but I also have you saved in my favorite sellers on TpT, because I know as I start getting more clients I will look to your products first. Thank you for helping us!
Thanks! Goodluck is grad school!
I really don’t know how you do it! I love all your materials – I have purchased several sets. They have saved me several times!
Thanks Sharon!
Thank you for all that you do and share! I love getting inspiration from all your ideas – it can be so rejuvenating to see therapy in a new perspective. 🙂
Thanks Natalie!
Hey Jenna! I love your blog, ideas, and therapy materials! I discovered your blog while on pinterest in July and there’s no turning back! I truly appreciated all your hard work and have purchased several of your materials.
Thanks Tamara!
Hi, Jenna! I love your materials and I am happy to pick and purchase what will work for my kids. Thank you for sharing your creativity with me! You have perked up my therapy sessions this year and inspired me to create some things myself. Please keep up the great work!
Thanks Stacey!
Hello Jenna…I love your blog and your materials. My question to you is: How do you print all of your materials? That’s a lot of ink. Do you use your own personal printer or does your school have a good color printer?
Hi Jen. I print at home. The ink STINKS. I know. I do print at work occasionally – and that feels like xmas. Usually our color printer is broken and so is our laminator.
You are a time-saver to us all! Throwing down a few bucks here and there (and yes, seriously, a Starbucks does cost more at times) saves me hours of work. Since creating my own materials, I truly know how much time is being put into it. And…yours are always top-notch! Keep doing what you’re doing!
Nicole
Allisonspeechpeeps.blogspot.com
Thanks Nicole!
Jenna, your materials are awesome and I am always so excited to read your blog posts and see what you come up with! You inspire me to create a blog so I can share ideas too!! And I agree, using the money I would pay for a Starbucks is much better used for my students! Keep up the awesome work, we’ll miss you if you’re gone!! 🙂
Thank You!
You are one of the main reasons I started blogging! You really have some of the best things around, and you make it seem so “do-able”. Thanks for putting so much love and effort into (what ends up to be) really great products 🙂
Let’s Talk Speech Therapy
Rachel
Thanks Rachel!
I love your activities! You are very creative and always have activities that “spice” up therapy sessions.
Are you going to ASHA?
THanks! No ASHA this year. Maybe next year though!
Jenna, thanks for taking time to answer all these questions! I am always blown away by the quality of your materials! Keep up the great work!
http://www.thespeechladies.blogspot.com
Thanks!
Awesome!!!!! I’d love to meet your in person some day! What do you think? 🙂 🙂
I’d love that!
I love your blog and will echo all the other comments that your materials are top-notch! I’m constantly amazed at just how full of ideas you are. I also totally understand selling your materials (especially since I decided to start selling some of what I’ve made over the years/new materials I’m making…it’s a lot of work!) In the end, I just have to say that I’d miss not having your blog to come read. 🙂
Rebecca
Talking With Rebecca
Thanks Rebecca!
Jenna, I love reading your blog! Your materails are so much fun! Thank you for taking time to share your thoughts and materials. I don’t have time to make materials. You allow me to be “creative” for my students. This allows me to spend more time with my family, which is priceless. At the end of the day, I get excited about checking your blog! Thank you.
Thanks Kelly!
“For preschool, I have a sheet that outlines ideas to use with each book.” Can you post an example of what this would look like? I saw you at OSSPEAC and you were AWESOME!
Well I don’t have a picture, but next time I post a preschool unit, I’ll share it. It’s just a blank sheet that I put with every book. At the top it lists the book/author. Then it lists what I did for circle time. Then it has space for social/artic/language – and I can jot notes to myself about things I used. Then when I pull out the activities for the next year I can see what I did!
Oh and THANKS for attending at OSSPEAC! yay!
Thank you for all of the time and energy you put into your blog and materials. You’re truly a blessing for SLPs! I would like to do what you do someday, but I’m still doing my CF and it’s a lot to take on. I spent roughly 18 hours creating a Vocalic R Spot It game for TpT, so I know exactly how much work goes into your products!
I love all of your homemade and do it yourself ideas! You think of something, then take the time to put it together and share it! SLPs are so creative and we have so much to offer each other! Perhaps that’s why we all choose to be SLPs! Keep it up as I would rather buy something from you then a big therapy company!
appalong.blogspot.com
Willow