Music and Early Development

[Anonymous]

As a music therapist, you know how music making contributes to overall early development. This connection between music and development is a unique feature of this training. We also know that there are many community programs in which young children are taught music skills.

How do you explain to parents the difference between what you do and what another music learning based program does?

[Grace Baer]

I think the biggest difference comes down to our training as music therapists. In our various levels of higher education, we’ve received and implemented the clinical training to recognize developmental milestones in children and the musical training to adapt songs in the moment as we see participants’ responses. Instead of just teaching children how to play an instrument like a general community program, we are targeting specific developmental skills through the use of instruments, singing and moving.

[Brenna Sheaffer]

I agree. I think the language that we use when advocating for music therapy and explaining how we are using the music to do all of these things is what makes the difference.

[Celia Grove]

Ditto what Grace said- we’ve got the psychological and neurological understanding through our training to help observe certain developmental milestones that other more education-based classes might miss. We’re also taught to be incredibly flexible, and that is important when working with groups at that early childhood level, when everyone can be at a very different level and need different things from group facilitation.

[Samantha M Lawrence]

I think Grace and Celia make great points. I think an important word to use when talking to parents is goals. We have individualized non-musical goals for our clients. The music is a tool we can use to help our clients develop and strengthen skills they need in all of the domains.

[Leeann Mcmorrow]

That’s a great point about goals! Maybe we could also take some time to ask the parents in our groups what kind of goals they have for their children and incorporate that into the content of the sessions.

[Hally Batterman]

I completely agree with what everyone said above and definitely resonate with the idea of “goals,” as pointed out by Samantha. We are trained through a rigorous educational program in how to recognize developmental milestones, but also how to address areas of need in terms of development. This allows us to create appropriate non-musical goals while using music as our means for change and growth. Our musicianship skills may look similar to other disciplines running early childhood music groups, however, we have backgrounds in psychology, as well as child development to create the most safe and nurturing environment for optimal growth.

[Brenna Sheaffer]

I think it goes back to what we’ve heard throughout the course, we are leading by the child and the music and not by the book. We can explain to families that this is child led through our extensive training and expertise of music and developmental. Because of that training and background, we are able to observe and respond in the moment, both musically and non-musically, to meet the needs and goals of the child/children.

[Caitlyn Pawelek]

I agree with what everyone has said so far! Going into what was said regarding our training and clinical backgrounds, I think that music therapists can talk to parents about their children’s development with clinical rationale, while still knowing how to say it in a way that allows the parents to fully take in. We also have experience in observing children and being able to adapt what we are doing on the spot to give them what they need. I feel that through our education and this program we are taught the importance of building rapport and provide individualized services more than other music providers will.

[Leeann Mcmorrow]

I explain to families that music therapists provide a very holistic approach. We have the knowledge of early childhood development and the skills as therapists to adapt our experiences within the context of an entire family, including meeting where the child is at themselves.

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