Feeling Inspired

Recently on Placement I have been engaging in Intensive Interaction and Attention Bucket. So I felt it best to go read up on both of these, find a solid evidence base and have a complete holistic view of both of these approaches.

So I was quickly led to a therapyideas blog all about Gina Davies' speech at a conference detailing how you use the Attention Bucket.  Well it sounded inspiring so I went in search of a similar video on youtube and ended up at a brilliant website "Attention Autism".  On that page was some information about Gina Davies' most recent speech, of which is 5 minutes talking about how to inspire attention in children, and it utterly completely inspired me!

My current placement is 4 days per week for 5 weeks and each day I have a different setting - so Monday is Early Years, Tuesday is Mainstream, Wednesday is a SLCN unit, Thursday is a SEN school.  And this has really got me in a muddle as to where I want to go and what I want to do as an SLT.  Its been a brilliant experience and I feel I've had my eyes open to so many wonderful different experiences, but finally I feel inspired - and it's come from a 5 minute video! I just wish I had more time to spend in the SLCN unit and the SEN school to really dig my hands deep and get a complete feel. I have 2 more weeks to go, so 4 more days within the SLCN and SEN settings and then it'll be a long wait till I am qualified - but that means getting my head down and completely whole-heartily researching about working with children with Autism and MLD/PMLD children. 

Though my head feels it may explode after today, and this week (what is a very short week for me thanks to the bank holiday!) - I feel inspired to keep on learning! I believe I've come such a long way since September '11, and will continue to grow and learn!

And for any other SLT students out there that may occasionally feel less than inspired to continue with the hard work and the long hours - watch Gina Davies; I can guarantee you will be inspired.