What value do music therapists bring to families of young children?

[Meredith Pizzi]

What value do music therapists bring to families of young children? Post your thoughts and comments to the board. Reply to the contributions of the group.

[Elyse Suhay]

Music therapists bring, mainly, their expertise and training to the community. We also bring a lot of passion. The path to becoming a music therapist is very difficult, and you have to really believe in the benefits of music therapy and really enjoy doing it in order to make it to the end. Having the musical flexibility to tailor music experiences to fit the needs of the group is something that parents will appreciate, and they will share their experience with friends.

[Jennifer DeBedout]

Board-certified music therapists bring their knowledge, experience and training to the early childhood environment. Music therapists have a knowledge base that extends beyond our musical training that help us understand the little ones and their behaviors. Our training also helps us communicate with the “grown ups” to enhance the overall experience in our musical groups and beyond. We bring the ability to adapt and change while we’re in the musical environment in order to make the most of the musical experience. Music therapists are also trained to engage a variety of ability levels and manage behaviors to maximize participation. Music therapists can use their expertise to articulate ways that music can benefit non-music goals like motor coordination, speech development, pre-literacy, social skill development and academic learning. Lastly, music therapists make music interactions fun and engaging for the children and the families! Often, the children and their families are having so much fun they don’t realize all of the many amazing things that are happening at the same time!

[Caroline Gillott]

I agree with the previous posts but Jennifer has hit the nail on the head. I’ve seen and worked with other processionals providing a similar service who have just as much passion, who have just as much energy, just as much positivity and all those nice character words. But What sets us (MTs) apart from other professionals providing a similar service is that we have the training to engage a variety of ability levels, to manage behaviors, to recognize and embrace the non musical goals, to build upon strengths, to know what is typical, what is not. As music therapists who are held to standards of practice and ethics, etc, parents are guaranteed to receive top-notch resources, feedback, information, etc. We are part of a growing community that is still developing before our very eyes. This in and of it’s self is extremely valuable because we are active participants in the history of our field.

[Nancy Bair]

Hi everyone! I am finally caught up to everyone!
I completely agree with Caroline and Jennifer. A music therapist can bring adaptability, flexibility, and a level of awareness that only those with an MT’s training could/would recognize.

I have a perfect example. As I mentioned in my first, introductory post, I have taught another early childhood music program (Kindermusik) in the past. Although I think it is a great program, I feel like it was missing key components that only a music therapist can bring. For example, the programs are set, the outlines are done, the songs are the same, the order is the same and you need to stick with their plan. Sure they provide you with everything (down to the laminated visuals), but there is no room for any type of change. I was reprimanded for adding a guitar to accompany a song that was supposed to be sung with no accompaniment. The kids didn’t respond to the song (it was really boring–IMO). When I explained that the response from the kids increased dramatically when I used the guitar (it was a simple song, maybe 2 chords), I was told that I was “off program.”

They also have these particular statements called foundations of learning where they say things like, “The reason we are doing this___ is because research shows that when we do ___, it does ___ (i.e. increases brain development, etc.)” Yet, not once when I was teaching or taking the certification did it cite a study or “research.” I actually had a parent ask me about a foundation of learning statement and I was able to describe in detail what it meant, she was grateful. If I didn’t have my MT training and background, I would not have been able to address her concern. That is why I feel a program such as this, taught by trained MTs bring such value to young children.

[Katie Maurer]

I think it really is all about our knowledge and training. And for most of us, through continuing education opportunities, the training never stops! I like how Caroline puts it “we have the training to engage a variety of ability levels, to manage behaviors, to recognize and embrace the non musical goals, to build upon strengths, to know what is typical, what is not.” That touches on so many of the benefits of us as music therapists. We have experience and training to tailor the programming we offer to the individuals we are working with – beyond what we’ve even learned in this course. Nancy mentions our level of awareness, we know how to observe, what to observe and that’s invaluable when working in early childhood.

I think it also gives us some credibility. Even though our credential isn’t widely known, we can at least point to the CBMT and AMTA as a way for others to see some of our training and education. It shows that our training isn’t just in “the program,” but covers such a wide range of areas. They can see the standards that music therapists strive to hold and the code of ethics we are bound by.

[Dany Orozco]

I agree with Jennifer and Nancy. I think our training allows us to adapt everything to what our patients need at that time. In early intervention it’s especially important and I think the parents can tell the difference when they see a musician giving a music class and then a music therapist.

And Nancy, I think what you said is very important too, being able to explain what we are doing and why we are doing it gives the parents a little more comfort to know their kids are in good hands and we know what we’re doing. I think it shows that we’re not just musicians, we’re musicians who know how to apply the music we’re using to reach the developmental goals we’re looking for.

[Katie Maurer]

Dany, that’s a good point. Not only does our education and training allow us to know what we’re doing, but we also know (and develop through practice) how to communicate that.

[Kate St. John]

I agree with everyone about the training of MT’s enabling us to be more knowledgeable about development, the needs of the child, adapting to what they need at their level and for the behaviors and other needs in the moment, being able to professionally and effectively work with parents to explain and recommend things, not to mention the fact that we are trained musicians so we are able to make really good high quality music that is appropriate for the kids’ needs!
I really appreciate hearing from Nancy about Kindermusik because for years I wanted to go through their training but timing and finances never worked out. I knew that they said they are research-based but didn’t know that they didn’t or maybe couldn’t point to any actual research. Not sure if other music programs are like that or not (Music Together)? I was surprised to hear Nancy’s experience with Kindermusik when she tried to play the guitar or when the parent didn’t know what the foundation for learning meant, which Nancy could explain only because of her background as an MT but other Kindermusik providers probably couldn’t very easily explain it. I had no idea that Kindermusik was that regimented and you can’t add or change even minor things to make it better. Thanks for the insight Nancy.

[Cassandra Mulcahy]

I agree too! Some great points! What I love the most is that we are not a prescriptive program (such as kindermusic or music together). Very often we have more musical training than these programs too. We have the capacity to provide high quality music experiences, and our definition of music is not confined by song structure, but by the awareness of the many elements that create music.
I think also that we are so immersed in music as therapists, that it becomes a language that we learn to communicate with. From a music-centered perspective, it is not necessarily about meeting non-musical goals, but walking these precious individuals through the evolvement of their ability to develop musically. Through this process, we are also helping parents to reach their child through a medium that is intrinsic to the human race and is often lost along the path of adulthood. What I love most about working with this population is watching the parents embrace not only to their child’s music, but also their inner child.

[Sarah jane Mason]

Great responses from the group! I agree about MT’s having extra value to families of young children in our education, level of musicianship, awareness and flexibility. Thank you, Nancy for bringing up the point about Kindermusik. I went through the training but decided against doing the program for many of the reasons you stated. Honestly I felt like my education and training was a bit wasted on such a program but I knew I loved the early childhood population. I ended up creating my own “curriculum” and classes that weren’t structured by a strict outline for the day. As a MT I understood the kids were not wanting to sit down much in a particular session, and as a MT able to be flexible in the class, I changed my loose outline to include lots of gross motor songs. In working with young children with sensory issues or Autism I think being a MT really sets us apart. To understand the needs of those children in a session…. That perhaps the lights need to be down a bit, or tambourines put away because in a previous session it had caused a child to withdraw, those are part of our training as MT’s to understand and have a raised awareness about. I also think our level of musicianship is an increased value to families of young children, specifically in our ability to improvise with the child in the moment. I utilize improvisation in every session and helps to be on the level of the child at the particular moment. One child I worked with, age 5 and non verbal, had his first “conversation” with me during a piano improv on his third session. After establishing the music as a level field for communicating we were able to achieve his goals in less time than his other therapies had attempted. Extra bonus points for music being fun too!

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