Review What You Heard

[Anonymous]

Reviewing what you heard today, describe a moment in your practice when you saw a child in one of the developmental levels.  Post your story on the forum.

[Anne Reed]

Wow, so many moments come to mind. Here’s an awareness stage example. When in the children’s hospital on the infant unit I remember singing to a baby who, due to his medical condition (breathing supported by a ventilator),slept most of the time. One day I went in to visit him and began singing some simple, quiet songs. He opened his eyes and looked at me. I observed no distress in vital signs. I continued to sing until he drifted off to sleep again. I found out two days later that the child passed away. I was so grateful for that experience and, hopefully, I brought him comfort and joy although for just a moment.

[Amy Brownell]

Thank you for sharing your story. I am sure your music was a calming source for the baby, even if for a short time.

[Amy Brownell]

This past week, I had a session with a group of babies who demonstrated the awareness developmental level. When I sang and played the guitar, many of them turned their eye gaze or their heads towards the sound of the music and watched with wide eyes. After a few minutes, some began to sway as they smiled. During this session, I also held them in my lap, one at a time, and swayed back and forth while singing a lullaby-style song. Not only did they tolerate this movement, but many of them crawled back to me or reached out towards me with their arms after their turns to indicate that they wanted more.

[Aliza Llovet]

One funny story that came to mind was this past week I had trouble singing due to asthma from the cold in NE. I was working with a client I have been seeing for a long time who is in the independence stage. She had the most quintessential confused face when I started with my confused song since I could not sing with the same range. She was able to perceive that change in the melody that she had grown accustomed to. The caregiver and I just had to laugh in that moment.

[Amy Brownell]

It’s great that you were able to see her respond to the change!

[Emily Fabian]

Something that comes to mind is an activity I have begun with my second graders. They are currently starting the responsibility stage of their musical development. Splitting them into 3 or 4 different instrument groups, they followed along to a rendition of the can can, in which they were assigned a colored symbol with their instrument that they had to follow along with playing to the animated video on the steady beat or rhythm provided. The rhythms started more simple and spread out, and increasingly became more difficult as the music progressed. I then gave them the opportunity to swap instruments and see if they could follow the different path. This not only was incredibly fun and engaging for them, but allowed them to work together on many of the characteristics of this developmental stage.

[Amy Brownell]

I love this intervention!

[Erika Svolos]

I truly enjoyed reading each of your experiences. Thank you all for your insights!

[Jessica Gelineau]

I have a client who I currently work with in the control stage of music. Within sessions, one of her goals has been to increase impulse control while taking turns. Using a piggyback song including the melody to Wheels on the Bus, we would sing about her turn vs. mom’s turn. We have gotten to a point within sessions where she will sit on Mom’s lap, play the guitar for a verse, and then wait quietly while mom has her turn!

[Amy Brownell]

Love to hear about your client’s progress!

[Maggie Murphy]

I just finished getting through the week 3 content. Wrong week to get behind… that was a lot of content! I will continue to work toward getting caught up with the rest of the cohort this week.

So I’m not currently working with young children (the youngest student I currently teach is 6 y/o) and it’s been while since I have worked with 3-5 years olds, but I can describe a memory and have a video of one of my nephews in/demonstrating musical characteristics of the developmental level trust.

I have a now 2 year old nephew who loves music and, around the age of 18 or so months became a big fan of “Ha Ha Hoo” (his way of saying the “gack-gack-goon” portion of Little Green Frog). While I was passing through the house with my trumpet in hand last summer, I decided to play the melody on my trumpet (to see if he could recognize the song without the words). He immediately began to “bop” rhythmically to the music. I think his movement and need for repetition (request to hear that song over and over) are both characteristic of the developmental level trust.

[Amy Brownell]

It’s great that you can use this information with your nephew, what a great way to bond with family!

[Hannah Floyd]

An example of responsibility that I have noticed in schools is specifically matching of dynamics. This is my first year in schools, and many of the children are developmentally delayed in certain areas. At the beginning of year I many focused on maintaining the beat, but now that time has passed we can engage in more play. We do different dynamics, and they do well following me. Most of the time it actually causes joy and laughter.

[Amy Brownell]

I love watching children play different dynamics and change back and forth – they find it hilarious! Sometimes a great way to get them to focus is to have them whisper, they love it!

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