[Favor Chujor]

Music therapists can provide context for some of the behaviors that a child is presenting in a musical setting. But because music therapists are also familiar with child development outside of music, they can also provide that context in a general sense. Music therapists are a great mediator between a child and their musical exploration and the caregiver. Music therapy is a more holistic way to interact with a child outside of formal educational settings as well.

[Favor Chujor]

I think, just because of the world we live in now and also because of COVID, the families that I interact with are in need of togetherness and certainty. There are so many aspects of life that are unpredictable, but music provides a safe space and predictability for families. In this safe space, young children can learn how to interact appropriately with each other and parents can find a support system within each other.

[Favor Chujor]

The gathering drum is such a great instrument to use with young children! Not only is it just fun to look at, but it provides each child with a big, safe (and fairly stationary) instrument to manipulate and explore while they play, too!

[Favor Chujor]

I’ve used all of these experiences, in some form! One of my favorite songs to do is a Blues Check-in, where I have each client share how they’re feeling with the group. After each response, I reflect their emotions through my playing style (eg. finger picking, slow/fast tempo, changing the meter). I also love doing instrument play with embedded directions in the song. It’s great to see the children pick up on the directions as the song progresses and go from passive to active participants in the music!

[Favor Chujor]

Music therapy can be a tangible way for families to explore intangible concepts in a safe and accessible way. Within music therapy, families can interact with their young child in a way that is developmentally appropriate and assists in the child understanding the world around them.

[Favor Chujor]

You’re so fortunate to have that musical influence right in your community! I took a World Music class in college and we spent about two months on Latin American and Indigenous music and it was so cool to learn about the historical and social impact that music had on those communities.

[Favor Chujor]

As someone who grew up taking piano lessons, this hits especially close to home! Also thinking about Mozart, it’s interesting to think about the fact that he wrote so many of these recognizable melodies as a young child! Maybe the reason his music is so influential to children is because he wrote so many melodies as a child himself.

[Favor Chujor]

I’m originally from North Dakota, so a lot of my familiar music growing up was American folk songs and country music. However, there was a big classical music community in my hometown, and I took piano lessons growing up, so I was exposed to that genre as well. However, my family is from Nigeria, where they use a lot more polyrhythms and syncopation, which I try to incorporate into my musical practice. Taking traditional American songs and making them a bit more syncopated or polyrhythmic has been a great way to stretch my musical brain!

[Favor Chujor]

I’m currently observing in the Sprouting Melodies classes at RMTS and last week, I observed an infant being in the awareness stage! Throughout one of the songs, he would vocalize “OOH!” immediately after the MT-BC sang “OOH!”. In these vocalizations, he also matched pitch and kicked his feet to the tempo of the song.

[Favor Chujor]

I found myself singing “Just Like Me” throughout the week! I love that it’s so simple and reflective our natural speech pattern. Having that natural speech pattern embedded in a familiar musical cadence is an amazing way to introduce young children to safe social interactions with others.

[Favor Chujor]

Hi Mikelia! I agree, knowing what to expect in typical development was a huge takeaway this week. Being able to communicate what typical developmental milestones look like to parents/family/caregivers will help everyone stay grounded in the overall therapeutic experience.

[Favor Chujor]

Hi Rachel! I definitely have been more conscious of my environment since I’ve started observing some Sprouting Melodies classes in person. Being a fully grown person is strange because I don’t really think about the little pieces of paper on the ground, but for a little one, that piece of paper is huge and so interesting! So it’s important to be aware of that in a clinic space, good luck on the search!

[Favor Chujor]

Just as Rachel said, I want to establish a sense of play in my sessions! I want children to feel like they have the space to explore and make sense of their world in a safe environment with their families. But I also will be bringing a better sense of awareness of what that space will look like for each child, depending on their developmental level.

[Favor Chujor]

My biggest takeaway this week was that being cognizant of a child’s developmental stages will not only benefit one’s relationship with the child, but also how that child views and interacts with the world. If we understand that a 2 year old’s tantrum has a different developmental impact than a 4 year old’s outburst, we can create environments in which that child can safely express themselves and establish healthy relationships with others.

[Favor Chujor]

Hello! My name’s Favor Chujor (she/her) and I’m currently a music therapy intern at Roman Music Therapy Services! I live in Rhode Island and I just graduated with my music therapy degree from Nazareth College. I’m so excited to dig into this course and learn new skills that will help me in my music therapy journey. I’m passionate about working with children and families, so this course will definitely be beneficial to me as I grow and learn!

[Author]

Posts