[Hannah Floyd]

SINGING:
AWARENESS: Child begins to recognize pitches and tries to imitate them. TRUST: The child can match certain pitches
INDEPENDENCE: Through babbling, the child explores the voice by adding melodic inflection.
CONTROL: The child begins to recognize, sing along, and understand thier part in familiar songs. All the notes do not have to be correct.
RESPONSIBILITY: Meter and pulse is added to the melodic singing. The meter is accurate to the song.

INSTRUMENTS:
AWARENESS: The child will acknowledge instruments and reach toward it. The child will also possibly recognize the difference in calming music versus playful/exciting music.
TRUST: Though this intentional play is usually brief, the child will actually pick up and play the instrument.
INDEPENDENCE: The child will purposefully play instruments and will try to play a variety of them.
CONTROL: They is an internal control where the child is able to stop and start the playing of instruments.
RESPONSIBILITY: The child maintains a steady beat.

MOVEMENT:
AWARENESS: instinctual rhythmic movements begin to occur to music
TRUST-Movements become more steady and repetitive to music. Bopping to the music
INDEPENDENT: Children intentionally move isolated parts of their body rhythmically to the music (like clapping their hands)
CONTROL: The child begins to imitate you, following learned movements. (Move your arms a certain way, hand movements).
RESPONSIBILITY: Movements begin to become a sequence. They want the challenge.

LISTENING:
AWARENESS- the child recognizes vocal timbre
TRUST: the child now recognizes familiar melodies. This can be used to illicit certain emotions from the child (to calm).
INDEPENDENCE: the child begins to match intensity of the music
CONTROL-the child has the ability to stop their movements in order to listen to the music
RESPONSIBILITY: The child can listen to others music and appreciate it. This can be done during turn taking.

[Hannah Floyd]

Just for my organization I’m breaking this up into sections. Also many of the children I see are between the independence, control, and responsibility phases. The two primary groups are independence, control and responsibility. I think what is cool though, is that even though we are talking about groups I have a 3 year old client who I can now take the time and let the mother know where he is developmentally after this. For example for singing he is in the independence stage, but with instrument playing he is in the control phase. Just a cool observation on my end!

Singing: For singing, many of my students are in the control phase, with some being in the independence and some in responsibility. We have a hello song every week where many of the children sing along or fill in the blanks when I pause. Many of this is call and response, and when teaching them a new song I have alot of repetition. I also like adding animal sounds into the hello song, because it creates a fun space to explore different sounds.

Instrument: For instrument playing, sometimes give them the choice to choose which instrument they would like to play, and sometimes I have a predetermined instrument that is the same for everyone. I think one fun this is have them play in different ways (loud, soft, fast, slow) and have them match me. Then, depending on their level, I bring them up to then lead the group if they should go fast, slow, etc. One thing I would like to incorporate more is exploring more instruments, and having them just play at first without it being as structured.

Movement: In my classrooms I ALWAYS include some movement. Whether it being during the hello song or an actual intervention. I usually have everyone follow certain movements (stomp feet, clap hands) and gradually move from low energy movements to high. Along with with I like having them adjust to the tempo I’m playing along with them thinking of some moves. For example we do “dance like a chicken” or “dance like a superhero”.

Listening: Like I mentioned above, I’ve had experiences where the peers come up to lead experiences whether they go fast, slow, loud or soft. Not only that, but I like to do alot of matching with them where I change dynamics or tempos for them to follow me.

[Hannah Floyd]

An example of responsibility that I have noticed in schools is specifically matching of dynamics. This is my first year in schools, and many of the children are developmentally delayed in certain areas. At the beginning of year I many focused on maintaining the beat, but now that time has passed we can engage in more play. We do different dynamics, and they do well following me. Most of the time it actually causes joy and laughter.

[Hannah Floyd]

Awareness level: reaction to sound or music by turning their heads and turning towards the music; differentiating pitch and timbre between voices; and preferring consonance more than dissonance.

Trust Level: Hearing changes in melodies that are heard before; Movements have a purpose (to reach for and investigate an instrument); and the movements move rhythmically, even if the movements are not steady

Independence Level: Using their own body to play the instruments (hitting the drum for example); beginning to move by bouncing, clapping, and movement in legs; then response to music and singing (reacting with excitement to dynamic changes for example)

Control Level: Imitating movements seen; this is something I do alot in schools but stop and start when the music plays (freeze dance); using words, gestures, or other forms of communication to request music

Responsibility Level: Controlling and matching dynamics; maintaining steady beat; and listening to how others are playing and match them.

[Hannah Floyd]

I used Car on My Knee with my younger classrooms with week. Similar to Jessica I also replaced with with a shaker. We covered alot of parts of our body, and I was able in one classroom have a students then choose what body parts they wanted to tap with the shaker next. They were able to stay engaged for a good period of time.

[Hannah Floyd]

For me, I work for a company that holds individualized music therapy sessions at their two locations along with agency contracts within the community. All but 1 of my individual sessions are caucasian with the 1 being hispanic. When I am in the public schools though, almost all the children I see are African American. When it comes to music choices, I usually hear from the teachers on what they like to listen to. I also like to try to (in the high school classes) show songs from around the world.

[Hannah Floyd]

Hi Jessica! I really loved how you highlighted seeing children grow at their own pace. I relate to this at meeting them where they are. And I agree about what you said about parents! As someone who works in schools I also notice this with teachers.

[Hannah Floyd]

As a new music therapist who primarily works in schools with young children, I find one thing that is so important is that while I’m trying to reach goals and objectives, I also try to take the time to get to know where every child is at. I want them to be able to creative, explore, and feel safe with me. Even if something goes wrong, or they are upset and throwing attention, they know I’m there and after taking a deep breath we will try again. Also I feel like it’s important that though I am older than them, I’m learning and growing along with them.

[Hannah Floyd]

I think one thing that really stood out to me was how much change actually occurs during such a short time. As a new MT-BC, who took child development years ago, it was really interesting to relook at all this info. I also realized one of my downfalls was thinking development started later, not when the child is born. It was really enlightening to recognize that every moment there is development occurring. I currently have a client at the age of 3, and this information made me think how not only can I, the MT-BC, bring this into the session but also how to discuss these stages with the child’s mother. This week reestablished my foundation, and from there I take the information and use it within my practice.

[Hannah Floyd]

Hi everyone!

My name is Hannah Floyd and I am a newly certified Music Therapist as of 2021! I spent my undergrad at Slippery Rock University and then my internship at A Place to Be in Virginia. I am currently working at The Music Settlement in Cleveland Ohio. I primarily am placed in schools where the age range is kindergarten to high school. When I’m not in sessions you can usually find me with a camera, since I also am a photographer on the side. I look forward to learning from and with you all!

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