Most Valuable Take Away

This week’s content is EXTREMELY important when starting an early childhood music program because it is the foundation that we all need to know as MT-BC’s before working with young children and their families. I feel that the most valuable takeaway would be the language that we can now put into our toolkit. Families are going to ask questions because they generally want the best for their children and don’t always understand why their child is doing (or not doing) something at any given age. This week’s content provided us with the language that is based in research that we can bring to the table and help ease the minds of families when these questions arise. As Beth and Meredith mentioned, parents might be concerned about those “terrible two’s,” but with this information/language, we are better equipped to help explain to the parents what is normal at that developmental stage. We can use the language to help parents understand and get to know their children on an even deeper level.

I think my most valuable takeaway this week would be a refresher of what kind of musical, physical, and social responses to look for from clients I might see in an early childhood music program! I learned this in a developmental psych class, but now that I’m practicing, I can imagine my clients and what this really looks like in a music therapy realm much clearer now. It also helps to remember what reactions to look for to set expectations in participation for myself, and how to help parents have valid expectations as well! Parents might not be sure what to look for in their children to see that they are learning and growing through music classes, but knowing these reactions and responses will help to prove how early childhood music is helping their children.

Thank you for sharing your take aways. It is always great to hear how the information has resonated with each person!

I think that my most valuable take away was the reminder that I am qualified as a source of knowledge to the families I work with! I can be a resource for more than just music therapy. This was such a great reframing! This was such a great refresher of developmental stages and a deep dive on some specifics that I don’t feel like we covered in my Human Growth and Development coursework.

My most valuable takeaway was learning about just how much music and rhythm relates to early childhood development. While we learned about it in school, the deeper look really put things into perspective. It was also nice to get the information from a music therapy perspective, as opposed to the early childhood classes that I took in undergrad that did not have any relation to music therapy.

I think my most valuable takeaway from this week’s content is that when working with this population in age, it’s important to say “Yes” as much as possible. The speaker mentioned that it would be a good idea to get down on the floor of where a session might take place with young ones to ensure that the area is safe and conducive to a good session. Instead of saying “No” due to a safety concern, you should say “Yes” to safe exploration. This way, the child’s imagination, desire to explore, and curiosity are all encouraged instead of stifled. Sometimes I think we can get stuck on telling little ones “No” in an effort to keep them on track or to guide them toward correct behaviors. However, I feel this can lead to child simply hearing “No” so often that they may become hesitant to explore as quickly.

My most valuable takeaway from the content presented this week was to remember that just because children are capable of doing something, doesn’t always mean they will automatically display a specific behavior. Particularly at 18+ months, children are able to follow directions, but that doesn’t always mean that they will. It’s important to keep in mind what we can anticipate as age-appropriate behavior and respond, encourage, and reinforce accordingly.
On a personal note, the content said that toddlers are able to wash themselves with a washcloth in the bathtub by 18 months. This is something I want to work on with my 20 month old this week!