[Ian Crawford]

To be honest, I can’t pinpoint many ways that I’ve incorporated this material into my practice yet. Except that I’ve used more starting/stopping and have attempted to use silence more effectively (I’m not sure if I’ve succeeded with that one). I am feeling significantly more comfortable with some of the younger classrooms I see, though. The 0-2 age group used to terrify me, due to my having basically no experience with little ones, either in my personal or professional life- I’m a youngest child, I have no friends with kids, and had no younger cousins around as a kid 🙁
But after digging more deeply into this material, I feel so much more aware and more perceptive of what is going on developmentally at that age, which makes me feel more confident, which makes me more relaxed, which allows me to have more fun, which leads to better music therapy!

I’m excited to continue applying all of this material to my work!

[Ian Crawford]

This was fun once I got going! I started with the Responsibility stage and worked backward, so it felt kind of like putting a puzzle together. It was nice to isolate just a few of the responses and trace them back through the stages. It made the whole developmental process seem a little less overwhelming.

Singing-
Awareness-Will make pitched vocalizations
-Will make sounds of varying duration
Trust- Will vocalize in tonality of song and match pitches 50% of attempts
– Will use varied vowels/consonants in vocalizations
Independence- Will string two pitches together to form an interval
– Will use simple word sounds in familiar songs
Control- Will sing entire phrases using approx. melodic contour
– Will sing three words in phrases using pitched intervals
Responsibility- Will sing stepwise interval
– Will sing familiar songs using melodic rhythm/contour

Playing
Awareness- Will alter movements in response to instrument sound
Trust- Will explore instruments with hands or mouth
– Will play very simple, short, repeated phrases
Independence- Will use hands to strike instruments
– Will bang two instruments together
Control- Will use familiar instruments functionally
Responsibility-Will group simple rhythm patterns into sequences of patterns

Movement
Awareness- Will move entire body
– Will show reflexive movement patterns
Trust- Will move body parts with internal rhythmic beat
Independence- Will move whole body rhythmically
– Will imitate clapping hands in response to music
Control- Isolate body parts to move rhythmically
Responsibility- Will recall and reproduce simple learned movement patterns

Listening
Awareness- Will tolerate different types of music
Trust- Will look toward the face of the singer
Independence- Will enjoy changes in dynamics, tempo, and timbre
Control- Will tolerate singing along with peers and others
Responsibility- Will listen to the music of others
– Will follow session routine

[Ian Crawford]

Well, I haven’t been able to try out these new songs yet, but I’m hoping to do so tomorrow! I really love Are You Ready For Music and i’m really looking forward to trying it with my younger groups this week. I think it’s such a great example of all of the elements that make a great therapy song. It’s repetitive, catchy, uses hand motions, easily allows for adaptation, and as you mentioned, is rhythmically enticing by starting on the second beat and using syncopation. I’m excited not only to use these songs in my practice but also to use the concepts and musical elements in new or improvised songs!

[Ian Crawford]

I currently live in Minneapolis, where there is a culturally diverse population. However, I haven’t been in many situations where I felt the need to adjust my music to meet cultural expectations. If I worked in different settings, such as hospice or assisted living, I might find otherwise but in early childhood it’s not something I’ve been aware of. That said, I spent over a year in San Antonio, TX and when I got there I repeatedly got requests for two genres I was not well versed in: country and mariachi! It definitely helped me beef up my repertoire with George Jones, Jimmy Buffet, Alan Jackson, and Johnny Cash songs. But I never got around to learning any mariachi tunes, despite my goal of learning Spanish while I was down there (which also didn’t happen).

[Ian Crawford]

A few of the classrooms I see came to mind when reading and watching the material on independence. 90% of the classes I see are gathered round in a circle (either with or without teacher support). But there is one class, probably just over a year old, who are scattered throughout the room every time I’m there. A few will be right with me on the carpet, but others are off in a corner, or wandering around. But even while wandering or sitting across the room in a comfy bean bag chair, they are usually engaged in some way. Whether actively listening, smiling, or playing an instrument quietly, they are engaged. It took me a while to get used to the idea that this is ok, and I’m glad you included that in your discussion. I also appreciate that you talked about different ways to encourage and celebrate independence.

[Ian Crawford]

A couple days a week I see a marathon of classrooms in a short amount of time, with kids ranging from 6 months to 5 yrs. Trying to keep track of developmental levels is a bit overwhelming, to say the least. It’s so nice to have this information presented so concisely and I’m excited to start applying it to my classes. So I guess the biggest takeaway is all of it! I’m really looking forward to next week’s videos.

[Ian Crawford]

I, too, find it difficult to assess my skill as a music therapist. I’ve only been working in early childhood for a couple of months and I’m still asking my colleagues SO many questions every day. But one thing I really try to bring into each session is the memory of what it feels like to be a child. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the details of the music or the intervention and all the other complicated adult stuff. I’m finally realizing that the most meaningful experiences happen when I’m able to let go and truly share in the sense of wonder and awe that these kids have for the world. I’m excited to learn more about developmental levels so I can go into sessions with a greater sense of purpose and with more confidence, thus allowing me to relax and have that child-like quality more frequently!

[Ian Crawford]

Hello! My name is Ian Crawford, typing all the way from Minneapolis, MN. I graduated from the University of Minnesota a few years ago and have since worked as a music therapy subcontractor in San Antonio, TX and here in Minneapolis. I’m currently working at a facility that serves individuals with autism and also contains a preschool for kiddos without autism. Since my previous jobs have involved middle school and high school age groups, I’m hoping to gain more knowledge about early childhood development and how to approach my groups/classrooms with more focus and attention to individual developmental levels.

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