[Christine Czuhajewski]

From here, I hope to become a provider and be able to offer these experiences to the community. I’m looking forward to working with younger children and getting first hand experience seeing children move through the developmental levels. The training makes me feel more confidant working with younger children. The information shared in the course was really helpful in answering a lot of questions that I’ve had about this age group and also makes me feel better prepared to answer similar questions that parents may have.

[Christine Czuhajewski]

One of my music therapy jobs is in a private practice, so I have been speaking with the other therapists about taking the training and what sets it apart from similar programs out there. I’m looking forward to getting everyone else in the practice involved and signed up to take the training. I am hoping to also determine interest in the community- asking families who we already serve, checking in with contacts at local schools and community centers. We also have a local newsletter/newspaper available full of resources for interventions, activities and services for children, so once things are up and running, that would be a great place to advertise. Our therapists also frequently rent office space out of OT and SLP centers around the state. These would be great places to network and share information with other providers and hang information on their bulletin boards. I’ve also noticed that lots of public venues like libraries and coffee shops have bulletin boards with lots of public information and fliers for events/services. These would be great places to put up an informational flier.

[Christine Czuhajewski]

I am looking forward to many things about becoming a Sprouting Melodies provider. I think that there is a need in my community, and all communities, for this kind of specialized service. Just like some speech language pathologists and occupational therapists might have opportunities for developmental work with typically developing children, I think it’s good for music therapists to have opportunities to help typically developing children move through music developmental stages. There are so many added benefits of using music at an early age- so much research has been done from the music therapy perspective and the music education perspective. Being able to provide this kind of experience and share this knowledge with families will be very rewarding and exciting. It is also a great way to share information about music therapy. Music therapy isn’t as well known in the community as other modes of therapies, so the additional exposure and advocacy is a great benefit to the profession.

One of the great things about the Sprouting Melodies training is that so much of the organizational work has been done, and you have done an AMAZING job putting this program together! You guys have worked so hard to discover and create a format that works, apply music therapy based knowledge to this setting and create a lot of amazing music that caters to the specific needs of the age group! It is very motivating to see pictures of children enjoying their Sprouting Melodies classes and being able to hear the information that you have to share and learn some of the songs that you have created. I am definitely looking forward to bringing that kind of excitement and joy to kids and families in my community.

[Christine Czuhajewski]

To assure that every child is successful, I would provide a lot of feedback throughout the experience to help the child and parent feel successful. One of the big take-aways I have from this class is that a lot of parents might have questions about the way their child is participating that might stem from not being aware of their musical development level. Providing feedback and letting parents know the expectations within the developmental level are important to let the families know that they are being successful.

In order to do this, I would: use a lot of narrative praise to show families that unexpected behaviors might actually be very appropriate, teach parents how to use different prompt levels, use pivot praise to initially shape appropriate behaviors, use verbal redirection if needed, model expected safe behaviors/interactions, have an intervention plan in place if a child has consistent behaviors and then create adaptations to work with the individual until they can be safe, use musical transitions paired with sign language for more/finished to teach appropriate termination/transition, follow the same general expected structure, and provide the emotional/educational support for parents who might need guidance within this environment. It is also important to take note of which songs the children love, which songs the children become really emotional over, and which songs need to be adapted/changed in order to better fit the needs of the group. It’s important to be prepared to make changes as you go to fit the immediate needs and challenges, or extreme successes that might arise.

[Christine Czuhajewski]

Five Words for SM3: intent, sharing, movement, independence, active

Session Plan- 1) Greeting- Sit Down With Me- I would play with the tempo of the song by starting moderate to gain attention, then speed it up to encourage movement to join the group, then repeat it slowly with deliberate movement to slow things down once everyone joins. 2) Swimming Together- I like the tempo play in this – it is very engaging and, as summer approaches the topic is very appropriate for this time of year. 3) Songs About Me- Where is the Music- I enjoy the language that this gives children and the chant format is a lot of fun! 4) Instrument songs- You Play A Little- this is a nice introduction to sharing and taking turns and the lyrics help facilitate this, then I would use resonator bells to play a 5th/sing How Do You Know When It’s Summertime. 5) Movement- I love the Leaves Go Down song, but since this session plan has more of a summer theme, I would use the Rainbow song with scarves to make swooping shapes and other guided movements. 6) Goodbye- Thank You Very Much

Five Words for FS: Interactive, sharing, variety, collaboration, exciting

Session Plan- 1) Greeting- Hey Everybody- this is an engaging chant/song and a good opportunity for older siblings to encourage their younger siblings to join the circle. 2) Bonding song- Row It Faster 3) Songs About Me- All Of This Is Me- this is such a nice way for siblings to teach each other the movements- it’s a much more exciting melody than the Head and Shoulders song! 4) Instrument Songs- I Like This Song- this really gives the kids freedom to play and express themselves however they want. It’s another opportunity for older siblings to engage with their younger siblings or even other children in the group. 5) Movement- I Can Move Around 6) Goodbye- Thank You Very Much

[Christine Czuhajewski]

I haven’t had direct experiences with multi-age groupings in this setting, but I think that at such a young age, the different developmental levels would present a challenge in how to maintain everyone’s attention and engagement. I think that the greater the age difference, the harder it might be just because the younger children might not have the skill set that the older children have, and some activities might be too easy for the older children. Another challenge would be finding music that is engaging enough for the older children, but developmentally appropriate to engage the younger babies. I used to work as a music director for a summer day camp with inner city children. The programs were held at churches throughout the city and the groups very vaguely separated by age. My youngest group had kids who appeared to be between 2-6 and even within that small age range, I found it to be a challenge. The older children in the group had more “mature” interests musically and didn’t respond to the same simple melodies that the young children were interested in. Another challenge with a multi-age group would be social interactions- I would imagine that the older children will be seeking more interaction from adults and other children, and it might be difficult for some of the younger ones who just aren’t ready for that and are still content to just experience the group with a parent. I love hearing about everyone else’s personal experiences, it definitely brings up some unique situations to consider.

[Christine Czuhajewski]

After reading the responses and the clarifications about the topic, I think a lot of this comes down to sharing the difference between music therapy services and community based music experiences. If parents inquire about this, I think it would be the perfect time to explain the different developmental levels in music. I would express that this kind of community based experience facilitates the natural development that would occur by providing structured activities that support movement through the musical developmental stages whereas music therapy with young children might target developmental growth in OTHER domain areas (communication, motor skills, academics, etc). While the process of moving through the musical developmental stages may have a positive impact on other areas, that is not the direct goal of these experiences.

[Christine Czuhajewski]

Five Words: Engaging, Development, Exploration, invigorating, interactive

Sentences to use when speaking with parents: 1) It’s fine if your child is not moving along the way I am demonstrating, he/she is still watching and remaining engaged the way he/she feels comfortable. 2) It’s fine if another child tries to engage with you and your child in your lap- this is a great setting to develop social interactions with others! 3) All the instruments are washed between each class, so it is completely fine for the children to explore the instruments with their faces or however they want! 4) Meet your child’s energy level where they are- feel free to move with them however fast or slow they are going to best engage and interact at the level they are experiencing. 5) It’s absolutely normal for your child to want to take a break and sit out or sit back and just watch- they are still absorbing the information and benefiting from their observations.

Session Plan- 1. Gathering song- Sit Down With Me- I like how the tempo of this song can be altered to gain attention and uses a familiar melody. 2. Bonding Song- Wiggly Jiggly Car- this is just a fun song that all the kids could enjoy. 3. Songs About Me- Move To The Rhythm- An adapted melody from a Nordoff Robbins tune that is very interesting and engages different body part awareness. 4. Instrument play- I Like This Song- this is a great opportunity to introduce accompaniment instruments- the accompaniment that goes with this is engaging and really helps facilitate instrument exploration. It is definitely on my list of piano accompaniments to get under my fingers. 5. Movement- Pick Your Hands Up High- after the exciting instrument play, this one would be a good one to wind down just a little bit. 6. Goodbye- Music Time Is Over.

[Christine Czuhajewski]

I don’t work with this age level at the moment, but I definitely have suitcases of instruments from when I used to work with younger kids. I have a lot of Gathering Drums and smaller kid drums from Remo. I also invested in a massive instrument pack from Basic Beat that is very durable. It contains different sized frame drums, maracas, egg shakers, jingle bells, guiros, cow bells, claves, finger cymbals and other hand held percussion goodies.

One instrument that I love using with younger children is a 24″ paddle drum (I can’t find them ANYWHERE anymore!). Younger children who I’ve worked with just enjoy placing their hands on the drum to feel the vibrations, and this drum has a solid vibrational output without being too loud. It has been a great tool to help children transition from just feeling the music to wanting to hit the drum, to starting to hit with a beat to eventually using mallets to keep a beat. It is definitely my favorite instrument, I am just constantly scouring the internet to find more!

Also just a warning! I purchased a percussion package from Jamtown through west music- it is world instruments with claves, hand made guiros and goat toenail shakers and handmade agogos. I had a MASSIVE infestation of nasty little bugs from the instruments in the kit- and I ended up having to toss out everything but the metal instruments. so if you happen to have anything from this brand- inspect it very very very carefully.

[Christine Czuhajewski]

I agree with everyone that this question just shows why music therapists are ideal for working with this age group in this environment! The careful consideration of different instruments- what sounds might be too much, when/how to introduce specific instruments to children help with maintaining the right balance of stimulation. At this stage, there will be more stimulation from the music than in the Sprouts 1 classes. However, the stimulation level will change child to child. Maybe the modale of the music has a very drastic effect on one child, maybe musical surprises startle another child more than expected, or maybe the sound of another child crying or trying to vocalize a lot might be overstimulating. Every child will be different and it’s going to be a team effort from the therapist and parent to keep the child regulated. Obviously, the therapist will do everything he/she can with the music and their room scans to let the music facilitate in the best way possible for the whole group. However, if a child becomes too stimulated or maybe needs a little boost, then the therapist can give the parent pointers on how to move or engage with the child to meet them where they are. Parents also know their kids better than anyone else, so if they know about specific triggers that can over-stimulate their child, they would be able to share this, or at least share specific indicators or overstimulation if their child demonstrates it in unique ways. I definitely like what Amanda said about the therapist facilitating to balance the flow with active and calming music. With the right balance, the music should be able to catch everyone at their energy level at some point and then bring them along for the ride!

[Christine Czuhajewski]

Five words to describe the music experience: Soothing, welcoming, engaging, comforting, sharing.

Five sentences to use when speaking with parents: 1) Feel free to sing along, your baby will respond the most to your voice! 2) It’s ok if your baby isn’t responding immediately- they are engaging in their own way and processing what they hear! 3) It’s great that your baby wants to put the maraca with his mouth- he is exploring and learning! 4) Every child will vocalize differently- some may be loud and ready to use their voices with you, and some may be content to just listen. 5) If your baby decides to take a nap, feel free to continue the gentle rocking, and if your baby is bouncing along, it’s okay to meet them where they are and move right along with them.

Session Plan- 1)Hello song- I love the Today’s a Beautiful Day song- it’s a great way to welcome individuals and it is a catchy melody. 2) Movement/Bonding song- Row It Faster- I like how this starts with a familiar melody that the children might already be exposed to. This familiarity could be soothing and a good way to gain attention. It also gives the parents a good way to practice easing into the singing since they already know the melody. 3) Songs About Me- I would use a song I learned a while back from an old music therapy book- I’ve changed the words but kept the melody. I call it Move to the Music. It would allow parents to interact with simple body awareness (hands, legs, feet etc) and provide freedom to adapt the tempo. Then I would incorporate the All Of This Is Me Song after that because it can help bring the energy back to a soothing place with the interesting melodic structure. 4) Instrument Play- In My Little Hand- this is a great way for everyone to explore instruments. 5) Movement/Relaxation- There is a song called “Hawaiian Rainbows” that uses octaves and lyrics to facilitate movement. I would use this with scarves to also include a visual aspect that demonstrates that movements as well. 6) “Goodbye”- This is a soothing goodbye song that can either be done with a rousing strum pattern on the guitar, or simple finger picking if it better suits to overall energy of the room.

[Christine Czuhajewski]

I agree with what all of you have said about music therapy in the community being a wonderful opportunity for all involved. It provides parents with a way to meet other parents and compare their parenthood experiences. Having this kind of external support system would probably be very beneficial, especially for parents who might not have a strong support system otherwise. It seems that in modern society, parents are seeking more opportunities for their children of all ages to get involved and find as much enrichment as possible. Community music classes are a great way for young children to have a structured and fun experience to share with their parents. I also think this is a fantastic thing opportunity for all communities because it is live, in the moment and involves so much in person contact. There are a lot of child-oriented tv programs and videos available that some kids love to watch on repeat, but those programs don’t allow them to have the live music experience that caters to their movements and reactions. I imagine that, for an infant, coming to a class like Sprouting Melodies 1 would be so much more exciting for them than just recorded media.

This type of community music experience reaches a specific age group, and it is good that there are community based opportunities for different age groups. When I was a music therapy student, I had the opportunity to attend community drum circles facilitated by local music therapists. It was a great opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to mix and share music together. Music therapists are very specially trained to be able to make community music experiences accessible and adaptable for many different populations.

[Christine Czuhajewski]

I love reading everyone else’s responses about their experience with this age, especially the mothers! Since I don’t have any children of my own, it is nice to hear some of the insights in how you as moms can relate to some things the parents might be going through.

I don’t currently and haven’t worked with this age range yet. Although I don’t have any children of my own, I have had the pleasure of watching my cousins, nieces and nephew grow up. When my twin nieces were born, they were 2.5 month premature and spent over a month in the NICU before they could come home. When they were 0-9 months old they were much smaller than other babies of that age. I spent a lot of time singing to them and engaging with them while they were so young. The twin’s mom was eager to learn some simple songs and share some of her favorite songs that she remembered from when we were young. This was years ago and I didn’t know much about early childhood music development, but it would have been interesting if I had that knowledge at the time to really understand their journey through musical development. How does being premature affect musical developmental stages in babies? Have you ever had any premature babies come in to the 0-9 month classes?

[Christine Czuhajewski]

One of the many values of music therapy for families is that they can have a positive shared experience with their children. Some families may not necessarily be musical and this might be the open door for them to begin engaging with their children through music and musical play. As young children move through the musical development stages, parents have an opportunity to discover what songs and interactions their children enjoy so that they can take the songs home and further share experiences at home using the songs that their children are becoming familiar with. Another benefit of these music therapy experiences for families with young children is the knowledge of developmental stages. Throughout the course so far, we’ve heard examples about how some parents might react to child reactions at different developmental stages. It is important for families to learn that when a child isn’t following along in exact timing or imitation of the group leader, they may still be developing and reacting appropriately. Overall, I think that it is important to continue showing families and the professional community what the value is in using an early childhood service provided by a music therapists rather than other programs. The additional knowledge that a music therapist can bring to this kind of experience is an extra level of expertise and understanding that many parents would quickly learn to value.

[Christine Czuhajewski]

Some of the families who I work with outside of the school setting are very busy families with children who are enrolled in many therapies and structured ABA programs. Their children are very busy and the families are looking for something that is beneficial for their children’s development, but also fun and engaging for the children. Some reactions that I get from families and other service providers in the community is shock at learning about what music therapy is. I have met many people who say they wish they had known about music therapy sooner or that they know other families who would enjoy music therapy experiences. It seems that music therapy is still not as widely known in the community as speech language pathology or occupational therapy is. I don’t think this is unique to my community, but rather something that the music therapy community as a whole is still in the process of overcoming. Another good point that was brought up in the video is that some parents aren’t looking for therapy. Something important for the program is to help the community recognize the value of using a music therapist to explore these developmental stages versus going to an early childhood music program that is not run by a music therapist. As a school music therapist, I sometimes see my students transition out into lesser restrictive environments, and sometimes public school settings. In these situations, it seems to be a challenge to keep music therapy services on student IEPs. I’ve run into county representatives trying to make IEP changes so that they don’t have to seek out and pay for music therapy services in their own schools, so it is constant work to show these individuals the value of keeping music therapy as an IEP service. Some of my students also graduate and their parents want them to continue to receive music therapy services and they struggle to find day program placements that offer music therapy. In my community, it is clear that family awareness of music therapy is continuing to grow, and the amount of work available for music therapists is continuing to grow. It is exciting to see more and more music therapists in our state each year.

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