NEVER LET A TEACHING OPPORTUNITY GO TO WASTE
CHAT SLP Lydia is not one to let things go to waste. Utilizing her passion for repurposing, Lydia takes wallpaper samples to use in craft activities, converts packing peanuts into science projects, and turns salvaged books and book covers into therapy tools.
It comes as no surprise that when she faced a one-of-a-kind challenge, she repurposed it as a teaching opportunity for her students.
While walking up the stairs at one of our partner schools, Lydia dropped her phone, which landed in the small opening between a wall and access elevator.
Lydia was about to see a small group and challenged them to brainstorm solutions. After working together to complete the form for maintenance to retrieve the phone, they brainstormed creative ways to reach it; these included ideas like using magnets, pushing it out with a broom handle, vacuuming it out, and using a trash picker!
Lydia’s students ultimately debunked most of these ideas due to logistical challenges, and the maintenance team had to cut a hole in the drywall to retrieve the phone. It was quite an adventure, and now these students have real-life experience communicating to problem solve together.
Instead of becoming defeated after what could have been a very bad day, Lydia used her repurposing superpower to turn it into a teaching lesson for her students. This is the kind of everyday creativity that sets CHAT apart, supporting the pragmatic communication skills that help children succeed.
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