[Dina Breaux]

5 Words: Joyful; Fun; Family; Learning; Creative
5 Sentences:
Did you see your child stop when the music stopped?
Watch how your child is starting to shake the maraca to the music instead of mouthing it.
Try tapping the bottom of your child’s feet so they can feel the beat of the music.
It’s okay if your child wants to move around the room while we are singing. It’s because the feel safe enough to do so.
This time, turn your child towards the circle as we sing “Wiggly Jiggly.”
Session Plan:
Thankfully, I ordered Beth’s book and have been using many of the songs. Right now, my sessions go something like this: an unaccompanied welcome song to transition children to the play area (Good Morning To You); a hello song (traditional song, Hello, Everybody)in which I sing each child’s name and invite them to strum the guitar; a bonding/lap song (They love Wiggly, Jiggly) with the caregiver and I giving each child a chance to sit in our laps; an instrument song (I use Shake your Sillies Out and change the words); a song about me (I started using That All Makes Up Me); a movement song with guitar (Will You Come); a story (This week is 5 Little Pumpkins); a goodbye song that includes each child’s name (I use the chorus of the 70’s song, ”Na, Na, Hey, Hey, Kiss Him Goodbye); and finally, a goodbye/clean up song (Music Time is Over works very well) to help them put away instruments, because once I bring them out, they do not like to put them away!

[Dina Breaux]

As parents entered the music space, I would have soft, instrumental music playing in the background as they set up their nests. I would then begin a welcome/gathering song while parents and children move to a seated circle. Once seated, I would begin a hello song, accompanied on guitar, singing each child’s name at least twice. Next, we would sing a bonding/lap song, possibly a song about me, that might include scarves or some object that a child can track. An instrument song with drums and shakers would come next, followed by a movement song with guitar accompaniment. A story or lullaby would then help transition the class to a goodbye song, making sure to sing each child’s name. I would then turn on the quiet instrumental music again as parents packed up to go.

[Dina Breaux]

Oops, well I guess I will post each of this 3-part forum question separately! 🙂

Here are the 5 sentences I would most likely use with parents during a SM1 session:<br />
1. Did you notice your daughter turned toward you when you started to sing the Hello song with me?<br />
2. Notice how your son kicks his feet in response to your moving his feet first.<br />
3. Even though your child may seem uninterested in what we are doing at first, they are absorbing this information and will begin to participate when they are ready.<br />
4. It’s okay to let your child crawl around and mouth the instruments during a song. They are exploring the space and new surroundings and will join in when they are ready.<br />
5. If your child startles when we do our moving songs, try holding him/her closer until they become familiar with it.

[Dina Breaux]

It seems I have been around children of this age all my life! I love them!! Babies have always brought me so much joy and I just get silly when I’m around them, talking to them in a silly voice (I try hard not to use nonsense words when I talk to them) and making silly faces.
Though I never worked with babies as a music teacher or music therapist, as a mom, this was my favorite age! There was so much growth that occurred in such a short amount of time and it was a miracle to watch it unfold. Every day they would do something new, something they had never done before, and I would rejoice and celebrate! Although I was always proud when they began to crawl, a part of me missed that infant stage. As tiny babies, they were my captive little audience and we laughed and smiled all the time. Once they started crawling and walking, it was more like damage control than parenting! LOL
As a grandma, I was blessed to have my daughter live with me for the first 8 months of my granddaughter’s life. The daily miracles of her growth brought me a level of love and joy I did not know existed! Now that they have moved out and on their own, I miss the daily interaction and cherish the moments I spend with her. We sing, play, dance and laugh when we’re together!

[Dina Breaux]

I made it a 5 word list: Welcoming, Accepting, Caring, Joyful, Fun

[Dina Breaux]

Megan, I enjoyed reading both of your posts! Thank you for the great intervention idea with your eating disorder group! This is one area I have become more interested in and have considered leading groups in adult group homes for substance abuse. Also, DIR FIoortime seems to fit into my love of play with children during music therapy sessions. For me, I’ve found in the past a great deal of success with my younger clients meeting benchmarks when I incorporated a lot of “playtime” or “games” in my sessions. If I decide to take on clients again, I will seriously consider this training!
I agree that wellness programs are a proactive approach for our communities in regards to their physical and mental health. For instance, my husband’s health insurance gives my family hundreds of dollars towards our health spending account if we enroll in their wellness plans and activities. They will reimburse for gym memberships, discounts for exercise equipment, and offer free nutrition classes. It’s this approach to healthcare, providing a wide variety of options that meets just about everyone’s needs, that makes me hopeful that music therapy will fit into this wellness model. Once I finish the SM training, my plan is to go to places like libraries, community centers, Mom’s Club groups, day cares, preschools, shelters, etc… to promote a Sprouting Melodies program. I have always understood that, as a music therapist, educating the public about what music therapy is would be an ongoing part of my profession. What I am beginning to understand is the many ways that MT fits into the wellness and preventative care model and how best to explain it to the general public. We have an opportunity to “showcase” our profession, as Meredith explained, and educate our community that it (MT) can help to promote good health and well-being. The flexibility we provide working with small and large groups of people, within a structured program, is unique to our profession because, though it may not be in a clinical setting, we pay attention to group dynamics in order to fit the needs of the group “ in the moment” that is both appropriate and effective.

[Dina Breaux]

Currently, I work with 3 one year olds and an 8 month old baby, along with their caregiver in a daycare setting. The parents of these children work full-time so I have not had an opportunity to interact with them. My daughter is a single mom so I have shared some of the songs I am learning in this course to help her with many of the day-to-day challenges of parenthood. She now sings to my granddaughter instead of reprimanding her when she gets into situations that might be dangerous. In most cases, my granddaughter will stop what she’s doing, turn and walk towards her mom, and join her in singing. My daughter has found singing while changing diapers and clothes especially helpful, with my granddaughter usually being compliant!
I would say that more opportunities for families to share music, art, dance, drama and play are essential for a healthy, nurturing community. The library in my city offers a limited amount of music classes for babies and toddlers (8 mo. – 4 yrs.), none of which are focused on younger babies or children with special needs. These classes are offered at only a few of the community centers, though many of these centers are multi-generational. I see a real opportunity to reach out to parents of children with special needs through more community offerings at night and on the weekends. Parents need more flexibility with times and places in order to participate in family-child programs as well as a more specialized approach to help guide them through their child’s early development.

[Dina Breaux]

Congratulations, Kristina, and I hope your honeymoon is filled with romance and fun!

Music Therapists bring a unique approach to early childhood development and the music programs geared toward that age level. Because of our expertise and training, we can identify developmental milestones in children and help guide parents whose child exhibits delays towards treatment options. Our flexibility with small and large groups of children lends itself to a more personalized, child-focused experience. The songs we use are easy to sing-a-long to and for parents to remember so they can share them at home with their child and other members of their family. My hope is that I will bring a sense of fun and joy to families; give parents a few musical tools to help them in their parenting; and give hope, support, and encouragement to those parents of developmentally delayed children as they navigate through the sometimes overwhelming experience of seeking help for their child.

[Dina Breaux]

Hi!
Well, here it is. Honestly, I feel like I just re-worded and copied what I read in the book for this assignment. My hope is that I will be able to modify and individualize it enough to inform my work with the groups I will see for successful and effective musical development. Yes, my brain hurts a bit, but appreciate the return to MT terminology! It’s a good pain! ha ha ha 🙂

Singing
Awareness: Turns body to caregiver’s singing and speaking voice
Trust: Vocally imitates sounds during and after a familiar song or phrase
Independence: Explores vocal range by imitating sounds in the environment
Control: Intermittently sings along to a familiar song
Responsibility: Sings entire songs independently and in small or large groups

Playing
Awareness: Smiles and/or vocalizes towards a familiar musical sound source
Trust: Momentarily grasps a maraca or egg shaker
Independence: Purposefully shakes a maraca or strikes a drum intermittently during a song
Control: Maintains a steady beat on an instrument during a short song
Responsibility: Uses dynamics and tempo appropriately to accompany self and others

Moving
Awareness: Reaches hand s or body towards a sound source
Trust: Moves body for the duration of a short song
Independence: Intermittently maintains a steady pulse on instrument or body for the duration of a short song
Control: Moves to a strong pulse or beat for the duration of a short song
Responsibility: Recalls a sequence of movements independently and with a group

Listening
Awareness: Stops moving to locate a familiar vocal timbre
Trust: Vocally imitates during a short call/response song or game
Independence: Moves and plays along to varying tempos and dynamics
Control: Purposefully sings, plays and moves during a call/response game
Responsibility: Attentively listens while seated or still to longer pieces of music

[Dina Breaux]

Singing:
I often adjusted my vocal timbre to match the goals of my clients. In most cases, I began with a sedative tone to prepare them for our music session and adjusted to a brighter, louder tone when we added movement and instrument playing. I used repetition in all my sessions, primarily in a hello or welcome song. Fill-in-the-blank with familiar songs encouraged my clients to stay “present.”

Playing:
With my clients, I used the same welcome song each time we were together. I encouraged my clients to strum the guitar, stopping so they could sing or say their name, and starting again at the same tempo. I also gave my older clients a chance to choose from a variety of instruments and lead the “stop and start” intervention with a familiar song.

Moving:
Movement was always an integral part of my sessions. During my sessions I encouraged my clients to pat their laps (head, shoulders, drum, etc…) to a song to either establish a steady beat of their own choosing or follow mine. I would have them mirror my movements while I sang a “follow me” song, with opportunities for them to lead.

Listening:
I found that utilizing stop and start interventions were effective for listening opportunities. One favorite intervention with older clients is to have them listen to an instrument, without being able to see it, and then identify it. Another was one in which I played blues chord progressions at different tempos on the guitar or piano, while the client moved (gross motor) to match what they heard, usually with a scarf or favorite object. They could dance, walk, sway in their chair, or however they felt comfortable.

I plan to use what I have learned in this module, with the daycare group I will begin seeing weekly, to identify the presenting developmental levels and to encourage growth towards subsequent ones.

[Dina Breaux]

Hi, Everyone!
I have a bit of a dilemma and would love your feedback! I am not currently working with MT clients so the questions raised this week in the forum are a challenge for me to answer. My granddaughter’s caregiver is wonderful and she loves to have me come and do music, but it’s just her and I with 4 adorable little 1 year old’s at the trust and independent stages. I am going to invite parents to join us next week, if they are able, but since they all work, it’s unlikely they will attend. Any suggestions? BTW, I really enjoy reading everyone’s posts and am so excited to jump back in!! Thanks in advance!! 🙂

[Dina Breaux]

The music we listen to at home has evolved as my children have grown older. As babies, I sang a lot of lullabies (both traditional and improvised) and fingerplays. When they were very young, we sang along to a lot of Raffi, Barney, the Dinosaur and The Beatles! My husband and I introduced them to Zydeco and Mariachi music, which is our cultural heritage, respectively. As they grew, they enjoyed listening to classic rock and the popular music of the day (ie. The Jonas Brothers and the High School Musical soundtracks). Now that they are all young adults, they have introduced me to indie and alternative music, which I love! Many of these songs would work well for lyric analysis with adults, possibly alcohol/drug rehab and veteran groups, and I hope one day to have the opportunity to share them.

[Dina Breaux]

Though I have not had the opportunity to use these songs in a group setting, I did sing “All of this is Me” with my 14 month old granddaughter on Sunday. The first time I sang it, she watched quietly, her eyes wide with a look of curiosity, watching my movements. I think this is the first time she had heard a song in a minor key! The next time I sang it, she sat in front of me in my daughter’s lap, and attempted to match my movements, swaying to the beat at times. When the song was over, she signed and attempted to vocalize the word “more” so we sang it two more times! It was a wonderful bonding moment for us all and I look forward to sharing it at her daycare soon!

[Dina Breaux]

A few weeks ago I shared some music at my granddaughter’s daycare, with all 4 of the children ranging in age from 11 to 14 months of age. The youngest child, at the trust level, sat quietly in the caregiver’s lap for the first few songs and watched the other children sing along and move. According to the caregiver, she still exhibited stranger anxiety, taking a long time to warm up to new situations. When I added shakers to the third song, she began to be more animated, reaching for a shaker and putting it in her mouth. A hand drum was introduced in the next song and her eyes brightened. She smiled and squealed with delight as she played along with the music. By the end of our music time, she was vocalizing, moving her body and attempting to strike the drum with a mallet. It was very rewarding to see her warm up to the experience in such a short amount of time!

[Dina Breaux]

My biggest takeaway is the support and encouragement we can give parents and caregivers as they navigate through the world of a young child. It offers them a different perspective on parenting, especially when they feel overwhelmed or have anxiety regarding possible developmental delays when their child does not hit certain milestones. As music therapists, we get to gently suggest and encourage healthy interactions for parents with their children in a non-threatening way through music and play. I believe that’s what really sets us apart from other early childhood providers and makes what we do so unique and special!

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