How have you used these four music experiences in your practice?

[Meredith Pizzi]

How have you used these four music experiences in your practice? Have you made any changes in these areas since beginning this course? Post your remarks to the board.

[Rachel Lighty]

I try to use all of these experiences during my sessions. Singing familiar songs and encouraging clients to sing increases the likelihood of engagement and participation in this category. The dynamics in which this occurs can either help or discourage clients to sing depending on the group, client, and situation. I have found that in some cases, loud/strong singing can increase the response from the client, whereas in other situations it can intimidate the individual who needs a more supportive and gentle approach. In some cases, especially with kids, they need a fun and goofy/surprising support to encouraging active singing.

I also always have instrument play in my groups. I allow the clients time to explore the instruments first before going into an instrument play song and then a familiar song which can combine the two elements of instrument play and singing.

I try to do movement in all of my sessions, but am not super good about doing this regularly. If the group is getting fidgety and antsy I will pull out a movement experience, but if they are doing well with the instruments and singing then sometimes I forget to include this experiences or just tie it in with the instrument play (up high, down low, to the side, etc.) This might be because I don’t feel like I have very many movement interventions that I can pull out on a moment’s notice. Having things that I can just pull out and use when needed would help me with this area.

I incorporate listening through musical surprises that are followed by directions and turn it into a game. I would like to use more silence during my sessions to allow clients and parents or staff to have a chance to process everything as it is happening. It seems like when I am working with kids or in a session that music always has to be going, but silence is also music and it is important for me to remember that and incorporate it more in the sessions.

[Tracy Schoenberg]

I can only respond to past experiences since I am not currently in practice, but I have used these 4 music experiences with my kids since starting this course although they are very distracted and have other agendas like playing baseball outside, but I get their attention for a few minutes at a time. When I worked with kids with special needs I had a schedule that remained the same even though the songs and activities changed. I used boardmaker pictures for the schedule of 1)Hello Song- 2)Singing, 3)Moving, 4)Instrument, 5)Listening, and 6)Goodbye Song- The Hello song was always the same to get them started and at times I changed it up to have some variety in style, but the other songs were repeated a lot so they became familiar with the songs. If a student couldn’t sing I adapted songs to have them respond how they could like moving scarves, tapping tambourine, or used a speech device I recorded a simple phrase to a call and response song and the child would press it when it was his/her turn to sing. If the student could use speech and sing, I would work on short songs with whatever they could reproduce and remember. The challenge was adapting to each individual need in a group setting, but it was usually done. As for singing to my 2 year old, I like to leave out a word to work on his speech skills since we are in speech therapy, but when I sing Old Macdonald had a farm EIEI and he will say Ohh- I then sing Old Macdonald had a ______ …. and he is obsessed with saying Poopie- so every song has Poopie as his response with a big smile on his face.

AS for playing instruments, that seems to be the most easiest thing to incorporate in a session because most kids want to explore an instrument and will use it in some manner to music that’s recorded or played. Drum circles are great for start and stop and leadership. A student who was in the control/responsibility stage could lead the start and stop of a drum circle and be taught ways to use there hands to make others go faster or slower as well as louder or softer. Other times my students in awareness/trust stage just liked exploring instruments by touching and shaking and mouthing whatever instrument was given. I know there were kids who just covered their ears that couldn’t stand the noise so they needed to take a break and come back when it wasn’t so loud and I would adapt a session to quieter peaceful relaxing sounds with bubbles or something that calmed that person down if I could and sometimes I couldn’t. One song that I liked was the instrument playing song and when the music stopped, the kids would have to pass their instrument to the person on the right. That usually worked on sharing instruments, if they were ready for that kind of activity, and gave everyone a chance to explore the variety of instruments at a time.

Movement was very natural to most of the kids I worked with, but some couldn’t move much or at all because they had limited movement ability. However, I adapted songs to have them reach up high or use scarves or tap a drum up high or just look up high. The school had lots of great equipment for movement like parachutes, group stretchy band, scarves, beanbags, streamers so I took advantage of parachute and stretchy bands and scarves when songs were ascending they lifted arms up and descending they reached lower. At times they just moved fast or slow or however they wanted. Sometimes the kids in the Independent/control stage would clap, stomp, or move a certain body part, and sometimes they would just watch, but most would mirror the same movements I demonstrated- I had a lot of energy back in those days. Currently my kids like to move by running around when I play music on the piano and jump around with their chosen instrument in my basket I have in the room. I don’t think they know how to move slowly even to slow music. They have a lot of hyper energy.

Listening to timbre was fun for students and was incorporated into games like listening bingo-and what sound do you hear? I had spooky bingo where they put a chip on the sound of creaking door, thunder, ghost sound, etc.. or I’d play a sliding whistle and the kids might show me with their hands if the pitch was ascending or descending. Freeze dance is movement and listening at the same time. Drum circles were really good at having the kids listen to each other – worked for elderly as well. For students who were in awareness or trust stage, I sang or played quieter songs and watched for a response to the music, if there was any. I think I need to work on this skill the most with my own kids since they both recently got ear tubes and they are hearing things in a whole new way. We’re going to a live kids concert tomorrow inside and I hope they can attend to it without screaming or bolting out the door.

[Alice Sorensen]

I’m not currently in practice, but I recall using elements of sing/play/move/listen not only during my time in early intervention but in my work with the elderly, especially in the realm of listening. To listen to one’s self is to accept and acknowledge one’s output, to accept yourself in a small way – and we are what we repeatedly do. To listen to others is to extend that love to another!

In my work with adults, instrument playing was a great way to regain a sense of autonomy and a sense of ability to contribute/be part of reciprocal interactions despite possible loss of skills required to do that in a nonmusical way. For example, while a patient with Alzheimers wouldn’t necessarily be able to carry on a reciprocal conversation, very often they were still able to actively engage in music playing to a specific beat as part of a group.

I recall working with a young girl in early intervention as she was investigating the array of instruments available to her; as a young student I recall feeling very anxious that she wasn’t picking any specific instrument and instead sampling each one – it was an important lesson for me to learn about how she processed the world at the independence stage.

[Anonymous]

Thank you all for your reflections. It’s a pleasure to read your responses and hear the work you are doing.

[Beth McLaughlin]

I have been using these 4 music experiences in my practice for many years. Bear in mind that I have spent my career working in a school where the youngest student was 4 years old so my focus has been more on using interventions to create music experiences that promote social, cognitive, language and emotional development within the educational environment. As such, my singing experiences focused on awareness and control of vocal qualities (inflection, articulation, dynamics etc.) pre-linguistic skills such as vocal play, language concepts, sequencing skills, vocabulary, social language etc. Instrument play was structured to reinforce gross and fine motor skills, taking turns, following directions, sequencing, and developing impulse control. I always incorporated a lot of movement starting with seated movement (body percussion, modeling positional changes) and then moved to a locomotor movement experience that focused on building movement repertoire, peer interaction, self confidence and self-initiated behavior. I began and ended every session with quiet listening that helped the students transition in and out of the music therapy classroom. I’m aware of the incredible potential that these music experiences have for supporting children’s learning and am very excited, as a gain a deeper understanding of their relationship to early childhood development, to implement them in a more thoughtful and sequential way as I move forward with my practice.

[Elizabeth Ferguson]

Yes I have and do use these four areas through out individual and group work with typically developing and special needs clients. As music therapists I believe we are all taught the different ways to experience and grow in music. Sing, Play, Move, and Listen. I always think of create, movement, listening and these three encompass the four different areas covered! Structuring sessions to incorporate these different experiences as appropriate is part of the wonderful job we have to do.

[Marchele Gilman]

I don’t currently work with the 0-5 population, so my use of moving, playing, singing, and listening within the realm of music therapy intervention is different than what I would use with children 0-5. As I work with children with ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder, I find that many are sensory seeking. I have found that when I begin with a musical obstacle course at the beginning of a session, they are more focused for other more sedentary activities later in the session. I also use songs that have movement built into them. I use instruments during the hello and goodbye songs, as well as improvisation. We listen to music sometimes before the sessions begins and at the end if they request it. I have not used singing a lot because the population I work with (6-12) does not respond or is not comfortable with singing. I will sometimes begin a familiar song and stop and have them supply the words. This is as successful as I have been with singing with this population.

[Gwendolyn Van Baalen]

I find that all four of these music experiences are present in the vast majority of sessions. Because most of my work takes the form of individual sessions, I often try to follow the lead of the child, keeping their clinical goals in mind, and shaping music-based interventions as we play and explore. Listening, singing, and moving almost always emerge organically in every session. I find that instrument playing often emerges in some form out of movement even if there aren’t any designated musical instruments accessible (e.g. banging or shaking toys, stomping feet, etc.). When I do offer instruments, I’ve found their use very helpful to address specific goals (e.g. sharing, crossing midline, targeting a certain movement pattern, impulse control, etc.). I will very interested to see how these experience unfold in the context of a group!
I enjoyed listening to and reading the uses of these experiences this week, particularly in regard to incorporating them into a semi-structured group setting!

[Cassandra Reyna]

Because I work mostly with young adults and adults, instrument playing immediately comes to mind as an oft-utilized intervention. This course has reminded me that, even with adults, I need to allow them time to explore the instruments! I find that their exploration of the instruments comes much differently than those of a small child, as they are obviously not mouthing the instruments (although in behavioral health, anything is possible!). They prefer to watch me provide a brief (very brief, about ten seconds) explanation of the instrument and demonstration of the various means by which it can be played. They observe the timbre and whether it matches how they feel the instrument “should” sound. They are interested in specific technique and how to do it “correctly.” The exploration is not as free because, at this developmental level, our culture has taught non-musicians that only trained musicians know how to play an instrument “the right way.” Developing the self-esteem and confidence to express themselves musically is a huge aspect of instrument playing. The above paragraph also applies to singing.

I also find that these age groups love to listen. I am always asked, “Can we just LISTEN to music today??” Again, this is how they’ve been trained, as non-musicians, to interact with music. I am the provider, they are the listener.

I do not often use movement due to issues of space, but I find again that confidence and self-esteem are huge factors in participation. As with being a “musician,” one must be a “dancer” in order to move to music “correctly.” Most individuals sit on the sidelines and watch.

[Flora Whitmore]

I use all four types of these musical experiences in my sessions on a regular basis. During my undergrad and internships emphasis was always given on allowing the interplay of these different types of experiences allow for multimodal approaches for participation and engagement during every session. When building a session on a schedule board I usually try to use a variety of activities that touch on each of these elements, modulating the energy and position of the task in the schedule, based on our goals and what I know of the client, and how they present when they enter the session space.

[Alison Albino]

I also use all of these music experiences in every session. I generally structure my sessions like so: Greeting/Gathering song -> Warm Up -> Movement Song -> Instrument song -> Cool Down -> Goodbye. I’ve seen children respond to these experiences in all of the developmental stages. I’ve noticed that with repetition, children will sing along to most songs throughout the sessions. I find that leaving space to fill in lyrics is especially helpful for encouraging children to begin singing along. Moving is also a ton of fun with children! One song I love to use with children in the responsibility stage is “My Head, My Hands, My Knees, My Feet.” The children will follow these movements when the speed up and slow down. Another movement song I enjoy using is “Show Me How You Can Move,” and any movement that the child is making, no matter how small is mirrored to validate that child. I also give each child the opportunity to play instruments, with the very young ones, I like to provide drums with large surfaces that can be explored. As soon as they are able, i like to give children a choice of instrument to play. Some of my favorite instrument songs to use are “Sit With Me and Shake” and “Playing in a Band.” Finally, listening is something that happens throughout the session. Sometimes children need to take a moment to listen and take in the music. Sometimes I’ll use the warm up or the cool down to just sit and listen and/or sing along to the music.

[Elizabeth Schwartz]

Thanks to all for your thorough comments. Just as a reminder, make sure you keep a copy of your responses. That way you can refer back to your thoughts and plans in the future. Keep up the great work!

[Jessica Triana]

All four areas are addressed in some capacity in the majority of my sessions that involve active participation. The exceptions are during those sessions that are focused on passive engagement (comfort care) or when working with individuals who are mute, deaf, or paralyzed, although they may still be able to participate at the awareness level. In my day care groups, the sessions are structured in a way that there is always an instrument song, a listening/following directions song and a movement song. It is common for two areas (or even three!) to overlap when a song or intervention addresses multiple simultaneously. I appreciate the organization of each area as it was presented in this module and think it will be useful in assessment and evaluation of patients functioning during sessions. I also think this information is helpful when communicating with other professionals and caregivers about developmentally appropriate expectations for musical responses.

[Ayelet Weiss]

I haven’t really worked with the 0-5 population but have definitely used the four music experiences of Singing, Playing, Moving, and Listening with other populations:

In my work with the geriatric population, I used a lot of singing, playing along with, and listening to familiar songs. Given the range of cognitive and physical abilities in this population I always tried to focus on even the smallest responses such as pitched vocalizations, or just psychically attending to one song vs. another. I had a hospice client with late stage Alzheimers, who would slightly move her fingers (wherever they were positioned- lap, wheelchair handles, bed) to music as if she was playing the piano like when she was younger.

I think this practice of observing small details is definitely necessary in early childhood development.

I also worked with a group of developmentally delayed adolescents that LOVED Stop and Start activities in addition to listening to and singing/playing our own versions of popular songs.

[Virginia Caldwell]

Yes! I use these four musical experiences in all of my populations, from hospice and long term care, to psych and traumatic brain injury.

For hospice patients this opportunity to create was so important. To have a sense of control at a time of life where you are loosing control of everything is essential. I always tried to bring an instrument that they were not familiar with to play and explore, movement was free and up to the individual. Some people with limited range of motion were the people that the music prompted to move the most. It was amazing! The ability to be present and aware of listening responses at the very end of life was very valuable for the caregivers to know that though their loved one was near death they were still present and could hear and the patient to be able to feel connected when communication was so limited, much like a baby. For me I saw the digression of everything you are talking about from a developmental stand point depending on the diagnosis and disease progression. The last stage for me was awareness and I would provide hand over hand assistance when appropriate for that patient to feel and be present based on nonverbal cues that they were present and wanting to be involved. Otherwise their breathing entraining to the music or a big sigh after their favorite song was finished or a slight tap of the finger in tempo really was all they had the energy to give but they were present and aware and the music provided them with vital sensory stimulation and connection to the environment or their loved one that was present for the session.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for sharing Virginia!

[Author]

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