Search Results

May 28th Client: Beyond the Frame Year: 2023 This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Previous Next

Landscape Magazine Photoshoot Client: Landscape Magazine Year: 2023 This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Previous Next

Summer Secrets Client: Breech Year: 2023 This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. To manage all your collections, click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Previous Next

It is now safe to say we survived 2020. We made it to the other side and can breathe a collective sigh. I have no idea what 2021 will bring, but this moment feels like when I press Control- ALT- delete hoping to get the reboot I so desperately need. A few years ago I stopped making the usual resolutions related to weight loss or saving money. Instead I made personal, private vows on how I planned to show up for the year. That first year, I set the intention to be "open to new situations and possibilities." Later that year I met my now husband! Now I set intentions for my professional and personal life and it is my way of holding myself accountable. throughout the year. As I prepare to return to my clinical work, I am reminded that the year has changed, but our circumstances have not changed much. I will continue providing therapy services virtually for the foreseeable future. I am proud of the progress my students are making and how well they (and their families) have adapted. In case you missed it, Occupational Therapist Melissa DelaTorre shared some great tips on how to support students during virtual learning. You can access that post here. Literacy-based intervention is still my thing! In addition to focusing on winter themes, this month I will also be sharing books that focus on our civic duties, the power of using your voice and honoring civil Right's heroes like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Fannie Lou Hamer, and many other unsung heroes. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram to see what books I share in therapy and if you are looking for new books to add to your library, check out my diverse book section. Reading remains a proven way to teach language, develop imagination, foster better literacy skills and critical thinking. It holds the power to connect children (and adults) to people, experiences, and cultures they may have otherwise never encountered. With this in mind, I remain committed to my mission to increase diversity in children's literature- because everyone should be seen and heard! 2020 was a year of challenges and loss. The year stretched us beyond our limitations and forced us to shift the way we think and the way we live our lives. We were also gifted with time- time to reflect, to learn, unlearn, and to grow. I am grateful for YOU and the Having Our Say community. Wishing you peace, good health and joy this year and beyond. Happy New Year!!

When it comes to posting online, going viral is a good thing. The most recent viral video I have seen was of an adorable baby boy. The baby was about 18 months and super cute- I mean the cuddly, chubby cheek cute that makes you smile on sight. Yet, his overwhelming cuteness was not the reason his video went viral. The video featured the baby holding a stack of flash cards and READING the words written on each card. At lone point he realized the card was upside down and turned the card right side up before reading the word on the card. He had hundreds of thousands of views and plenty of comments from people who were in awe over his early literacy skills, but I was taken by his chubby thighs and smile. As a parent and an SLP, I am saddened to see how early education is changing, particularly kindergarten. A 2011 nationwide study by the Gesell Institute for Child Development found that the ages at which children reach developmental milestones have not changed in 100 years. So the question is why are we placing more academic demands on children at an earlier age? Are we doing harm or good by placing increased emphasis on academic skills and less opportunities for children to play and socialize in a formal setting with their peers? Children have to learn when their brains are ready to absorb the information. It’s important that children have the opportunity to learn in a developmentally appropriate setting, which is why play is so critical for children under the age of 5. Play offers the children the chance to build literacy, language, and social skills. So with that said, parents I encourage you to teach your child how to stack blocks and blow bubbles. Engage in peek-a-boo and imaginary play with toy food, dolls, cars, and trucks. Read and look at pictures in books. Identifying letters and words will come all in due time.

Happy New Year! A new year signifies a fresh start and new opportunities. I have not made resolutions per se, but I do have plans for 2018. As you see the site has a new look, but my desire to connect, share tips and resources remains the same. It has been some time since I have posted. 2017 kept me busy in other ways. I became engrossed in planning my wedding and married my biggest supporter in July 2017. After the summer I decided to take some time to enjoy my family and upgrade this site. I did not go away completely. While I took a break from blogging, I used social media to stay in touch. If you don't already, please follow me on Instagram (havingoursay) and follow my Facebook page by the same name (Having Our Say.) I look forward to reconnected with you and sharing new tips. I wish you a happy and prosperous year. ~Shontaye

Schedule your free phone consultation (15 minutes)