[Elana Dietz-Weinstein]

I understood the assignment as finding and listing other musical behaviors found in the various developmental stages, with the help of the book. I hope that’s right!

MOVING
Awareness: Calms to rhythmic rocking
Trust: Recognizes changes in rhythm in familiar songs
Independence: Imitates clapping hands in response to music.
Control: Starts and stops body in response to music.
Responsibility: Demonstrates understanding of spatial boundaries when moving.

LISTENING
Awareness: Increased attention to consonant pitches.
Trust: Looks towards sounds source in response to silence.
Independence: Enjoys musical surprises of fermata, glissando and silence.
Control: Anticipates end of familiar phrases.
Responsibility: Follows 2 and 3 step musical directions.

SINGING
Awareness: Makes repeated sounds.
Trust: Recognizes familiar melodies even when transposed. Detects changes in familiar melodies.
Independence: Imitates animal sounds.
Control: Increased amount of singing. Language and music is intertwined.
Responsibility: Uses song lyrics along with melodic contour.

PLAYING INSTRUMENTS
Awareness: Briefly grasps a musical instrument when placed in hand.
Trust: Explores instrument with hands or mouth.
Independence: Reaches for or retrieves instrument.
Control: Able to used 2 handed instruments with “tools” (mallets, strikers and sticks).
Responsibility: Groups simple rhythm patterns into sequences of patterns.

[Elana Dietz-Weinstein]

Like Kimberly and Alison, I also use all four music experiences in my sessions. I tend to use a lot of instrument play and movement since I work with primarily very active 3-5 year olds, and from experience know how important it is to engage them on a physical level. I also try to use listening and singing to help with cognitive concepts, impulse control, and receptive and expressive language. I find that since learning about the musical developmental levels I am more aware of assessing where the children are in their musical development and can use that information to plan future interventions for my groups.

[Elana Dietz-Weinstein]

I find that in my community, both at home and school, I use many traditional American folksongs, lullabies, and children’s songs. The simple structures and content really help facilitate language development, cognitive concepts, and connection. Many of the children I work with are familiar with and respond well to the “standards” – ABCs, Twinkle Twinkle, Old Macdonald, etc. They will sing, participate, and engage in group and individual sessions when these familiar, traditional tunes are offered, while participating less during other musical interventions. Often these are the first songs they will begin to spontaneously sing and vocalize in our individual and group sessions, and serve as a point of connection and relationship.

[Elana Dietz-Weinstein]

I used several of the songs presented and the kids loved them! I work with groups of children of varying developmental levels, from groups of 6 up to integrated Pre-K classes, and was able to use many of the songs in multiple groups regardless of functioning level (“In My Little Hand” and “I Can Move Around,” for example). My older, higher functioning classes loved the chanting and movement songs as well as “Are You Ready for Music?” The songs are inviting and engaging, and make it easy for the children to participate on many different levels. Although I don’t work with any parent-children groups, I was able to use the bonding songs with my own daughter and she loved them, especially the contrast between fast and slow bouncing.

[Elana Dietz-Weinstein]

While reading the information on the developmental stages, I thought of a 4 –year old non-verbal girl that I work with individually and in a group. Up until recently she was in the Independence level, and although she vocalized and engaged in instrument play, it was brief, had no tonal center, and she rarely initiated. Over the past 2 months she has moved into the Control level, and she sings the melodic contour of entire songs, as well as will sing a few words (“itsy,” or “twinkle” or some of the alphabet, for example). The songs are completely recognizable and she initiates the singing of them often, as well as spontaneously vocalizes. She now initiates choices and will independently select instruments or animal puppets, and communicates her preference for pink. She has also begun to dance spontaneously to music and will follow certain movements. It’s amazing how much she has developed from the beginning of the year, when she would basically watch and participate with hand over hand assistance!

[Elana Dietz-Weinstein]

As a parent of an 11 year old boy and a 15 month-old girl, I feel that I am able to take the perspective of both parent and professional in my work as a music therapist. I am living through the early development of my daughter and am able to really relate to the parents on an emotional level, while being able to look through a professional lens to help facilitate the development of the children I work with. The developmental milestones we covered in week 2 were so helpful and will inform my understanding of both the children I work with as well as my baby.

[Elana Dietz-Weinstein]

I found the information on developmental levels incredibly interesting and informative! It is amazing to me how much development occurs in early childhood in such a short amount of time.

[Author]

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