Post to the board a personal reflection of what you personally will bring to early childhood music therapy based programs and how this information will support your work as a music therapist.

[Meredith Pizzi]

[Laura Myers]

This is a difficult task for me. I often find it difficult to reflect on my skills as a clinician. As a provider of MT services to older adults, I feel I bring energy and humor to my sessions. I don’t mind doing silly things if it will get a patient to engage in the program I am offering. So, I guess I would bring these two elements into my work in early childhood music therapy. It will be interesting to see how I would need to alter my energy and humor to work with children. I feel the information offered will support my work as a music therapist by giving me the knowledge of how to interact musically with children.~ Laura

[Ericha Rupp]

My high energy levels and passion for animation. I live to have fun and I have fun so I can live. 🙂 My peers always mention how entertained they are by my animated movements and facial expressions that correlate with simple everyday conversations. When I put both of these strengths appropriately within the music therapy session for my little kiddos I feel they’re more engaged and retain a lot more information. How this supports my work as a music therapist…..I believe it helps create a unique learning environment for all participants involved in my music therapists. Both as a participant and as an observer.

[Lysa Wright]

I naturally have an upbeat, energetic personality and this definitely plays out while working with young children. I’m not afraid to get on the floor, at their level, and do silly things. I really enjoy engaging in our activities and try to understand how what I’m doing and the presentation of my music or activities are perceived by the kids. It’s pretty awesome to think that my job is actually a job!

[Ian Crawford]

I, too, find it difficult to assess my skill as a music therapist. I’ve only been working in early childhood for a couple of months and I’m still asking my colleagues SO many questions every day. But one thing I really try to bring into each session is the memory of what it feels like to be a child. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the details of the music or the intervention and all the other complicated adult stuff. I’m finally realizing that the most meaningful experiences happen when I’m able to let go and truly share in the sense of wonder and awe that these kids have for the world. I’m excited to learn more about developmental levels so I can go into sessions with a greater sense of purpose and with more confidence, thus allowing me to relax and have that child-like quality more frequently!

[Kana Kamitsubo]

I am a musical being and I am really good at enjoying music in any situation in any moment.I am an improvisor, not afraid of making music on the spot. Children in my music programs naturally learn to be in the music and enjoy creating music together. They learn that there is no right or wrong in music and the key is to discover sounds that excite them. This quality as a musician and therapist enables the children feel they are accepted.

[Shonda Malik]

The information from this week was a wonderful review for me about developmental age levels which I will use to best design music therapy interventions for the clients I serve who have developmental ages which are lower than their chronological ages. For example if my client has a developmental age of 3 I should select a counting song that goes as high as number four and not expect that they count to eight.

My experience in working with children with developmental disabilities will enable me to recognize in typical early childhood groups potential developmental concerns. The same experience will help me address those concerns with music therapy interventions to support development.

[Adrienne Salmon]

I have been working with children since I was a child (at 10 I took it upon myself to be a mother’s helper in my neighborhood.. started babysitting at age 13, etc) and I think that the skills that I have retained from the 15+ years I have spent with children really help me as a music therapist. Since I was developing while working with children, I have developed a natural ability to be a child in the moment when appropriate. I can be very animated, silly, and really have no problem (and even prefer) to lead sessions sitting on the carpet with the whole group. I think that these qualities that I have grown with will support my work as a music therapist.

[Kristina Rio]

Laura and Ian, kuddos to you for really reflecting and looking inward even though it is hard for you. You both identified truly unique and important skills that you offer in your work. It’s always great to ask questions, and the more questions you ask the more intelligent you seem!

[BJ Waelz]

I have been working with children in some teaching capacity since High School. I feel that my experiences have helped me to become more aware of development and educational needs of children. As a music therapist I feel that I am poised to provide outstanding music driven developmental experiences for young children. I am hoping this training experience will prove to increase skills and give me a network within the music therapy world to build my practice up in the area of young children.

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