[Alyssa Kereki]

Side note – I would LOVE to take a session focused on your work with 3-5 year olds in Sprouting Melodies as well as more information on your Special Sprouts groups. Just a thought, as you continue working on providing online classes. 🙂

[Alyssa Kereki]

As I continue with my music therapy work each week, I am slowly but surely realizing the information I have gained from this course and all of the resources that I can reference in the future, especially Beth’s book. Starting this training while starting my first job as an MT-BC which required building a therapy program from scratch was definitely a challenge. There were weeks when I was so overwhelmed with planning for my own groups that I had trouble planning for my “imaginary” Sprouting Melody groups. With that said, I feel privileged to have had this course at the beginning of my career because it has changed the way I view music therapy. As the only music therapist for the school district, I miss out on the experience of observing and learning from other therapists. This course filled that gap for me and in a unique way became my how-to training manual for my younger groups. Thank you for starting me off on the right foot!

I agree that mp3 clips and footage from an actual Sprouting Melodies session would be beneficial. It might be nice to have a second registration package that includes Beth’s songbook, allowing the therapists to follow along from the very beginning. Beth’s songbook is on my list of materials to purchase, but it would have been nice to hear about it and purchase it up front.

Thank you everyone for all of your time and contributions!

[Alyssa Kereki]

My vision for the future as well as impacts on my current work really align with Cindy’s comments. As a brand new MT-BC delving into the world of music therapy in the schools, providing a Sprouting Melodies group would be extremely difficult to balance with my other responsibilities. I absolutely love the idea of becoming a Sprouting Melodies provider, but I am attempting to tackle one goal at a time and get this school program up and running before I start another project.

Back to Cindy’s post, I agree that this information has helped me view all of my clients through a new light. I am especially focused on the awareness stage with some of my younger clients with severe disabilities. It is easy for me to create elaborate goals and objectives, and I am discovering that sometimes tracking a scarf with your eyes and smiling is the first step to a successful session. Speaking of the different developmental stages, the other day one of the school aids asked if a middle school client continued to put different instruments in his mouth. When I explained that he stopped this behavior on his own, she commented that she did not understand why he continued to put things in his mouth. Tapping into my training knowledge, I told her it seemed like he was just using his mouth as another source of sensory information and that once he became familiar with an instrument he started to use it in the proper way. I had noticed this process happening during our sessions, but it was surprising to me that I had valuable information to share with his aid.

[Alyssa Kereki]

Robin – I hadn’t thought about sharing Beth’s book with the other members of the therapy team in the school district where I work, and I think that’s an excellent idea! I’ll have to consider typing up some sort of handout that references the key points that might be of interest to them. I’m also working on a pamphlet the teachers requested to educate parents on music therapy, and the parents of the preschool children especially may benefit from an extra handout related to music therapy and early childhood development.

My current plan for sharing what I’ve learned is speaking with the Director of Special Education and discussing adding a music therapy group for parents and their young children. The school district actually provided this training to help me with my preschool therapy groups (I have eight within the schools), and I would love to offer monthly sessions for parents to understand the value of music therapy and using music with their children.

[Alyssa Kereki]

Tamara – I have a similar client and I have noticed that vocal only songs are helping him adjust to the group. I’ve also tried adjusting my timbre and volume to sound as gentle and soothing as possible, and I usually tr pressure squeezes on his hands to match the pulse of the music for extra stimulation.

In general, I try to maintain eye contact showing equal amounts of attention to each client. I also spend a lot of time on the floor as opposed to sitting in a chair, even if the children are in chairs. I think this creates a more personal environment and helps the kids know that the group is for them and they have my full attention. When demonstrating, I take time to focus on each individual whether they need assistance or a smile of reinforcement for following the directions. In some groups, I have to be careful of overstimulation while making sure that others are challenged and interested in the music. I found that containing movement interventions to activities that can be done while sitting helps limit the commotion and stabilize the environment. I am also aware of pacing and where interventions are placed, making sure that a stimulating activity is sandwiched between to calming ones.

[Alyssa Kereki]

I am looking forward to branching out into my community and sharing music therapy with a larger population. There is so much potential in my community for me to make a difference, it will just take a lot of time and hardwork to get the ball rolling!

[Alyssa Kereki]

My only response to the conferene call is wow! I have so much going on right now as a new music therapist starting a school program from scratch and listening to that discussion was slightly overwhelming but comforting. My goal is to find some way to become a Sprouting Meldodies provider, even if it’s a year from now when my life feels a little more settled,and knowing that you will help walk me through it makes me feel like it’s actually possible! Beth and Meredith, you have both put an amazing amount of time and effort into this program and I am extremely grateful for all of your hardwork.

[Alyssa Kereki]

I view “music for development” as enhancing normal developmental processes that occur naturally outside of the music group. Rather than teaching musical concepts, Sprouting Melodies uses musical experiences specifically designed to practice developmental milestones in a fun, family-oriented environment. Although children may learn musical skills from these experiences, that is not the primary function of the group. Sprouting Melodies is organized to assist children on their unique journey through the five developmental stages (awareness, trust, independence, control, and responsibility)and help parents recognize these stages, as well.

[Alyssa Kereki]

5 words: energetic, dynamic, challenging, silly, and exploring

For Sprouting Melodies 3, I would start with an upbeat welcome song and possibly some dancing improvisation or scarf movements to go along with the song and focus everyone’s attention. My goal would be to hae everyone loosen up and start focusing on the music group without becoming chaotic. “Sit Down with Me” is a great transition into bonding songs that keeps the energy level high. I would use two bonding songs with this group, starting with “Hold on Tight” to foster parent/child bonding and then “My Brand New Friend” to encourage independence and socialization. The rhythmic chanting of “Where is the Music” would help refocus the children after jumping around with their friends, and “I Like This Song” would keep the environment relaxed and free for instrument exploration and expression. After this relaxed, unstructured break, I would move into “Will You Come?” to reemphazise group socialization and then finish with a calming goodbye song.

[Alyssa Kereki]

5 words: cooperation, easy-going, bonding, consistent, diverse

Family Sprouts session: Since it can be challenging to create a suitable environment for this diverse population, I would like to start the session with two gathering songs to really engage the group. The first gathering song would be free and inviting, and I would use the second song to gradually increase the energy of the group. One of these songs would be used to personally greet each member. “Row it Faster” and “Wiggly Jiggly Car” would be fun to use as bonding songs, with the oldest child sitting between the parent and the other sibling. If the oldest child is able, he or she could even act as the parent with the sibling on their lap and the parent watching and assisting if needed. I would use “All of This is Me” for the song about me and also a song that talks about similarities so that the families can find special things they have in common (hair color, eye color, everyone has one nose, etc.) for a different twist on the song about me. “Music is the Way” would allow the family to create their own musical accompaniment while bonding, and “I Can Move Around” works great with different age groups. To close, I would use “Music Time is Over” followed by “Thank You Very Much” for extra closure.

Personally, I feel that the greatest challenge of providing multi-age groupings is to create a predictable yet exciting environment that allows everyone to participate at their own level while feeling comfortable and engaged. It is important to both entice the older children and soothe and support the younger children. One way of accomplishing this may be to focus on the family unit as a whole, emphasizing bonding and working together throughout all of the musical experiences. Give the older children a sense of responsibility, reminding them that it is their job to help out the younger children. I would definitely vary the energy levels throughout the session while avoiding drastic changes. I also like the idea of having a few moments for the older children to shine, just like Meredith demonstrated in the video by speeding up “All of This is Me”. I think the trick is finding ways to incorporate energy and excitement without the group feeling overwhelming for the little ones.

[Alyssa Kereki]

Tamara – That frog song sounds adorable! I will have to try it sometime.

[Alyssa Kereki]

Angie – I LOVE that you have jack-o-lantern maracas and that you use them year-round. That made my day.

Ugh, instruments! Right now I am in the long, drawn out process of purchasing instruments for the schools where I am working. I had a very small budget to work with and currently do not have the funds to purchase my own instruments because I can barely afford to pay rent. Basically, I feel stuck and frustrated. With that said, I have worked very hard to order instruments that I could use with a variety of age groups while ordering designated “children’s instruments” as well. I think size and shape are extremely important because you want your clients to be successful and begin to comprehend that they are in charge of making the sound that the instrument is producing. As for other preferences, for the time being I’m working with whatever I can get my hands on and trying to make adaptations. This discussion will definitely come in handy though when I can actually afford to buy what I want. 🙂

[Alyssa Kereki]

Stimulation: I think that every group will have a different dynamic and will need different levels of stimulation. Utilizing tempo changes like the accelerandos that Elizabeth demonstrated may help the music therapist test out where the group is and how much stimulation they need. I have noticed when working with my preschoolers that musical accompaniment works better with simpler songs that repeat lyrics because the child can handle processing the simple lyrics and the accompaniment simutaneously. I am typically cautious of adding too many musical “levels” because the kids become distracted and possibly overstimulated. Adjusting the flow of the session is another great way to monitor stimulation needs and add more or less stimulation throughout based on the group’s response.

5 words: silly, animated, comfortable, dynamic, supportive

5 sentences: If your child is watching others instead of participating, he/she is observing what is happening and learning from watching others. If your child is wandering around the group, it is because he/she trusts that you are still there and feels safe enough to explore independently. When doing movements with their feet, help your child place the entire sole of their foot on the ground for optimum stimulation and learning. Having their feet placed firmly on the ground helps children conceptualize their position in space. It is important to notice the small steps that your child is making in the class, and I will make sure to point this progress out to you when I see it.

Plan: I would use a Hello Song that welcomed each child individually, focusing on name recognition and their concept of self. A gathering song might work well before and after the Hello Song to help the babies start engaging in the group. I would start with a more relaxed gathering song to help them feel safe in the room and then increase the energy and “musical surprises”. If there is time at the beginning of the group, it would be fun to have all of the instruments in a large tub and sing an instrument exploration song as you and the babies pull out the instruments. I loved how Elizabeth incorporated a variety of musical sound effects, and I would strive to utilize this technique throughout the session. “Wiggly Jiggly Car” is a tough bonding song to top, so I think I would work on creating a second bonding song based on how the babies respond to that one. The “Songs About Me” portion could serve as an opportunity to incorporate children’s names and stress their similarities (ex.- John has a nose and Susie has a nose!). The instrument and movement songs could probably be more upbeat with lots of musical surprises, and a slow movement song with scarves would make a nice transition to the Goodbye Song.

[Alyssa Kereki]

I am still working on researching the services that are already provided in my community and where the gaps need to be filled. I find it ironic tha Amy and Angie both touched on intergenerational programming because that is actually one of my goals for the near future. On a different note, one of the local hospitals is considering hiring a music therapist to work with teen mothers and their babies. Although I am not a mother, I personally feel that my Sprouting Melodies training would be perfect for that situation. Teen mothers have so much on their plates and are still growing themselves that I believe that would really benefit from taking the time to bond with their babies and learn important development tips.

[Alyssa Kereki]

5 words: gentle, flowing, personal, simple, light

5 sentences: Your child CAN play an instrument! We are looking for any response to the music that shows awareness, even if it is just the turning of a head. Your voice as the parent is the most important teaching tool because it is what your child will notice and trust. All babies develop at their own pace, so do not compare your child’s responses to the other children’s responses. Pay attention to the pitches your baby sings when babbling or cooing; this is a form of communication and you want to mirror these pitches back to your baby.

Sprouting Melodies 1 Plan:

This task was very challenging for me because I have yet to work with children in this age group, and I am just now building my repertoire for older toddlers. With that said, this is my attempt at structuring a sample session:

– recorded music while the parents and children arrive

– some sort of Hello Song designed to greet each child individually

– body percussion: possibly a “song about me” where parents are tapping specific body parts to the beat, maybe a simple gathering song such as “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” where parents could bounce the babies or help them clap their hands. I think a song like this could work as long as the singing style is gentle and free

– bonding song: I think the most important aspect of this section is that the parent and child are physically bonding and that the baby is developing trust. There is a song “Hold onto Me” that I have used with older clients to practice trust and gross motor movement that could be adapted for a bonding song. This song would allow for close cuddling as well as silly bouncing like in “Wiggly Jiggly Car”.

– instrument play: For SM1, I would prefer instrument songs that discuss the instruments but do not limit the playing with specific directions. I was considering creating a gentler version of “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” since it is vague,repetitive, and a tune that the parents would recognize. I would want to play guitar with this song though, because I think it needs the harmonic progression to have the full feel. I’ve used “I Can Move Around” with a few different age groups and a calm version of that song may work well, too.

– gross motor movement: the song “Hold onto Me” could be adapted for this portion of the session as well as for a bonding song. When using it for gross motor movement, I would make the movements more dramatic and varied.

– cool down: there is a simple song by Maria Rame called “Colors Everywhere” that would be fun to use with the scarves.

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