The Mess on my Desk

One of the biggest difficulties I have working with students is staying organized. Oh, I have the basics down. Each student has a folder with their work and service log in it. The timer is on the table, the attendance book is nearby. The problem is too many bright ideas.

As I'm working with a student, I may decide that other materials may be helpful. These materials may already be available "somewhere" in the office. That means a hunt through books or files to find what I want. Usually, though, what I really want is not available in the format I want it. That means I have to dig out what I need and THEN rework it. Often the result is a pile of materials on the corner of my desk and several files on my computer with the outlines of what I want. Meantime, students stream in and out the door.

By the end of the year, I've made do with whatever is at hand. The materials on the corner of my desk end up re-filed, and I've often forgotten why they were there. Time away from school is filled with non-school activities. Come fall, we're off to the races again!

In talking with other SLPs, I've discovered that this is a universal problem. If you have a particular system that works, by all means pass it on. I promise not to put it on the corner of my desk!