[Erin Schmidt]

Hally, I love the idea of using maracas as microphones! With my older clients I’ve used bluetooth microphones and that’s always been a hit!

[Erin Schmidt]

Samantha, before starting this course I was just like you with not being very comfortable with instruments being put in mouths, but now that I’ve been learning more through these videos, I’m trying to loosen up on feeling and keep in mind that it’s happening for a reason…and the instruments can always be cleaned!

[Erin Schmidt]

Suzanne, you are so right about children and passiveness! I have a neurotypical niece and nephew and they are constantly seeking out their parents ipads or phones. I know it’s so easy to put a child in front of a tv or computer screen and let them be engrossed in that for several hours, but it’s doing children a lot of disservice.

[Erin Schmidt]

I agree with Hally about always keeping in mind that we should be having fun; I know with my job it can be really easy to get caught up in tracking goals, writing reports and other more mundane things, and forget that music is fun! Sessions can be both fun and goal-based, but it’s so easy to forget that.

[Erin Schmidt]

Suzy, your job sounds amazing!

[Erin Schmidt]

Hally, I almost attended Fredonia! I attended Nazareth instead, but Fredonia was right up there with my choices!

[Erin Schmidt]

“Home community” that I work in, in the Cincinnati/SE Indiana area, is very diverse: most of my clients enjoy country music, but I also have quite a few that enjoy religious/faith music. I try to always keep their preferences in mind when planning for sessions.
Myself, I’m not a religious person, even though I do know some church/faith music. I was raised on classical, pop, and rock music, so moving to this area several years ago was a big eye opener for me.

[Erin Schmidt]

I took a CMTE about folk/traditional music several years ago, and it introduced me to all sorts of new music that I’ve been able to incorporate into my sessions, but I also like to use songs that I’ve piggybacked lyrics to, or completely new songs I’ve written for a specific purpose.

[Erin Schmidt]

I’m definitely going to use “Are You Ready for Music” with my younger clients, especially with the ones who are nonverbal and who use communication boards or devices, so they can answer my questions, choose instruments to play or interventions to participate in, and vocalize with me.

[Erin Schmidt]

One of my clients, an 11-year old girl with autism, has recently moved to the Responsibility Musical Developmental level. We’ve been on the Control level for some time now, but within the past few weeks she’s imitating simple rhythmic patterns, she’s recognizing songs that don’t use lyrics, and has been playing around with more dynamics. Her favorite instrument is the piano, so we are engaging in a lot more call and response, and she seems to be really listening to what I play.

[Erin Schmidt]

The early childhood development information was so helpful! I’m 4 months pregnant with my first child at the moment, part of the reason why I’m taking this course, so knowing all these points before she comes into this world will be so helpful for me and my husband.
Obviously I know what “stranger danger” is, but I never really thought about how it might affect my work as a music therapist. I don’t work with any babies/infants, and haven’t done so since my internship in 2010 when I was working in pediatric oncology. A lot of times, the parents weren’t in the room when I would come by, so for these little children, being in a strange place with machines beeping and being poked and prodded with needles, was so stressful that any friendly face was enough for them.
I think one thing that I could bring to early childhood music therapy based programs is my all-encompassing acceptance of wherever the child is developmentally at that moment; each child is different and has a different timeframe for development. I try to keep this in mind with every client I work with, and I always presume competence with them.

[Erin Schmidt]

Hi all,
My name is Erin Schmidt, I’ve been a music therapist for almost 10 years (wow!!) after getting my Master’s Equivalency from Nazareth College in Rochester, NY, and now work for a small company based in Cincinnati/Southeastern Indiana. I work with all ages, but have never really done much with children under the age of 5. I’m taking the course for several reasons: my 100 credits is due next June, I’m currently 14 weeks pregnant, and I want to get some ideas to use both in my work and personal life, when the baby comes!

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