[Erin Spring]

I’ve already started researching libraries and their current programming. I think they will be my first goal. I think my timeline goal will be this summer so I can get one of my therapists trained who does school year contracts so she has summer work to do. I am about to meet with a marketing specialist, so I think between what is already provided as a SM Provider and the input from this marketing consultant, I think I’ll have a great strategy for marketing this to administrators. As far as colleagues, I think the program sells itself when you explain that only board-certified can provide it and how its structured, and families too!

[Erin Spring]

I am SO EXCITED about all the possibilities that could come from Sprouting Melodies in my business. There are so many ways to apply this program. I would love to develop library contracts with it and develop and good intergenerational program between preschools and nursing homes with Senior Sprouts. The possibilities just seem endless. I think this training will impact my work as a business owner as I market and start Sprouting Melodies services, and it was also a great refresher of child development and music development that will help me in my work as a professor and supervisor.

[Erin Spring]

I’m really looking forward to giving parents a new avenue to bond and interact with their child, as well as help parents and caregivers learn strategies for addressing negative behaviors. I also very much look forward to having a new way of demonstrating the advantages gained from utilizing a board-certified music therapist over those who do music groups with significantly less training.

[Erin Spring]

I have not run a lot of young child music groups. I think for me focus on communicating with the parents/caregivers and working as a team with them will be key to ensuring each child’s success in my Sprouting Melodies groups.

[Erin Spring]

5 Words for Sprouting 3: Active, Deliberate, Personality, Strong, Creative

Sprouting 3 Song Plan: Sit Down And Join My Circle, My Brand New Friend, Watch Me Go, Jumping Up and Jumping Down, You Play A Little, Time to Go

5 Words for Family Sprouts: Cooperation, Helping, Sharing, Connections, Support

Family Sprouts Song Plan: Come On Lets Make Some Music, I Like to Lick the Ice Cream, Who’s That, You and Me Make We, Can You Follow, Its Time to Say Goodbye

[Erin Spring]

5 Words: Exploration, Free Movement, Playful, Spontaneous, Timbre Variety

5 Phrases for Parents: Vary the directions in which your child faces; Allow your child to explore playing different instruments in varying ways- including using their mouth; Encourage movement by allowing the child to move freely and support their movements; Each child progresses at their own pace; Encourage Independence

Sprouting 2 Song Plan: Sit With Me, Hey Hey Come and Play, Horsey Carry Me, Just Like Me, In My Little Hand, I Can Move Around, Music Time Is Over

[Erin Spring]

I like finding real instruments that are easy to sanitize, but are colorful and sound good. There are so many cheap sounding children’s toy instruments out there I hate to use.

[Erin Spring]

1. Singing: Awareness- eyes/head turns toward source of singing; Trust- vocalizes in response to happiness or unhappiness; Independence- vocalizes to familiar songs; Control- changes dynamics of voice; Responsibility- song choices.

2. Playing: Awareness- eyes/head turns toward source of instrument; Trust- Explores instruments with hands; Independence- grasps instruments and moves instruments with some intentional coordination (ex hand to hand transfers); Control- Plays instruments with dynamic and tempo changes; Responsibility- instrument choices.

3 Moving: Awareness- sucks rhythmically; Trust- moves body in response to music or rhythm; Independence- moves to familiar songs; Control- starts and stops movement in accordance with start and stop of music; Responsibility- incorporates larger sequence of movements.

4. Listening: Awareness- changes body position in response to music; Trust- tracks source of music; Independence- demonstrates music preferences; Control- anticipates beginning and ending of music; Responsibility- adjusts responses in response to music/group.

[Erin Spring]

I tend to use all those elements as well, even with adults. I often try to work towards increasing their “levels” of participation. I often start with simple listening; if they engage well this way, we add singing and/or instrument playing; then adding movement, eventually song writing or improvisation.

[Erin Spring]

I love using the song that starts out “Please sit down with me, put your hands right one your knees…. and we’ll sing a little more…” My practicum students and I often use this with our preschool classes and its so perfect for refocusing everyone and quickly getting everyone in their seats and hands to themselves. We often just use the first phrase between experiences. 🙂

[Erin Spring]

I think of music for development as music whose aim is to enhance the way the children’s mind and body responds to stimuli in the world around them. Music for skill building is music whose aim is to assist the child in learning to perform a specific skill or skill set. I agree with Petra that they go hand in hand. I think music for development has less obvious benefits than music for skill development. Parents may likely need assistance to see the music for development benefits, versus they may quickly see the development of a new skill. Just my thoughts.

[Erin Spring]

I agree with Stacy and the others that it in some ways is similar to the balancing act we as music therapists do when we are providing a group music therapy session, especially with individuals with developmental disabilities, where each participant may be on a very different developmental level depending on the domain area of focus. I think for us, its a matter of transferring that balancing act to this family setting. I also agree a key is also balancing and communicating with the parents. You really have 2 groups, the parents and the children, and each group needs a specialized approach.

[Erin Spring]

Ironically I am in the process of working with a student to propose a presentation on ways to adapt NICU techniques to other populations where stimulation levels and limited means of communicating are present. I haven’t taken the NICU training myself, but I do think there are some good guidelines and seemingly minor responses to be aware of and indications for how to respond with additional or less stimulation, type of stimulation or combination, decibel level, etc. We are working on applying these to adult hospital patients but they obviously could apply to Sprouting Melodies kiddos too. They don’t have the serious medical needs and concerns that infants in the NICU do, but I think applying the NICU techniques to assist in determining stimulation would be appropriate and successful.

[Erin Spring]

My five words: comforting, bonding, trust, gentle and appropriate

When talking to parents:
1. Bonding is extremely important for infants, and this class is specifically designed to support and nurture bonding.
2. You infant prefers familiar voices. (Your voice is most important to your infant, therefore it is vital that you participate in the singing. Your infant just wants to hear your voice, no matter how you think it may sound, to your infant, there is no sweeter sound that you)
3. The songs, movements and instruments use in this class are specifically selected and designed to provide your infant with the appropriate type and amount of sensory stimulation, which is so important to your child’s development.
4. Your child will generally respond to sedative songs rather than play songs at this age.
5. Your child will likely respond to and create varied pitches.

I’m not sure I can think session plan at the moment- its been a long day, but my expectation is that I will use experience demonstrated in this training, and then as I become more comfortable with the type of service, the families, and work with other therapists providing sprouting melodies, that we will adapt and create new experiences that accomplish the same things, but in our own unique ways.

[Erin Spring]

I think trust is an important aspect for children this young; this is their first experience with the world and so it is important that they be able to trust and become comfortable and confident in their environment/world. I had quite a few infant cousins growing up, and I always would sing to them when I held them. They always seemed to calm and appeared more comfortable when I sang to them. Even though I was not one of their usual caregivers, who often sang to them, so my singing I think indicated that I was trustworthy to my infant cousins. Singing is something that can be created/provided pretty much anytime, anywhere. At home, in car, at a restaurant, etc. No matter how an environment or people change in an infant’s life, I think creating a response of comfort from singing stimuli can create the opportunity for consistency and trust for an infant. Familiar voice is ideal, but I think familiar type of stimuli is the next best thing.

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