Although students bid farewell to their classroom teacher at the end of each year, they often remain in speech therapy for a longer period of time. Nevertheless, even if they didn’t meet all of their IEP objectives, they worked hard! As the school year comes to an end, taking the time to celebrate their progress and strengths will build their confidence!
Today I’m sharing 3 easy ways to celebrate their successes.
- Discuss their work ethic
If my students are working hard while struggling with a task, I always positively reinforce their efforts. When the answer is incorrect, I might say “great try,” “I love how focused you are” or “I’m so impressed by how hard you’re working on this.”
In the same spirit, taking the time to acknowledge how hard they worked during the year and areas in which progress was made (no matter how small), will go a long way.
2. Ask them to engage in self-reflection
Ask your students to identify one thing that was challenging this year and how they worked through it. If they have difficulty with this task, review their goals with them and help them see their progress. This will also help set the stage for when they return in the fall.
3. Enlist praise from peers
Sometimes there’s nothing more meaningful than receiving a compliment from a peer. If you have a small group of students, start by asking them to talk about attributes they admire in their classmate. As you dive deeper, ask them to share one positive thing their peer does when working through a challenge.
If you have an individual session, allow your student to invite a friend to speech during that last week. Let your student call the shots and choose activities. Giving your students ownership and control will foster a feeling of confidence and pride.
One fun way to do all of these things is with my free Kindness flipbook and packet. It provides a meaningful tool for reflection and a keepsake!
If you try it out with your students, leave a comment and let me know!
