Songs

[Meredith Pizzi]

Sing and learn some of the songs presented in the video. Share with the board your experiences using these songs.

[Alyssa Kereki]

What stuck out to me the most when singing these songs was their musicality. Beth’s demonstrations helped me see how even the slightest changes in tempo, timbre or dynamics could create a welcoming, interactive musical environment. I especially noticed this in “Hold on Tight!,” with the beginning moving gently but not forcefully and the double time section bouncing with the rhythm and voice inflection. I think these songs are very versatile because they can easily be tweaked to match the clients’ moods and needs. For example, “Wiggly Jiggly Car” can be extremely playfully or relaxed depending on the children’s needs.

I also liked how the songs stood out on their own without accompaniment. This is important for me personally when working with kids with physical disabilities, because there are times when they need my full assistance and I cannot play an accompaniment while assisting them.

[Amy DiLabio]

I agree with you Alyssa, I love that the songs don’t need accompaniant. I prefer to not have anything between me and my client when possible. I haven’t had the chance to use the songs yet with my students, but I plan on using the the Songs About Me with a student who has crippling anxiety. I feel that if I focus on how we are unique, but similar I may be able to make a deeper connection with her. She appears to move through the continium of trust…independence…and control stages of musical development. Another song that comes to mind is Will You Come. I like that this song is inviting and sharing music but leaves the decision up to the child. This I think gives my student a choice and gives her control whether or not to participate. There are many times in school that she is required to participate. This is an opportunity to choose for herself…no judgement just encouragement to participate. I am trying to provide her with as many positive experiences as possible to help her relax away from mom and home.

[Elizabeth Schwartz]

The voice is key in early childhood work…and I am so glad that you both enjoy working that way. It is also a musical skill that all grownups working with children can do and so the songs can become part of the school or family environment.

[Tamara Strom]

I have not yet had an opportunity to practice these songs with clients, (my current clients are slightly older, and my youngest I will not see until tomorrow), but I can imagine the uses. In the bonding songs for example, I can picture my nine month old godson squealing with delight during the transition from soothing bonding song to upbeat playful song, and can see how they can be easily adapted to vary the actions, tempo, and dynamics. My youngest current client is 5 and a half, and very much revels in movement songs in which he can select the action and decide to perform it fast or slow, loud or quietly, etc.

I also like the concept of the unaccompanied song, as it allows for a more hands on approach, and creates less of a distance between the therapist as the leader and the families. It also makes the music accessible to the parents/caregivers, so that they feel comfortable integrating the songs into their home settings.

[Cindy Humphreys]

As I walked into the gym in our special education preschool building the other day, I noticed that one of our four year olds with severe autism was on the verge of a meltdown in the big noisy space. As I approached I started to sing Good Morning To You and he immediately looked at me, took my hands and started rocking as I sang to him. It was truly a wonderful moment where he was able to make a connection in a space that is so difficult for him. The meltdown was averted, and he was able move on.

I am anxious to try the songs in the various modes, as the musicality seems very rich and warm. I write many of my own transition songs, but in the future I will be more intentional in writing music to support the meaning.

[Laura Montesano]

Tomorrow I will have the opportunity to incorporate some of these songs into my day. I have a feeling that the little guy I mentioned in the other post (about developmental stages) is going to love the car song!

In the meantime I am getting comfortable with playing them and ‘making them my own’. There is no doubt I will be using these. I have always loved how Beth takes a song that we all know, such as “When Johnny come marching home” and makes it so new and meaningful and vibrant, and it’s also something that families remember and also enjoy singing.

[Lisa Spall]

I learned many of these songs from Meredith and Beth over the course of Sprouting Melodies training and let me tell you, they stick! You can use them in so many different ways and small changes can really make them appropriate for a range of ages and developmental needs. I absolutely love the bonding/lap songs. The kids and parents alike get so much enjoyment out of it and you really get to see a lot of developmental aspects when utilizing them. Those songs are when the parents really let loose a little more in group and have FUN with their toddler. They bump them on their knees and you hear these roaring giggles that fill the room. Depending on how far into independence they are, they’ll even come over and sit on your lap too. You might find yourself with kids all the way down to your toes! Great social behavior and as they start to become familiar with the songs, you’ll start to see anticipation of their favorite parts. I love to hold out the silence for those parts, ups the “awesome reaction” ante. It’s like a smorgasbord of developmental experiences. I also use the wiggly jiggly car song with some of my elementary age, developmentally disabled kids (while they’re in their chairs, mimicking the movements, if they can) for teaching safety skills. Add in some more simple lyrics and visual aids and you’ve got yourself a fun safety song!

Anyways, in conclusion, I use the songs I’ve learned through Sprouting Melodies daily and love the many ways they can be adapted for the population you’re using them with. Cindy, I too have found that a soothing musical intervention (especially with a familiar, trusted face) can avert many a meltdown. It’s so nice to have a touching experience like that. Makes your day doesn’t it?

[Elizabeth Schwartz]

Thank you for using the music and letting me know how the songs work for you and your clients. It is so gratifying to me to know that the music is being spread to the children. In case you didn’t know, most of the songs on the videos are in “You and Me Makes… We: A Growing Together Songbook”. The book has 101 songs with full notation, two CDs and suggestions on how to adapt or use the music. I hope you have been to http://www.RaisingHarmony.com to get five of the songs as a free download.

[Robin Jacobs]

I am not working with any clients at the moment. I embrace your philosophy of consciously being aware of why you are using the music. Always providing a “functional music” experience that children and families can make their own outside of music time with us. Beth, you make the notes on the page come alive! I’m soaking in how you connect what your doing musically to the different stages of development covered this past week and hope one day to be able to process those ideas in real-time when working with the children.

[Angie Carter]

I had so much fun today! I’d already been using a couple of the songs, but I added 4 more today. I voice recorded these new songs for my families, stressing and “practicing” singing them with their child. As this was change in direction from my typical sessions, I jumped right in discussing with the moms when to use the songs and why. When I introduced the “Good Morning” song I asked them to think about when they could use it during their day with their children. One mom right away smiled and shared that she wants to use it when she pretends with her son to be asleep and they play “wake up”. This is how she is going to greet him this week as they play. I am excited to hear how it goes when I return next week. I am looking forward to continue adding new songs throughout the week. I have to admit I did not add any of the minor or other modes. That will be my challenge!

[Wei Ming Loi]

I used ‘a car on my knee’ with my group of 5 years old last week and they love it. We replaced the car with the egg shakers they are using and rolled them to another partner across the circle, so they need to look for one before the next cycle starts again and they were all rushing to grab a shaker waiting for it to start. I’ve also used one of the mixolydian chorus that I’ve seen in the “you and me makes…we” book and inserted in with an introduction song that I’ve wrote alternating between individual child singing and chorus where everyone clap and sing together. I was surprised how fast they picked up the mixolydian melody and are screaming at the top of their voices!

[Leigh Giglio]

I used several of the songs with my 2, 3, and 4 year old classes this week. Our preschool is getting ready for our annual Presdient’s Day Parade, so this week I wanted to work on marching with them. I first used “Will You Come?”, followed by “Sit Down with Me” (changing the lyrics to March and Sing along with me, tra la la la….) The children were all able to march in their spots and then would follow me around the room. I would change the movements from marching to hopping, walking, tip toeing. They really like the stopping section and would count along with me. I used the “Sit Down” song as a transition to sit back down in their seats to learn the tra la la la part of the song. After I felt that they were confident in their singing portion, we got up to march and sing around the room again. In the 2 year old classrooms I used the “Just Like Me” song. I would reach out to interact with the children individually to touch their hands, nose, etc. during the song. It was truly a bonding moment with all my kids. A lot of them would find my hands or a friends hands to touch. I also used pauses and silence in this song for the chidlren to “fill-in-the blank.” which they did happily. Also, at the end a lot of my kids got up to give me hugs! I also incorporated “A Car on my Knee” for my 2, 3 and 4 year old classes. The children all really loved this song and were able to sit patiently and wait their turn. Only one class started to fight over my airplane, but when told that everyone would have a turn and that it made me sad that they couldn’t share, they were able to sit and wait better. Every child seemed to smile when it was their turn and loved that they could pass it to a friend that hadn’t gone yet. My 4 year old classes are a lot smaller, so for a second time around, I gave everyone different body parts to put the airplane on (ie. wrist, neck, ankel, back, etc.). I can’t wait to try out more of the songs with them and to use some of these again!

[Elizabeth Schwartz]

I love to hear how the songs are being used or being thought about! Speaking of love, there is a new blog posted on the Raising Harmony website on the connection between love and music in early development called ‘Love Songs 101″. For those of you who have the songbook- check out “Music is the Way” just in time for Valentine’s Day. Enjoy!

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