Welcome to my very first blog post!  I wanted to start off by introducing myself, telling you why I decided to start this blog and what you can find here!

My name is Marisa Tarantino and I have been a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist since 2005.  I studied at New York University where I received my Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology.  I have since worked with children from birth to fourteen years old who have deficits in communication, including articulation disorders and language delays due to disorders such as autism and learning disabilities.  My professional work has been very rewarding – from a cheerful smile to the joy on a child’s face when they have mastered a speech goal.

In 2010, my son, Anthony was born and my life changed forever.  In addition to the pure joy and happiness he brought to my everyday life, I watched in awe as he developed.  Seeing him reach each developmental milestone was amazing to me since I have had the experience of watching so many children struggle.  I found myself “bringing my work home,” using techniques that I would use with my students during play with my own son.  I watched as these interactions influenced his development and noticed how moms around me didn’t realize what an influence they were having on their children - how simple routines and activities were driving their children’s growth.

Aristotle was quoted as saying, “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.”  This sums up my thoughts on learning.  When I think back to my own education, the most salient memories are those where I was an active participant in the lesson – trips, plays, experiments, etc.  The lessons and concepts I learned from these experiences stuck with me and carried over into other areas of my life.  As a speech therapist, I have always tried to take advantage of each “teaching moments.”  Sometimes that meant throwing my own plans out the window and following the child’s lead.  Looking at their interests and sharing in their experiences, I was able to reach their speech and language goals in a purposeful way. 

By my own nature, I tend to “plan” my days with my own children, much like I did my days with my students.  If there was a fun activity I did with my students at school, I would of course bring it home to try out with my boys.  When I became a stay at home mom after my third son was born, I looked to fill our days with fun activities that we could enjoy together – the Speech Language Pathologist in me was always looking for ways to incorporate my expertise and enjoy spending time with my boys along the way.

One of the things I miss about working outside of the home is interacting with parents and teaching them how they can be an active participant and facilitator in their child’s development.  I thought with this blog, I could fill that void in my own life while helping parents and children along the way!  Follow me and my boys as we embark on adventures of learning with fun and simple activities that you can do at home.  I will also share some of my favorite children’s books and toys that you may enjoy too.  Stay tuned for helpful hints and resources pertaining to speech and language development. 

One last, IMPORTANT thing…  Please remember that this blog is a reflection of my thoughts and ideas as a mom and Speech-Language Pathologist.  The information regarding speech and language skills is presented at a very basic level and not intended to replace the opinions or judgments of speech therapists or other professionals working directly with your child.  If you have real concerns regarding your child’s development, please contact a local agency to have your child evaluated in order to be sure your child is getting all the support he/she might need to be a successful communicator.

Love & Language,

Marisa