Big Question: Why do I think I wilI make a good SLP?

The hardest question to ever answer is why I would be good at something. I am a very humble person that has received a lot of success because of that. I hate talking about what I do well but I chose this question because it brings me out of my comfort zone and I feel teaching is all about that. It is going that extra distance that may not feel comfortable but will be the best for everyone in the long run.

I believe I hold a great amount of compassion towards people. I feel compassion is crucial when working with individuals who have a communication disorder. If a SLP does not feel some sort of emotion towards his/her client there will never be any type of success. The client needs to feel some sort of rapport between himself/herself and the clinician or nothing will ever be accomplished.

I also feel I am a very caring individual. I cannot stand it when someone is upset or is having difficulty achieving something. I have a hard time sitting back and watching someone go through a difficult time without me trying to help. It hurts me to see someone be hurt. Becoming a SLP, I would most likely endure a lot of pain by seeing my clients go through hardships each day, but that would just make me work that much harder in making their days better.

In the end, I think I will become a good SLP when I have possessed the knowledge and experience to be one in the “real world”. I will work each day to make sure every one of my clients feels the same way.

Big Question: What makes a teacher successful and who should be the judge of that success and why?

Who provides teachers with a job? It is simply the students. I feel the students are what make a teacher successful. If it weren't for the students, success would not be able to be measured. If the students become motivated to learn and truly learn specific material they have become successful. If students enjoy going to school, have fun in the classroom, and are not afraid to talk to their teachers, teachers have succeeded. There is no way a teacher is successful if he/she has a college degree and completed all the schooling to be named a teacher and land a job. Teaching is far from the education the individual was provided with. The way students look and feel about that certain teacher with the college degree is what truly matters. The way in which learning takes place and how well the students actually learn the material is what matters when it comes to success.

When I look back on all my teachers, the ones that were successful in my mind truly cared about me. I knew they listened to every word I said and accepted me for who I was no matter. They motivated me to try my hardest with everything I did and always expected that. However, not only did they act this way towards me, this was the way they were to every student.

To be a SLP in the schools, the only way I will ever be successful is if my students overcome their objectives and goals. It is my job to make sure this happens. I need to find every possible way to make sure it does indeed happen. Success is only measured by my students’ achievements and success.

Big Question: As a future SLP what do I see as my main weaknesses and how will I work on improving these?

Having a weakness can be very negative in certain aspects, but it can also make a person strive to work that much harder and be that much better. I feel my weaknesses in becoming a Speech Language Pathologist are not being knowledgeable in my field of study when I work with clients and not trusting myself when making decisions for my clients.

Having the education to become a SLP is something I have been learning for the past four years. I feel I have learned a great amount of information, but there is still so much I need to know. My biggest fear is being presented with a client and having no idea what is wrong with them or how to go about helping him/her. I know I still have graduate school to attend, but not knowing what to do is my biggest fear.

I would call myself a very indecisive person. At times it can be fine, but for the most part I wish I could be able to just make up my mind and be done with it. I am worried that a colleague of mine will give me a choice of what to do with a client and I won’t be able to decide what is best for him/her. I need to learn to trust myself and realize I do, indeed, know what I am doing and what is best for each client I work with. Being indecisive in my profession is not going to get me anywhere. I need to become confident in my decisions and realize that I do know and understand what is best for others.

Overall, having these weaknesses will help me become a better SLP. I will strive to be a life-long learner in my profession. I will also try to become more confident in my decisions as time progresses. I feel this will happen with more education and experience.