[Joanna Calahan]

5 Words: Inviting, Comforting, Accepting, Playful, and Adaptive.

5 Sentences I could use with parents in SM1: 1) It’s ok if he cries or startles. He may need more time to trust the motions for this song. 2) Did you see her reach for the (instrument)? She wants to play with you! 3) It’s ok to move with your little one! 4) Notice how your child is cooing or babbling. They’re beginning to find their voice! 5) Watch his facial expressions as you sing to him.

Lauren- I like your idea of the exploration. I typically put the instrument exploration before the “planned” instruments intervention to allow clients decision making opportunities. I think exploration is an important part of making music as it allows us to build trust within our environment, materials, and familiarize ourselves with others around us.

I use a similar structure to Beth and Meredith’s outline in the preschool program I work with right now. Sometimes I add another instrument, singing or movement song, sometimes I take away a singing intervention, but this is the primary structure I already use, and would adapt for SM1.

-Hello/Gathering
-Bonding or Embedded Song
-Transition Song
-Movement
-Instrument Exploration
-Instrument Play/song
-Transition/Clean up song
-Songs About Me or second movement song
-Cool Down
-Goodbye Song

[Joanna Calahan]

I recorded lullabies for a NICU project in college, and am aware of the importance of attachment, tempo, vocal timbre and inflections when working with little ones, however I have never led a music therapy session with infants. I personally don’t have kids, and honestly can’t recall the last time I spent a prolonged amount of time with this age group other than passing by at the grocery or on a plane ride, but from the brief moments I have been in contact with children this young I have tried to present a positive affect, and have noticed my voice changes more towards song-like inflections when I spoke to them. This is an age I am interested in working with and will be exposed to more as I’m entering a stage in my personal life where many of my friends are beginning to start families. I imagine (or at least hope) they will seek guidance from me when it comes to incorporating music in their family’s daily lives, and to promote development and bonding through music.

[Joanna Calahan]

Music therapists provide opportunities for growth and development without being threatening or invasive. Because music is something that most people around the world can connect with it provides opportunities to share, create, and grow both collectively and individually. I think that music (as well as art, dance, and drama) with young children is essential to their development because it not only helps with critical and logical thinking, but it also allows the child to explore the world around them, and experience different sensations and emotions, and increases our imagination and playfulness that we sometimes forget about or forget to use in our busy worlds.

[Joanna Calahan]

The region I live in has currently experienced an influx of new clients with ASD or I/DD on the Waiver system in Indiana. With that there has been a general increase for the want of music therapy, as well as music therapy providers. I think a lot of my families are looking for structured and fun ways to encourage their children to increase communication skills, learn and practice appropriate social skills, and increase attending skills. I’ve noticed that with this new waiver release many of the “new” families (those who’ve never received waiver services) are requesting music therapy services because they (the parents) have noticed their child’s enjoyment of music, and because of this are wanting to try music therapy before other types of therapies.

[Joanna Calahan]

I typically try to structure my sessions to incorporate all four developmental stages. This is primarily because many of my clients are Autistic, and are very schedule governed. A typical session will start out with a hello song, followed by singing, playing, moving, and a goodbye song. The amount of singing, playing, and moving interventions vary depending on the client or group, and if they help create their schedule. I often embed directions in various songs I use to encourage my clients to sing/play/move with me. Some directions require clients to imitate dynamics or tempo, imitate or create a movement on their own, or to fill in the blank of a familiar song. For some clients I do a listening activity in which they have to try to identify the instruments, dynamic, or tempi. I use a lot of repetition in my songs, as well as simple rhythmic patterns. I constantly have to remind myself to allow space to give clients time to react or participate. It’s something I’ve been working on since undergraduate, so it was nice to be reminded of Beth’s “rule of 3,000.”

[Joanna Calahan]

Hello, here’s what I have come up with. I found this assignment challenging. Sometimes I get so caught up in trying to make sessions happen that I forget that each client is at a different level. It’s nice to have a guideline of musical developmental stages, and to create my own version to become more aware of and help reach my clients where they are at in their musical development.

Singing:
awareness- identifies a sound source, trust- sings with familiar persons (mom/dad/therapist), independence- spontaneous vocalizations, control- creates and/or imitates musical patterns, responsibility- adapts to sing with others (blends pitch, dynamics, timbre, etc.)

Playing Instruments:
awareness: touches instrument but doesn’t necessarily play, trust- knows a sound will be produced when it is touched/played (not purposefully making sound), independence- plays the instrument with purpose, control- plays with two hands & can play with pulse/meter, responsibility- plays as a part of a group

Moving:
awareness- moves slightly to music without control, trust- moves when prompted, independence- moves on own (spontaneous), control- synchronizes movements to the rhythm, responsibility- practices the movements & coordinates routine through music

Listening:
awareness- identifies sound source, trust- turns towards/away pleasing or unpleasant sounds, independence- adapts or changes to music as it appeals to them (client/self), control- purposefully adjusts dynamics/timbre/tempo to fit the music, responsibility- seeks music for self enjoyment to listen to (for relaxation, stimulation, etc.)

[Joanna Calahan]

Lately I have been very interested in early childhood development, early intervention, and educational curriculum. I’m still very young in my professional career, so I feel I have many avenues I could take in regards to implementing early childhood music therapy based programs whether within a school setting, clinical or private practice. I think the more I continue to work with this age group and continue to develop my clinical skills, the more I will be able to provide music therapy services for young children where it may not be offered.

[Joanna Calahan]

One little guy I work with in my preschool group waivers between trust and independence. We have been working on vocalizations, attending skills, following directions, and motivation. One instance that stands out to me happened a few weeks ago when we were tracing and singing a song about a square. The phrase “this is a square” is repeated throughout a piggy back song based off “Three Blind Mice.” I often sing the entire song first, then encourage the clients to fill in the word “square” at the end. After singing this song 2-3 times, and allowing time for clients to count and trace the shape this little boy continued to look away from the visual, refused to trace it, and moved throughout the room. I decided to sing the song one more time to see what would happen. I sang all of the song except for the last “square” in which he independently looked at the square and clearly identified the shape without any additional prompting from me. I instantly exploded with praise as he said the word all by himself, slowly moving into independent stage!

[Joanna Calahan]

I have the book “You and Me Makes WE,” and have used in all sorts of sessions. I frequently find myself using “Good Morning” with the clients I see first thing in the morning to assist with waking up and orienting to the environment/day. I’ll usually start singing slowly and quietly, and gradually become louder and a little faster to encourage my clients to “wake up,” open their droopy eyes, make eye contact with peers and myself.

I use “Wiggly Jiggly Car” in a session with a client in which we are working on safety skills. I have her sit next to me on the floor, put our (imaginary) seat belts on, and use frame drums as steering wheels as I sang the song for her. I’ll often have her hit the drum at the end of the song to pretend “honk” on the horn. She got a kick out of it! At the end of the song I asked her questions such as “when do we put our seat belts on?” and “Why do we wear seat belts?” This helped generate a simple but important conversation about car safety.

[Joanna Calahan]

I grew up in a military family, and was exposed to a variety of genres and styles from the various regions of the country we lived in throughout my childhood. Being a military kid I’ve always enjoyed Patriotic songs, and will often share the stories behind songs like the “Star Spangled Banner” with my clients, and constantly ask my parents for various chants they sang with their troops during training (both my parents are retired officers). I spent a lot of my childhood in Georgia and Texas and have a fond appreciation for folk, old country and bluegrass pieces. I often go to the old string shop to finger pick with community members when I go home to visit my folks in Texas. My dad and uncle will often go with me. We spend hours chatting, sharing songs, and creating memories. I think it is important to share those experiences with them, and to also share in the music making with others. Plus it gives me a chance to learn songs and stories and enhance my finger picking skills. I did my internship with a hospice near the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley. My of my clients preferred hymns, folk, and Patriotic songs, so it was neat to share songs such as “Down in the Valley” and “Shenandoah” with those clients, and to reminisce over the “days of yore.”

Where I live and work now kind of mixes between traditional folk or country songs and pop music. It just kind of depends on who my clients are each day. Some days I go from singing “Veggie Tales” and Disney to singing John Denver all in the matter of hours!

[Joanna Calahan]

The developmental stages outlined in the module are helping me recognize where some of my preschool clients may or may not have deficits with their development. For example, one of the little guys in the preschool program I work with is delayed with supporting himself, and will often lean to the side when sitting up, so we have to sit with him and provide hand-over-hand assistance to play instruments and feeding himself. While most of the preschoolers in his class are 3-4 years old and able to run, walk, crawl, and sit independently, this little guy is only able to walk and barely prop himself up. It’s been interesting to observe, compare, and reflect on each of my preschool clients’s developmental progress now that I’ve watched and reviewed this module.

[Joanna Calahan]

Hello! My name is Joanna Calahan. I am a music therapist in Southern Indiana and I’ve been working professionally for just over a year now. My clientele ranges from age 3- adult, all with I/DD or Autism. I am a music therapist for my company’s interdisciplinary preschool program in which clients receive music, speech, occupational and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapies along with typical preschool lesson plans (This week’s “theme” is trains!). I am looking forward enhancing my skill set, as well as learning new ways to provide music therapy to assist with early childhood development.

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