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My main takeaway is that music development IS development, and that we need to look at the developmental appropriateness of music for our clients. I work primarily in the ID/DD population right now, and there is a balance between developmental appropriateness and age appropriateness of music. Should a client in their 20s be listening to children’s songs? If that is there preference and it is developmentally appropriate, why not? But it shouldn’t be the assumption. I’ve started looking at what developmental level my clients are in musically and adjusting my sessions accordingly. I have a 15 year old client who is in the independence stage (boarding on control). This knowledge has helped me gear my interventions towards what is developmentally appropriate for them musically, and additionally it has helped me with my expectations and observations of their responses.
ParticipantI am excited about possibly providing an opportunity for families in my community. I know that sounds like a basic answer, but New Mexico is a poor state and doesn’t have a lot of opportunities for developmentally sound programming. I would love to somehow set up a sliding scale or get a grant to provide the services to more rural communities, or families in poverty, since paying for services is often a barrier to quality services here.
ParticipantI absolutely agree that the choice to not engage is important to acknowledge. Like Meredith and Elizabeth said, we should try to make the music so much fun that the child WANTS to engage, but they also can choose not to.
ParticipantI make sure to do an intake that includes any pertinent information, like any behavioral concerns, any health concerns that are applicable to the class (such as does the child have allergies, do they have asthma or breathing concerns, do they have seizure disorders or epilepsy, etc). Obviously parents do not need to disclose health information or diagnoses, but some basic information is very important. I also ask if they are an only child or not…I find children with siblings are more comfortable around other children, whereas an only child may need a little more help with socialization.
In one group of ID/DD elementary school students I ran, one boy hit another boy seemingly out of nowhere. The mother was terrified they weren’t going to be allowed back, but I spoke with her and we came up with a plan. She would sit in on the group, and would sit between her son and the child he had hit. She also had plenty of strategies of her own, like a visual schedule for her son and social story to prepare him, etc.
As a mother of a young child myself, I like to prepare him for what is going to happen. I’ll start by telling him the night before what we are going to do the next day (“we’re going to go swimming tomorrow” or “we are going to go to tumbling tomorrow” or “your music therapist is coming over tomorrow”). Then when I get him up in the morning, I remind him of what we are going to do and ask what he wants to do periodically until the event happens (“do you want to play on the balance beam today?” “do you want to sing The Wheels on the Bus?” “Are you going to see your friend?”) This seems to help him with expectations and predictability of his schedule.
ParticipantI feel like “welcoming” is a great word for any of these classes. We want to create a welcoming environment that is free from judgment. Come as you are, as you are able.
Participant5 words: supportive, partnership, joyous, together, individual
Hello/Gathering song, That All Makes Up Me (with bigger kids helping the little kids label body parts), I Like This Song (with a variety of instruments appropriate for all developmental stages), I Can Move Around (with movements adaptable for all developmental stages), goodbye
Participant5 words: active, willful, creative, personality, purposeful
Session Plan:
Hello/Gathering song, I’m Glad You’re Here Today (song about me), I Like This Song (with either one handed or two handed instruments if the child can accommodate them), Jumping Up and Jumping Down (movement song), Goodbye songParticipantI think Elizabeth and Meredith covered the main challenges in the video: how do we keep the older, more advanced children interested and engaged without losing the younger ones, and visa versa. I think the way to do this is to have many options. I would sit down and write out each intervention with steps on instruments and movements for each developmental stage, so we can all use the same music and do similar movements or skills.
ParticipantI would try to explain that, while any music class is great, the Sprouting Melodies curriculum has been created specifically with developmental milestones and musical development in mind. The musical experiences are curated to reflect and promote healthy development through a number of domains, including motor, social, and emotional.
Participant5 words: exploration, play, energetic, sponge, move
Sentences:
“One of the choices your child can make is how to explore the instruments, and that may include putting it in their mouth.”
“We want to leave room for your child to respond, so an easy thing to do is count slowly to 10 in your head.”
“We take in a lot of processing through the bottom of our feet, so when your child is standing for movement make sure their feet are flat on the ground”
“If your child is quiet and still, that is okay! They are taking in everything around them, including the music”
“Remember we want anticipation surprises, not real surprises!”Session Plan: Hello song, Wiggly Jiggly Car (lap song), Just Like Me (song about me), I Like This Song (instrument song using maracas or drum), Can You Follow (movement song with scarves), Goodbye song
July 28, 2022 at 10:10 pm
in reply to: What are the needs of the families and communities that you work with?
ParticipantI agree! I’ve had clients start and then have to stop for financial reasons. It would be amazing if health insurance would cover music therapy in New Mexico, but that has been an uphill battle that one day I hope to win.
ParticipantFive words: gentle, fun, bonding, consistent, predictable
Session: hello, Are You Ready for Music with body percussion, Trot Old Joe (lap ride song), I Like This Song with maracas, I Can Move Around (changing lyrics to reflect movement), Time to Go (cool down song), Goodbye
Sentences
– Make sure movements are close enough so baby can see and slow enough so baby can track visually
– We want to minimize the startle reflex so we will fill in space between songs with music
– Remember: it is your child’s choice to look or not look at the music and we need to honor that choice
– Children learn through repetition, so we will sing this 3 more times
– Bonding creates trust and helps create healthy relationships later in lifeParticipantI work with individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, so I tend to choose instruments very carefully. For maracas, I like the Basic Beat Toddler Maracas as opposed to the chiquita shakers. In my experience, chiquita shakers will eventually crack and when they break they go everywhere. The Basic Beat Toddler Maracas seem to be more durable plastic, and they don’t scream “I’m for a child” which is nice. I’m also a big fan of Remo drums. They can be more on the expensive side, but they are very well built and durable. I love their paddle drums over the lollipop drums for durability – but the lollipop drums are more eye-catching and the price point is about half as much.
Another thing I look for in instruments besides durability is how easily can I clean it. Wood instruments, though sealed, can still be porous and the sealing will eventually chip off, so I usually opt for plastic versions (they usually don’t sound as nice, but they don’t not sound nice, if that makes sense). I use plastic rhythm sticks, plastic kokoriko, and plastic castinets. You can also just dunk them into the sink and bulk wash them if that’s easier.
ParticipantSensory stimulation is a balancing act, I’ve found. Too much, and the child can have a meltdown. Too little, and the child will not be engaged at all. This definitely varies from each child, as we’ve all observed. This can make group dynamics and settings a little more difficult. Some kids will be focused on the music the whole time, where as others may want (or need) to wander around the room, and that’s okay.
Throughout this course, I’ve called on a lot of personal experience with my son to help me make connections. We are currently in a tumbling class for children 18-36 months, and there is a wide variety of attention span and sensory needs. Some kids stick with the teacher and their parent as the teacher goes trough the different activities, and some kids roam around the gym and play on the equipment. I think the group is successful because it is highly structured but yet relaxed. If your child doesn’t want to stay in the circle and do the movements, that’s fine. They can run and play on the balance beam (as long as the parent goes too). If the child needs a break to the lobby, that’s fine too. The teacher keeps going on with the lesson plan, periodically checking in with the families to make sure everyone is okay. This high structure yet relaxed nature I think makes for a good course in this age group.
ParticipantI am a music therapist and also a mother of a kiddo in early intervention (yes, he gets music therapy). His music therapist has been extremely helpful. She not only uses music to help him meet his developmental milestones, but she also is constantly assessing his progress in other areas. For example, today she mentioned his feet seem less turned out than previously, which indicates his ankles are getting stronger. Additionally, she gives us strategies to work on at home to help our son reach his milestones.
I absolutely love what we do, because we are sort of therapy ninjas; nobody knows they’re getting therapy services because everyone is having too much fun with the music. I think we are a great way for families to ease into the early intervention world, since music is fun and not as intimidating as some of the other therapy services. Additionally, we have the background and knowledge to share and say when we think another service may need to get involved, such as PT or SLP.
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