[Corie Barkey]

Music therapists specifically bring not only their own education, clinical experience and musical ability to each session but we also bring the support of one of the greatest groups of people in the world. I personally love the music therapist community. I have never heard of another group of strangers who can come together and support each other like we do… worldwide. We have each other as a unique resource. We also have our unique differences that make the session rich and because we as music therapist recognize and celebrate our own differences we are also great at identifying and celebrating the unique characteristics of others in a way that makes everybody feel individual and true to themselves yet connected through the music.

[Corie Barkey]

In each session I lead I try to use all of the four experiences. I can see the value for children to experience music in all of these ways. Many of the teachers that I work with often comment about how some students respond most consistently in the music therapy group. I attribute this to providing developmentally appropriate music experiences which support the corresponding responses. I am now feeling more confident to share with the other family members or educational team members that starting and stopping instrument play with the music is EXACTLY what I am looking for from that particular child. I have placed an obvious “Toys to be cleaned” bin in the room to let parents and teacher know that the children in the awareness/trust level can explore instruments with their mouths and it is OK. The combination of singing, moving, playing and listening is a powerful combination of experiences for a music therapy session.

[Corie Barkey]

Throughout this week, in my sessions, I was able to identify almost all levels of responses in each of the four domains. and here are some sequences that I came up with.

SINGING
Awareness ~ looking at the face of the singer and responding with spontaneous vocalizations
Trust ~ Makes pitched vocalizations and increased intentional vocalizations
Independence ~ Vocalizations have melodic form and are now recognized as a specific song
Control ~ Uses pitched intervals with more accuracy to sing along
Responsibility ~ has a unique quality to vocal quality, and timbre. Melody is accurate.

PLAYING INSTRUMENTS
Awareness ~ Responds to various instruments sounds with head turn or reaching for instruments in range
Trust ~ Child may strike or shake instruments for a short period of time.
Independence ~ Plays single beats and will start and stop with the music
Control ~ Coordinates body to play 2 hand instruments within the structure of a group
Responsibility ~ Group play as well as collaboration. Finger isolation skills on piano

MOVING
AWARENESS ~ Movements are reflexive. Child opens and closes fists
Trust ~ movements become purposeful to make intentional music
Independence ~ Child is able to run/walk and start and stop movements with the music
Control ~ Adjusts speed of movements to the tempo of the music
Responsibility ~ movements are sequenced and collaborative in the group setting

LISTENING
Awareness ~ Makes cooing sounds when content comforted by the vocal timbre of their caregiver
Trust ~ responds differently with movements or vocalizations as music starts or disappears
Independence ~ Independently listens to changes in music and can adjust responses
Control ~ Listens to simple rhythm patterns and can imitate them back
Responsibility ~ Hears the differences in the music of self and other. Follows directions in lyrics.

Looking forward to observing more : )

[Corie Barkey]

Again I posted most of this in the other section but here it is again with some more thought additions.
Sometimes I struggle to incorporate cultural music into every session, but I am aware of its importance and I strive to broaden my options for the community. I am from a very small rural town where music options are country or country. I do love my country music but as a music therapist I recognize where the therapeutic potential begins and also ends. I have purchased more instruments to add other sounds and I like the idea of modes again to give diversity to music. Most of my clinical work is in the city where my cultural music roots have little place. I feel like with the age of technology and internet resources children’s music repertoire in early education is expanding to include newer material like “I am a pizza” and “slippery fish”: ) Newly composed music always brings a fresh face to my sessions though.

[Corie Barkey]

Sorry I posted this in the other section but h here it is again.
I really enjoyed the bouncy melody of the “Are you Ready for Music” song. That one has been stuck in my head for a few days. I also found it enlightening to use various modes in composing songs for children to break the monotony of the typical children’s song feel especially to support other feelings besides continuously happy/bouncy.

[Corie Barkey]

I have the privilege of working with a wide age range of students and it is fascinating to now have a label for the developmental level in relation to musical responses. I have gotten comments like “well you don’t need to go into the infant room because they cant sing along with you anyway.” That one in particular broke my heart but with some gentle teaching I am able to demonstrate what appropriate responses in that age range are.

I am also very interested in how children with developmental delays move through the stages. I can almost see when the transition is coming, say from Trust into Independence in a little bit older child working through disabilities.

My youngest son will be two this month and it is so fun to play around with music. This weekend he made the bold choice to play a thunder tube (ALL DAY … EVERY DAY) He also stopped me from singing any rain songs to correspond with his sounds with an emphatic “STOP” He was able to begin making the choices and having control over the experience hinting to me that he was creeping into that Independence stage. My oldest son will be 6 this month and he is clearly in control as I watch him organize the performances and make decisions then finally execute he plan with his music. My middle son will be four in a couple weeks and he is in limbo from Independence and Control finding that balance of knowing his strengths and still seeking reassurance or guidance in some ways.

I really enjoyed the bouncy melody of the “Are you Ready for Music” song. That one has been stuck in my head for a few days. I also found it enlightening to use various modes in composing songs for children to break the monotony of the typical children’s song feel especially to support other feelings besides continuously happy/bouncy.

Sometimes I struggle to incorporate cultural music into every session, but I am aware of its importance and I strive to broaden my options. I am from a very small rural town where music options are country or country. I do love my country music but as a music therapist I recognize where the therapeutic potential begins and also ends. I have purchased more instruments to add other sounds and I like the idea of modes again to give diversity to music.

[Corie Barkey]

This week was a great review of development. In the integrated preschool I have the privilege of working with typical development as well as delays. It is often in this setting when a parent enrolls their child as a typical peer in preschool and the educational team and I will identify the need for further evaluation. This information allows for more educated discussion with the parents as to why we are suggesting some testing. Often in music therapy groups I see the gap between ability and disability narrow as the music supports the strengths of each child however I will use the information in sessions to make sure I remind my colleagues of developmental milestones when they begin comparing the 2 year old with the 4 year old in the group. I am eager to get into the music portion of the course to support each level of the developmental process.

[Corie Barkey]

Hello! My name is Corie Barkey. I am a music therapist in the Buffalo area. I have been working in early education for the past six years leading music therapy groups in an integrated preschool setting as well as providing individual services for children who receive music therapy on their IEPs. I have recently been brought on full time by the agency I work in to service all of their early education locations. I also own a small private practice in which I service birth through school age. I am a graduate of SUNY Fredonia and also a current graduate student there. I am pursuing my LCAT and it is through that journey that I have been inspired to take this course. I am passionate about the availability of music therapy services to all members of the community especially early intervention. I am also a mother of 3 young boys ages 5, 3, and 1. I am so excited to learn as much as I can from this course to better serve the students that I work with, my community as well as have some fun with my own family. Thanks a bunch for reading and I look forward to getting to know the rest of the participants as we journey on!

~ By the way, Beth and Meredith, a hand written welcome card was the sweetest gesture and I already feel comfortable and excited about this experience. Thank you

Corie

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