[Jezin Chung]

My biggest takeaway from this course is the different aspects of development when working with children. Apart from the development scales and checklist, I have learned so much on the musical development and also the developmental responses to the parents (e.g., awareness). I believe this gives me a broader view on the development but also at the same time it gives me the opportunity to look at each child right at their level, seeing how they are doing and finding ways to support them even more. This course also helped me to remind the importance of the relationship of the children and the parents. Sometimes I tend to focus too much on the child and coming up with goals and objectives for the child that sometimes I have to look back and come back to the family-centered care that I want to focus on.

So with the expanded view on the developmental levels, I have a better understanding on how to format my sessions, designed to fully benefit the children and their families. With the additional resources on the songs from this course, I believe I have now a wider range of options for the session.

I am excited to share this with my friends and families, on what I have learned and also coming up with ways to start think about providing community based music therapy in my community. I know that a lot of parents look for resources to support their children and I believe that this would be something they would be interested in.

[Jezin Chung]

The youngest age groups that I worked with in a group setting was elementary students. When the children become too stimulated, I aways have a relaxation song handy to offer a break from all of the interventions we are doing. Always taking a time to take a break is important since it can become a lot to the children.

I tend to be careful with the words I use and sometimes write out some of the directions beforehand for me to practice. For example, I am very careful in using the “no” word and try to phrase my directions so that I use it minimally as possible. I also try to keep my directions short and crisp so it is easier for the children to follow. And when it gets to the point it gets too loud where my voice is not being heard, I make big motions of me showing I am trying to tell them sometimes but do it with the quietest voice possible so that they become curious to what I am saying.

[Jezin Chung]

I cannot officially practice music therapy here in Austria yet but I am excited to come up with ways to adapt this into a virtual format and offer these experiences to my community. Since in this pandemic it is getting harder to meet as a community, I believe that having this in virtual format would really support families who are having a hard time. It is during this time of intense days that joyful musical experiences can bring a positive change. I am also looking forward to in the future when this pandemic ends of offering these musical experiences in person, offering my community with an unique experience and supporting families in the area.

[Jezin Chung]

I’ve had multi-age groups with a bigger age range going from 3 – 15 year olds at my internship. It was really challenging to find base interventions that would engage everyone. Though with a smaller range of age in this program, I think it could also happen that maybe some of the songs might not be quiet age-appropriate for the older ones. I can also see there would be challenges when older siblings would overwhelm the younger ones, just like Maura mentioned. Since with the age difference, developmental stages can also be different, taking into account of this might also challenge on some of the song choices I make.

[Jezin Chung]

I would say that the goal of this community-based program is not to teach music skills to the children but rather enhance and support the developmental stages of each child through music. Music can address many different aspects of development such as social, motor, emotional developments. And since each child develop at different rates, we try our best to meet each child at their level and support them in any way possible. We also not only focus on the children but also create opportunities for bonding between the parent and the child. So we as music therapists work on non-musical goals to address the development of the children using music as our main tool.

[Jezin Chung]

1. Support, 2. Individuality, 3. Connections, 4. Joyful, 5. Sharing

Check-in with the parents to see how they are doing. Start with Hello Song, Come and Join the Circle. Move on to bonding song, Wiggly Jiggly. Sing “All of this is Me” and allow older siblings to hep out their younger siblings. Transition to instrument song, I Like this song, offering some instrument choices. Movement song, I Really Gotta Jump and end with Music Time is Over.

[Jezin Chung]

1. Active, 2. Creative, 3. Personality, 4. Intentional, 5. Strong

Before starting, check-in with parents with how they are doing. Invite everyone to sit in a circle, start rhythm patting on knee and sing, “Sit Down With Me”. Use other body parts (tapping on head) for rhythm. Move on to My Brand New Friend. You Play A Little, Will You Come? End with a Goodbye Song, Time To Go.

[Jezin Chung]

I agree with everyone that it really is dependent on how much each child is able to tolerate sensory stimulation. And as Elizabeth and Meredith mentioned, it is important for us as music therapists to be sensitive to the dynamics of the group/flow of energy and become aware what is happening at the moment. And also being able to redirect when someone is being agitated and find a middle ground for the whole group is also important job for the music therapist. Sometimes parents may not be aware that some things are too much for their children so I believe that sessions like these become a great opportunity to learn.

[Jezin Chung]

I am currently not in practice but when I worked with this age group during my internship, I remember using a lot of smaller instruments like maracas, small xylophones and hand bells. I would always make sure that the instruments are easy to hold for the children. Also small gathering drums were also useful when doing sessions with parents. Sometimes I would use the back of the guitar as a drum when I didn’t have a drum at the moment.

[Jezin Chung]

5 words:
1. Playful 2. Free movement 3. Authenticity 4. Anticipated Surprise 5. Exploration

Sentences:
1. I know it may feel uneasy having your child run around but let’s encourage the child to explore the room and take in the information, while maintaining a safe environment.
2. This age range is really when the child begins to create an identity of self so we want to encourage for the child to move freely.
3. It may seem the child is not participating much but I see that the child is really focused on the instruments. There is a lot of things going around so they may not be able to do a bunch of things at the same time.
4. Let’s try tapping the steady beat with our feet!
5. I can see the child is really exploring the different kind of instruments laid out in front of them!

Session Plan:
Check in with parents and create a safe environment for children to explore room. Begin with a Hello Song, “Hey! Hey! Come and Play!” and then transition to “Wiggly Jiggly Car”. Remind parents that it’s ok if children move around but also providing a sense of security of coming back to parents. Move on to “Just Like Me”, exploring different parts of self and providing opportunity to get a sense of their own bodies. Use “Sit With Me And Shake” and explore different instruments. Transition to movement song: March With My Baby and explore the room. Sing Goodbye

[Jezin Chung]

Word:
1. Touch, 2. Cuddling, 3. Bonding, 4. Swaying, 5. Joy

Sentences:
1. Look how the baby is keeping eye contact with you throughout the song! They are really engaged in the music.
2. Now we are going to gently tap a steady beat either on the baby’s chest or belly to help them engage in the music.
3. Did you notice the baby stop moving when we stopped singing/playing?
4. Looks like the baby is feeling uncomfortable in this position. Let’s try a different position.
5. Let’s make sure to keep the words clear and crisp to grab the baby’s attention.

Session Plan:
1. Check in with parents and allow time for parents to greet each other
2. Gathering/Greeting song: Good Morning song
3. Bonding Song: Row it Faster, to promote healthy distance and also engagement
4. Songs About Me: Where is my face
5. Instrument Song: In my Little Hand
6. Movement Song: Pick Your Hands Up High
7. Goodbye Song

[Jezin Chung]

I believe that one of the main supports parents can get for their children is through community. The connections they make from their communities become precious and helpful, and music can play a huge part in gathering and connecting communities. Music is not only fun but also very educating and engaging. It has always been in my mind, and also received questions from friends and families, on how music therapy can be used not only in clinical settings but also for those who would like to benefit from music therapy. And through this course I was able to learn and experience that clinical music therapy is not the only method to practice. So moving away from the clinical aspects of music therapy, community-based music therapy plays an important role in connecting parents and their children and also connecting families and their communities.

[Jezin Chung]

My only experience with this age group was during my internship when I worked at a children’s hospital. Due to the nature of the setting, clinical music therapy was the main focus. But even with the clinical aspects, babies at such young age are in need of the connection between the parent and the child. Yes there were times when relaxation from such a stressful environment was the main focus but I would say that the majority of the time I spent with parents and their children was showing ways to create a positive connection between them. Encouraging the parents to sing along using their voices and having them hold while singing, or coming up with ways to put own lyrics into lullabies some of the interventions used when I worked with this age group. So the focus was not just on the child but also on the the parents.

[Jezin Chung]

Music therapists provide valuable experiences that help facilitate connection between children and their families. We support the development of the children while making sure that the parents also gain an understanding of what is going on and create a close bonding experience, all in a safe and interactive environment.

[Jezin Chung]

I am currently not in practice but I believe that the families and communities in my area are in need of more resources for programs with young children with special needs. At the school I am currently planning an after school music program, the staff I got to connect with expressed how they are getting more students with special needs but do not have enough resources to provide additional care outside of school hours, which they would like to provide. Even in the parents’ perspective of the students, they are constantly trying to find more resources to learn more about their children and find programs for their developmental needs.

I am still in the process of having my music therapy studies and certification that I have acquired in the States validated here in Austria so I cannot officially practice music therapy yet, which is why I am hoping to lead an after school music program/club starting sometime early next year to start providing some of that support. But I would like to continue research more on what the families are looking for specifically and be able to provide additional support and resources. And I believe that music is a great way to provide some of that support because it is easily accessible and safe to approach.

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