Hi everyone,
My name is Tara and I’m an ASHA certified Speech-Language Pathologist from central Pennsylvania.
If you’re here reading this, chances are you and I are alike. I’m a school-based SLP serving a lot of students with many different needs. Most of my students (not ALL, let’s be real) come running to me. They LOVE coming to speech therapy for the fun, meaningful activities that help them work toward their goals. Backtrack a few years. I knew I was doing something wrong when I was spending HOURS each week planning and preparing for my students. I knew there had to be an easier way, but I wasn’t finding it. That’s when I started creating simple, effective materials for my caseload. I needed resources that targeted my students’ wide range of needs, but also saved me time. I started simplifying my materials while keeping my students’ interests in mind. Almost every aspect of my therapy changed once I started working smarter, not harder. I’ve spent a lot of time researching, planning, and creating resources, so you could simply print & go, while providing top-notch, observation-worthy therapy!
If you’re interested in learning more about the actual person who has been on this endless search for all things Fun in Speech, enjoy these tidbits:
- My name is Tara, but I can almost guarantee you we pronounce that differently. (“Ta” – “Ruh” The easiest way to explain it is, think short “a” and prevocalic R, not vocalic. Most people can’t hear the difference and can never get it right, but that’s okay! I blame it on my coal region accent. No one pronounces things quite the same as us gems.)
- I’m an itinerant SLP and I’ve worked in over 20 different schools during the last 3 years. I drive a lot 🙂
- I’m a proud dog mom of a rescue pup named Lager, who we adopted through a prison training program. I’m one of those crazy people who got their dog’s DNA tested. He’s mostly a Staffordshire Terrier mixed with a little Boxer and American Bulldog. He’s the most cuddly, goofy, curious, loving dog in the world! Rescue dogs are my soft spot. Shameless plug – #AdoptDontShop and #SupportLocalShelters
- Ina Garten (aka, Barefoot Contessa) is one of my idols. I love her. I want to be like her when I finally grow up one day.
- If you understood that last point, you know that I LOVE to cook. I’m a major foodie. I love trying new recipes, new ingredients, and new styles of cooking. My kitchen is a well balanced mixture of culinary triumphs and Pinterest fails. I’m still learning. 😉
- I married my best friend, Kyle, on August 5th, 2017. If it wasn’t for my husband, I wouldn’t be able to run Fun in Speech. He picks up so much slack so I can do what I love, and that is one of the many reasons why I love him.
- I never knew what a speech-language pathologist was until freshman year of college. I was originally a business education major and quickly jumped ship when I discovered a job that really “spoke” to me (see what I did there, nerdy SLP humor. I was made for the job).
- My guilty pleasures include Bravo Housewives, chips and dip, Amazon Prime, exercise pants/leggings, puppy cuddles, talking through movies, eating leftover dinner for breakfast, and adding already completed tasks to my checklist just so I can cross them off.
Does any of this sound like you? If so, let’s be friends! Poke around this blog, check out my Instagram, take a peek at my TPT store, and subscribe to my newsletter!
– Tara
