Share Some Strategies

[Julie Palmieri]

Share some strategies you have used to assure every child in your groups is successful.

[Kimberly Werner]

One key piece of making sure that every child in my group is able to be successful is to offer a wide range of instruments including options that can be adaptable for different physical requirements. I also introduce concepts at the level of meeting the highest level of support need, and “teaching down” into modifications for meeting the lowest level of support need. I find that introducing concepts with the highest level of support options available first helps to normalize the needing of additional support, and doesn’t put caregivers in a potentially uncomfortable position of having to admit that their child may not be successful and may need additional modifications.

[Christine Wick]

I really like your idea of introducing highest level of supports 1st to normalize the needing of additional supports. It’s immediately inviting and inclusive, holding space for all.

[Katelyn Caruso]

One strategy of making sure each child is successful is to get to know each child and their caregiver. I find that having a relationship of trust will make the whole group more successful, and give the opportunity for each family to feel safe and comfortable to be exactly who they are, interact together, and ask questions. I also love the strategy that is mentioned in the videos about narrating what a child is doing within the music. It seems that there are many times when a person “appears” to not be interacting with the music and that they “should” be doing something different, but we as music therapists can see the subtle and developmentally appropriate ways that they are interacting with the music. I think that letting the caregivers know what specifically their child is doing helps to alleviate confusion and the pressure that everyone is supposed to react and interact in the same way.

[Maggie Johnson]

These are such compassionate strategies for making everyone feel accepted and welcome. Thank you for sharing!

[Christine Wick]

It’s helpful to have many access points to engagement! Whether it’s through including movement, several different instrument options, or having a silly sounds section within a song that children can participate in vs singing lyrics. Modeling differences of engagement and narrating throughout each experience is helpful for parents too to readily follow along and provide the unique supports that work best for their child. I may have a specific structure I’m following, but also keeping flexibility. This happens through positive and inviting language and modeling.

[Maggie Johnson]

Silly sounds and “vocables” as I call them are one of my absolute favorite tools of the trade for singing engagement! Thanks for sharing!

[Maggie Johnson]

Making a habit of regular check ins with the adults/caregivers, practicing communicating unconditional positive regard, and asking lots of questions with the intention to also reciprocate helpful information that I may have noticed, all of these feel important. Practicing mindful check-ins/listening while facilitating and moments of improvisation and musical empathy with the group as a whole and individuals within the group. Responding to the nuances in a child’s musical response in a way that highlights it for the group (musically, nonverbally, and verbally). Paying close attention to the room set up, sensory inputs, and instruments.

[Melissa Neitzel]

I like to talk with caregivers at the start of the group to see how the week went, the morning… I observe how everyone is arriving to the session. What is the affect and body language telling me? I also like to watch for kids standing in the outer areas – determining their needs and if new sensory experiences are needed. I use the observations to navigate what I will do next. I offer different instruments and props to interact with, giving choice whenever possible.

[Leslie Aldrich]

I haven’t started leading these groups yet, but one thing I’m going to start with to assure success for the people who participate is doing a lot of community footwork and finding out what parents/caregivers want out of their programing. I think setting up a booth at community events and just chatting with parents would be a great way to feel out session length, pricing, ages of the children where programing is needed would be really helpful before launching.

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