Share how you can explain to parents the difference between music for development and music for skill building.

[Meredith Pizzi]

[Petra Paukova]

Honestly, I think it is mutual. When I work with client on a goal of crossing the midline playing drums or metalophone, I am working on skills, but I am also helping developmentally, right?

[Erin Spring]

I think of music for development as music whose aim is to enhance the way the children’s mind and body responds to stimuli in the world around them. Music for skill building is music whose aim is to assist the child in learning to perform a specific skill or skill set. I agree with Petra that they go hand in hand. I think music for development has less obvious benefits than music for skill development. Parents may likely need assistance to see the music for development benefits, versus they may quickly see the development of a new skill. Just my thoughts.

[Toni]

When I worked in the school setting, goals and objectives targeted specific skills. I was working with the student to build a skill based on his/her current developmental level of functioning. I think, with the SM approach, I will be working toward overall development from awareness to independence.

[Kehlen Bushatz]

I agree with Petra about it going hand-in-hand. With development I feel likes it’s more broad and the skill is more specific. An example could be that we are using music to develop language skills and the skill that is being targeted is making certain sounds during a song or filling in words to a song. The skill is one part of what we are trying to develop.

[Stacy Reno]

Music for development is looking at the child globally and music for skill building is narrowing down the scope. I agree with the above statements that they compliment each other. Perhaps the group is using drums to increase awareness of others (music for development) and the skill is learning a specific technique (wiggle fingers, use whole hand)on the drum so that have better control over the drum and therefore can communicate at a higher level.

[Coleen Shanagher]

This is an interesting question that I seemed to just skip right past! Sorry about that! I think that this is something we encounter in every music therapy session. We have music for skill building where are working on a skill such as language development. So we have a specific song which provides opportunities for that one goal to be targeted, adapted and repeated. But in the context of the session we may do songs that support multiple goals at once, or just encourage participation and acceptance as a child develops on a holistic level.

[Andrea U]

Hm…this question definitely made me think! Stacy and others makes a great point of development being a broader topic whereas skill is more specific. Perhaps, we should say to parents in terms of long term vs. short term?

[Lauren Stoner]

I view Sprouting Melodies as a way to help parents recognize and celebrate the natural development that can be seen through music experiences provided in the program. The program assists in highlighting and enhancing the skills developed in each natural stage within the session. This learning is also continued outside of the session, when parents or children use the songs/ interactions. I appreciated others thoughts on the topic. I think people, including music therapists, have a tendency to use these words interchangeably, which could be part of the reason it is difficult to differentiate.

[Sarah Tree]

I agree with all earlier posts, although that was not where my brain went when I first read the question. I always thought of music for skill-building vs. music for development as being along the same track of the music education vs. music therapy debate. I view skill-building as having the outward goal being musical in nature, whereas music for development is non-musical in nature. I think it is important to educate parents about the difference, as SM will often be the first experience that parents have with music therapy and music therapists. If we don’t inform our consumers about the differences between music therapy and music education, they may not truly understand what informs our decision-making process in the design of our sessions, and the underlying goals we are trying to accomplish. It can help them to understand that our goal in a start/stop play with the maraca is not that the child will start and stop on cue (skill-based goal), but that the child will move around, socialize, and enjoy the music (developmental goal).

[Shannon Kiley]

I don’t think there is much of a difference, but as others have said, the difference in description can point to the specificity of the goal. Music for skill building reads to me as music for developing a very specific ability, whereas music for development seems like targeting a wider area like communication/motor coordination/visual tracking which is appropriate for the developmental level.

[Kathryn Opher]

I, too, believe this to be fluid. Development is skill aquisition. I think the difference in our groups are that we emphasize play, joy and the other facets of development not the learning of musical theory and notes.

[Jennifer Sokira]

Music for development impacts what a child is doing throughout their whole life (this then positively impacts their skill development as well!) It is more holistic than “I am doing this _____ to build ______skill”.

[Keeley St Clair]

I heartily agree will the above statements, in that development akin to the overarching goal while skills can be likened to objectives. However, like Sarah, I wonder if the question isn’t meant to be focused on the music education vs music therapy scope. In these terms, it’s important to speak to the parents about what we’re doing and why – this way they can understand that although musical outcomes may be part of what we’re focusing on, the true goal is to support healthy development.

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