Andreona Myers
Speech Language Pathologist Assistant
Palmetto Early Beginnings

Ever since my junior year of high school I wanted to be a Speech Therapist. I always had an interest of learning how children learn to use words and grow to understand their socially significant environment. I later learned that the better term for my curiosity was the language acquisition of children. I remember reading an article from a periodical called Journal of Nursing Advanced which my mom received monthly in the mail due to her being a Registered Nurse. The article gave a brief overview of the Speech Pathology profession and this immediately sparked my interest in the field.

My youngest sibling didn’t talk much during her early preschool years and began receiving speech therapy at the age of two. I had the chance to sit-in and observe the sessions and I was instantly sold. I found it amazing that a Speech Pathologist knew exactly what to do and say to elicit words and appropriate social interactions in a child. It was also amazing to see the joy and excitement that took place during each session. After graduating from high school, I was accepted into South Carolina State University where I matriculated and obtained my Bachelors of Arts degree in Speech Pathology.

Speech Pathology is the study and treatment of speech problems within the oral mechanism and language problems that affect effective communication. As a Speech Language Pathologist Assistant, I follow documented treatment plans and protocols as prescribed by a Supervising Speech Language Pathologist. I work with the pediatric and school aged populations which entail a lot of knowledge about early intervention. It is imperative that parents who notice any delays in speech and communication skills in their child seek assistance to prevent further regression. A child who doesn’t meet developmental milestones as their typically developing peers do should be screened by an Early Interventionist or Speech Pathologist to ensure proper procedures are taken during examination. This simple step will implement socially significant factors in the child’s environment to help increase the momentum of the child’s progress. It’s best to reach out to a Pediatrician as soon as any communication or developmental delays are noticed. If the Pediatrician is in agreement, a prescription will be written for Early Intervention which will include Speech Therapy and any other interventions essential to a child’s development at the time of requisition from caregivers.

Many parents are afraid that their child will be labeled if any professional help is acquired during pre-school and school age years; however, not allowing assistance during such crucial years can prove to be detrimental to a child’s overall development. Therefore, it is imperative to take the action of making a difference by reaching out for assistance in children’s lives that may struggle with speech and language. This will not only promote confidence within a child, but healthy communicative relationships with others. I absolutely love what I do and feel that it is a blessing to be able to administer Speech Therapy to such amazing and beautiful children every day.

Gisela Kloess
Owner
ProEtiCo LLC

“Fork left, Fork right… Who cares?” said the guy who never received a promotion.

Ever wondered why you didn’t get a promotion? The job? The contract?

According to the books, you did everything right. You turned in your proposal on time. Displayed all of your technical skills. You even went as far as to wine and dine your client, hoping to further connect over a tasty meal.

Let’s examine what really happened.

Before we start, let me tell you a story about how a decade-long mentorship/friendship started, thanks to the fork and knife, AKA proper dining skills. When I was a junior in college, there was a speaker series every Wednesday. On one of those Wednesdays, David Evans, Hospitality Services Area leader and Director of Brand Experience and Environment at Milliken, came to speak about business etiquette. Afterwards, we had the opportunity to attend lunch with him and continue to ask questions. Lunch was great. The conversations were inspiring.

After the lunch, David approached me and commented on my excellent dining skills. I’ll be very honest: I was completely baffled, wondering, “Is he trying to be funny? Is he joking?”

Fortunately, he wasn’t. Years later, I asked him why he approached me to comment on my dining skills. He responded: “Your proper business etiquette and dining skills were so solid. Technical skills are easy to come by; proper social skills, not so much. I was intrigued to find out more about what else you know.”

So, here are the basics of what I know:

 

1. Napkin Etiquette (Believe it or not, it’s there for a reason. Use it, and use it often!)

As soon as we sit down, we place the napkin in our lap. The only time the napkin is placed back on the table is when the meal is over and everyone is ready to leave.

Side note: If you ever see the host putting their napkin on the table, getting up, and leaving, the party is over!

 

2. Silverware savvy

In both the American and Continental styles, the knife is on the right and the fork on the left.

American style: cut one bite at a time. Place your knife on your plate. Switch the fork from the left hand to the right. Eat. Fork back to the left. And repeat.

Continental style/European style: cut one bite and eat. Repeat.

Which style you choose is really up to you, as both are accepted. Just make sure to choose one and stick with it!

 

3. Dine with your guest. (Not with your guest, your emails, phone calls, Facebook, and Twitter.)

Very little is universally considered as rude as being constantly interrupted by a vibrating phone followed by a checkup, phone conversations during a current conversation, or a constant Facebook, email, or Twitter update.

Let’s be honest, we’re turning into device-zombies. Nowadays, people are so worried about missing an update. Phones are constantly checked and re-checked.

The rule is: mute your phone and leave it in your purse or pocket.

The only time it is acceptable to have a phone (turned upside down on light vibration) visible is when there is a real reason. In this situation, inform your guest of the reason and thank them for their understanding. Waiting on the score of a game is not good enough.

Acceptable examples: Someone is sick. You are awaiting extremely time-sensitive information upon which you’ll need to act quickly. You work in a field that requires you to be on-call at times, and this is one of those times.

 

4. You were not invited because you looked hungry, but to connect.

When you receive an invitation to meet for lunch or dinner, most of the time, it’s not because they think you are hungry. Rather, they want to connect with you in a more social setting. However, informal does not mean unprofessional. Make sure you bring your A-game and your best table manners. A meeting, whether it occurs in an office, over coffee, or in a restaurant, is to connect with the person (or people) right in front of you. Focus on that person and the topic of conversation at hand. Let your behavior and speech communicate: “You are important! You have my undivided attention. I value your time.”

Constantly checking your cell phone sends the message that everything and everyone else is more important than the person sitting with you. If I were to do that to you, would you hire me? Promote me? Probably not.

 

5. Dining do’s and don’ts

DON’T slurp – it’s still not acceptable.

DO cut one bite a time.

DO use your napkin – and often.

DON’T reapply/check your makeup at the table.

DO learn the rules of toasting.

DON’T chew with your mouth open. It only, unflatteringly, informs everyone that your teeth are doing a great job of chewing the food.

DO let your guest precede you when escorted to a table.

DON’T overload your plate (at a buffet). It doesn’t cast you in the best light to imply that you’re “here for the food.”

DO offer bread and butter to your guest before helping yourself.

DON’T reach over the other’s plate.

Once you start working for a company or even your own business, you are no longer First Name, Last Name but Company, First Name, Last Name. You now represent more than just yourself. Of course, having White House dining skills does not ensure that you will get the contract, job, or promotion. However, it does show that you can be let off the leash. You can be sent out to represent your company or clients in a professional manner. And this will always tilt the scales in your favor.

So go out. Represent yourself. Represent your company. Get the contract. Get the job. Get the promotion. Just remember: Fork Left – Knife Right.