[Joanne Van Eycke]

This training will have a significant positive impact for me professionally. As a military spouse, I am still trying to find a balance in my professional and personal life. I find it difficult to “set up shop” in a new town only to move and start all over again somewhere else. Sprouting Melodies is something I feel that will travel well with me. Since families can sign up for blocks of time it will make any future moves less abrupt as the dates were set up front. In fact, as I was watching week 10 videos, my husband called to tell me we would be moving one year earlier than anticipated. I still plan to continue my partnership with the early childhood center from January-June but by September will be out of state. I am so glad I will be able to access the SM community online wherever I am.

[Joanne Van Eycke]

I have begun a partnership with an early childhood center in my community. We are currently discussing an in-service for the staff as well as a workshop for the parents. The center serves about 1,200 children ages 0-5 and I am looking forward to sharing Sprouting Melodies with them.

[Joanne Van Eycke]

Tori, I agree your first post was applicable here as well. I too feel that being the leader helps to assure success for the groups. The strategies we learned for supporting the parents were most helpful for me as this will be the first time I will have parents in a group. Leading by example, intervening when appropriate and communicating clearly are all very important when facilitating the group. The previous assignments of constructing sentences to parents were good examples of what to say and will be very useful in practice. The more the parent feel supported, the better they can support their child and ensure their success.

[Joanne Van Eycke]

I am really excited to provide high quality music groups to the early childhood population. After this training, I feel more confidant in choosing appropriate songs and activities. Also, this training has been very motivating for me. Since I have been home with my son for 15 months I have felt disconnected from my professional life. This training has gotten me excited about getting back out there again. It has also given me some great new repertoire to use at home as well as at work. Thank you for helping me to meld my mommy world and my professional world.

[Joanne Van Eycke]

There can be many challenges with providing multi-age groups, which is why it is so important to structure the group for success. Finding a balance of songs that will engage the older ones, but not over stimulate the babies is important. I really like Erika’s suggestion of enlisting the older children to be helpers. I’ve noticed that this sometimes brings even more awareness of the group and the helpers become invested in making the activities successful.

Another challenge would be when a parent has two children that are mobile. In the music group I attend, I notice the stress and frustration of these parents at times. Parents express the feeling of being “outnumbered” and that the children are often going in opposite directions. Supporting these parents in the group and reassuring that it’s ok for the children to explore since the room is safe and setup for exploration is especially important for these parents. I’ve noticed that the other families are also very helpful when a parent is “outnumbered.” This is a great part of a community group when everyone pitches in for the enjoyment safety of the all participants and not just your specific child.

[Joanne Van Eycke]

In Sprouting Melodies there are a variety of musical activities that support the overall development of your child. The activities are specifically chosen to reflect the needs of the group, which is why there are different levels of SM according to age. These classes are a great opportunity to for the child to practice many of their emerging skills. As a parent, you will also learn some strategies and songs to continue this support at home.

If you were interested in using music to address a specific skill then music therapy would be an appropriate avenue to explore. In music therapy, there is a treatment plan to address your child’s needs. Goals and objectives are created and progress is tracked as the skills are built.

[Joanne Van Eycke]

SM3
Creative Independence Active Personality Welcoming

Gathering Song: Sit Down and join my circle Bonding Song: Swimming Together Songs About Me: Watch Me Go Instrument Song: I Like this Song Movement Song: Jumping Up ad Jumping Down Goodbye Song: Time to Go

Family Sprouts

Bonding Joyful Sharing Helping Connections

Gathering Song: Hey Everybody Bonding Song: Row it Faster Songs About Me: Who’s That Instrument Song: Music Is the Way Movement Songs: I can Move Around Goodbye: Goodbye/followed by Thank You Very Much

[Joanne Van Eycke]

I also really like and use mostly Remo products such as the shape drums, stacking drums and the gathering drum. Their quality is very good as they have been moved around and used often and still look and sound great! I have egg shakers but want to get some chiquitas so I am going to look into the jumbo size that Meredith recommended. Also, I use a guitar with nylon strings as the children like to explore and I feel that it is better for them.

[Joanne Van Eycke]

It is important to meet the children where they are at and increase or decrease the stimulation through the music. I enjoyed when Beth discussed the “ins and outs.” How the children will want to explore and gain independence and then come back to their dyad for security. This security can provide a calming effect when you need less stimulation. Also interesting was the example of the children hitting the wall and channeling their energy with more stimulation. The amount stimulation to use for each group can depend on the needs of the group on that day and in that moment.

[Joanne Van Eycke]

Energetic, authentic, playful, discovery, spontaneous

1. It’s so wonderful that your child is moving away from you to explore but can come back to you for security.
2. It’s ok your child is standing and watching, this how they learn.
3. It’s typical to still explore the instruments with their mouths and that’s ok. You can demonstrate how to use them and don’t worry they are cleaned after every class.
4. The room is safe to explore, even that little hiding spot in the corner. I have a view of it and they will join us after they check it out.
5. Try positioning your little one’s hands on the outside of yours while clapping. This way they can feel the motion and bring hands to center.

Greeting Song: Come Gather Together Bonding Song: Wiggly Jiggly Car Song About me: All of this is me Instrument Song: Sit with me and shake (bells) Movement Song: Goodbye: Thank You

[Joanne Van Eycke]

I haven’t had any clinical experience with this age group yet, but have participated in community music groups with my son since he was 3 months old. What I found most interesting was how much changes between 0-9 months. I remember starting the class he just snuggled in to me and mostly just listened to me sing. By nine months he turned towards and away from different sounds, experimenting with different instruments and expressed joy (and displeasure, depending on his nap or teething!). My main take away from this as a therapist is to remember how changeable babies are at this age and to be flexible.

[Joanne Van Eycke]

Music therapy can be very beneficial in community based settings. As others have stated, music has the ability to connect and unite individuals that may otherwise not come together. For example, I worked as a music therapist in an inner city school for grades pre-k through 8th grade. The needs of this population varied greatly as you can imagine. I worked with children who were self-injurying, children who were neglected at home, discipline problems, learning disabilities and the special education classes to include 3 classes with hearing impairments.

Though many of these individuals passed in the hall, most never even noticed the other. Most isolated though were the children with hearing impairments. This was most obvious when they combined with their same age peers for physical education class. Hearing children had no means to communicate with them and the children were so used to being ignored that they didn’t reach out and just hung together.

At times, the principal thought beneficial for some of the children with more intense discipline problems to spend more time with me, the music therapist. Many times this interfered with my already existing groups. However, something wonderful came from this. As their music therapist, I was able to begin to bridge the gap of communication in the school community. It was more than just teaching the students that were labeled “bad” sign language. Although, showing those individuals that they were able to learn and implement a new school was very beneficial to them. It was showing the community that different did not mean unequal.

Fast forward to the school concert that year and more moving forward, all of the students in my charge performed, together. Even now that I am no longer there, it is common practice that the whole school participates in events together. Imagine the potential for change and growth if more school had music therapists.

[Joanne Van Eycke]

Bonding Nurturing Warm Joyful Soothing

1 While your baby is sleeping you can learn the songs to sing to her at home.
2 Your baby knows the sound of your voice and will enjoy your singing so don’t worry if it’s not perfect.
3 Position your baby closely as their line of site is about 12-18 inches away from their face. Enjoy this opportunity to get in close.
4 Feel free to use these songs at home too. It will be a great way to bond.
5 This class is a safe space for you as well as your baby so please feel free to bring whatever you need to make yourselves comfortable.

SM1 Session Plan
Greeting/Gathering Song: Good Morning
Bonding Song: Hold on tight
Song About Me: That all makes up me
Instrument Song: In my little hand
Movement Song: I like this song –with scarves
Goodbye Song: Goodbye

[Joanne Van Eycke]

Wonderful! Thanks, Erika!

[Joanne Van Eycke]

Our training makes us very uniquely qualified to provide great value to our families of young children. One main reason I would like to discuss is our ability and responsibility to intervene. I found this to be a critically important piece of information that Meredith mentioned in the video. It is our training as music therapists that help us to assess the group, the dynamics and the current moment and to act accordingly. Setting boundaries, encouraging behaviors, redirecting behaviors and acknowledging parents and children are very important for the success of the group. In addition to reducing anxiety for parents, we can also provide good modeling and information.

My son and I currently attend a mixed age community music group with my cousin and her son who is 2 and has some developmental delays. The group is fun and we enjoy the song choices and activities but little direction or boundaries are given to the parents. Therefore, I do my best to guide my son but my cousin struggles to provide boundaries or expectations for her son. She constantly asks “what am I supposed to do” or “should I let him wander in the circle.” Her constant concern builds anxiety and prevents her from really bonding and enjoying the music time as much as they could. As I witness this, I try to be helpful but it also makes me a bit anxious. There have been several times where I wished there was a music therapist facilitating the group because I know these concerns would be addressed. Other facilitators can choose fun and engaging music, but the music therapist is attentive to the whole group both in and out of the music.

[Author]

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