[Claudia Eliaza]

Yes, I use all four of these music experiences in my practice. A lot of is based on the needs of the group. I tend to have some sort of loose Lesson plan that I can break away from if necessary. I like having that sort of freedom as it helps me to focus one the current needs of the children. For the most part, I would say that we do a fair amount of singing and vocalizing. I almost always start my sessions with some form of singing or chanting. We also move often in my groups. My kids have a lot of energy. And particularly in the Winter months, they tend to get a little stir crazy. I will check in with the teachers when I arrive to the school to see how much physical activity they’ve received and plan my movement based on that. We play instruments pretty regularly in my classes as well. Sometimes we’ll use a big prop like the parachute or the giant scrunchy, but I try to have a couple of tunes using instruments. I would say that while we do tend to do some listening to recordings in my classes, we don’t much of it. It’s partially because I’m so engrained to making music myself. I want to explore more of this area.

[Claudia Eliaza]

Singing: Awareness – Will cry with discomfort and make cooing sounds when content. Trust – Pitched vocalizations/imitates modeled pitches. Independence – uses melodic intonation along with simple words. Control – Uses clearly pitched intervals to sing. Responsibility – Singing and playing take on a style that is a combination of vocal timbre, accuracy of melodic intonation, and rhythmic freedom.

Playing Instruments: Awareness – Mouth/lick instruments. Trust – Enjoys shaking instruments (eggs/maracas), Independence – Begins to hold mallets or other musical tools. Control – Beginning to use 2 handed instruments. Responsibility – Can move instruments from one hand to another.

Movement: Awareness – Move arms and legs reflexively in response to music or the music provider. Trust – Can reach arms from side to side and up and down. Independence – Can cross midline to play an instrument. Control – Now able to jump. Responsibility – Able to do learned sequences of movement.

Listening: Awareness – looks at the musical source (where music is coming from be it the music-maker, an instrument, or a player). Trust – Looks toward the location of where the music had been. Independence – looks and smiles or increases vocalizations and movement when a familiar song is heard. Control – Alert to the musical actions of others. Responsibility – Can hear differences from his/her music and others’ music.

[Claudia Eliaza]

Erika, I am just seeing your response! I provide weekly services in Newton, and travel to a school in Wisconsin where I am an artist in residence. Even if I don’t have Haitians in my class on a given day, I find that it’s a great way to teach rhythm and expose children music of different cultures and languages. My classes are comprised of 1st generation kids from Europe, Russia, China, Haiti and Israel. We use music from all of these countries as well.

[Claudia Eliaza]

I am still working this one out, but I like the idea of sharing more of this information and knowledge with some of my colleagues during our weekly staff meetings.

[Claudia Eliaza]

I am so grateful to have taken this training. I feel much more informed with Early Childhood Development. As I move forward, I know that this information will continue to better inform my work and practice with kids of all developmental stages. The songs I’ve learned are wonderful and will serve me in future classes. I’ve also been inspired to do a lot more writing of my own! Thank you for this incredible training. It was full of all kinds of educational goodies!

[Claudia Eliaza]

I am extremely grateful for the tools and skills I’ve learned in this SM class. It’s a great reminder that we as music therapists have great opportunities to build community and help parent/caregivers bond and connect with their children through music. Becoming a music therapist is hands down one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

[Claudia Eliaza]

I use positive reinforcement in my classes. When kids successfully follow directions and show me that they are listening with their bodies and with their minds. I might give high fives to all! If the class overall is doing a great job, I may even reward the children with a dance break at the end of the class. They LOVE this. Many of them like being called out to the center to bust a move. We also practice a number of meditation exercises and yoga poses when their bodies need a little redirecting and grounding.

[Claudia Eliaza]

5 words for SM3: strong, active, exploration, acceptance,energetic 5 words for Family Sprouts: shared, engaging, support, connections, socialization

Plan for SM3: Greeting: Hello My Friends Bonding: Wiggly Jiggly Car Songs About Me: Where O Where Are Your Fingers Instruments: Let’s Shake Rattle and Roll Movement: Catch That Train Goodbye: We Gotta Go Now

Family Sprouts: Greeting: SM Hello Song Bonding: Froggy Went Swimming Songs About Me: Where Is the Music Where Can It Be? Instruments: Music Is the Way To Say Movement: Jumping Up and Down SM Goodbye Song

[Claudia Eliaza]

Really great discussion going on here. I (like Jen) thought I had completed this section, but somehow managed to miss this! I find myself echoing many of the thought shared by the other MT’s. As music therapists we can get locked into the role of “CLINICIAN here to provide assessments, treatment plans with extra emphasis on target behaviors and goals and objectives. While this is all a part of the services I am able to provide, I do also see how my skills can go beyond the sort of straight definition of music therapy to best support families and their children and their particular needs.

While these classes aren’t traditional music therapy, I do appreciate that the facilitator is still called the music therapist and not the teacher. As Laura stated, Music therapy in these community settings are still focusing on goals like bonding, vocalizing, and motoric responses.

[Claudia Eliaza]

I agree with all of you ladies. Music for development to me focuses on the needs of the whole child. We address various domain areas including: social, physical, motor, and cognitive skills. Music for skill building focuses on learned behavior and skills through music exploration and creation. The goals addressed in music development stages will carry over to the child’s over all functioning and development outside of music and their day to day lives. Both music for skill building and music for development are ideal healthy for the child.

[Claudia Eliaza]

Some challenges for multi-age groups would include maintaining the attention spans and focus of all the group members as they may be at different developmental stages. The good news is there is not just one way to use a song in a session/class. As we’ve learned throughout this course, there are a number of way to develop music, making it age appropriate for those in attendance. This requires that the therapist be flexible and able to adapt. As Elizabeth and Elana pointed out, we could find ways to have the older children model, select songs and help out their peers.

[Claudia Eliaza]

This was a great video to watch because it helped me to look at areas that I hadn’t necessarily explored extensively before. For starters I am much more aware of my vocal tone, body language and importantly… AFFECT! A few years ago when working with a class, I would notice that as I was singing, some of the children would make some interesting face back at me. I decided to set up a recorder in the class and watch it. What I learned was astonishing. I make some very animated faces when I lead groups. I have always been a pretty expressive person, and my little ones were imitating the faces they saw me making. It was a great learning experience for me on many levels.

[Claudia Eliaza]

Too much of anything can be over stimulating. As stated by Kimberly and Carolyn, I too believe it’s about a balance in energy, timbre, volume, tempo and song selections and presence. The goal is to be able to assess what is happening in the classrooms and be able toady as necessary. It’s also about understanding the developmental stages of the group you’re working with and using your voice and body in a way to support them.

[Claudia Eliaza]

5 words: Fun, Energetic, Surprise, Playful, Exploration.

5 sentences to tell parents:
1. When your child gets up and roams about the room, understand that this is their way of exploring the world around them independently.
2. Children aren’t rejecting you when they explore the room, they’re developing their own sense of identity.
3. We create space in the music to allow the children to respond/initiate.
4. When singing these songs to your child, see if your child can match or even imitate your pitches.
5. Because children take in a good amount of information through their feet, help organize their bodies by planting the feet firmly on the ground when you’re moving them rhythmically to the music.

Lesson Plan:
Greeting: Hello everyone (to the tune: Ants Go Marching In)
Bonding: She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain (Great sit and sing bonding song. Also great for some lyric substitution) I also want to use some of Elizabeth’s great songs in the future!
Songs About Me: Can You See Me (I want to try to use this song)
Instrument Song: I love this Come With Me song. It lends itself to such great rhythmic play.
Movement Song: All Around the Kitchen. I love this song! It’s got such a great energy and spirit while ranging dynamically. Kids love dancing to this song and listening to the instructions given. It also helps children with freeze and go.
Goodbye: I also love this Thank you song. Great way to remind families of how grateful we are for their attendance. It’s a nice way to change it up too!

[Claudia Eliaza]

Hello All!

I use a wide range of instruments with my classes. Some of them include…

Paddle drum, egg shakers, gathering drum, rain stick, xylophone…. I tend to use instruments that can be cleaned off. I or another teacher will navigate the rainstick and the xylophone. Sometimes we will even have the kids lie down while a large scarf is brushed on their skin. Hope that this helps. I too am interested in other folks instrument suggestions.

[Author]

Posts