[Kristen McManus]

That’s so helpful, Erika. Thank you for the information!

[Kristen McManus]

Yes, yes, yes!!! This week’s content was so inspiring, and I’ve loved reading the responses to the question. I live in a city where there are many early childhood music programs, 99% of them run by early childhood music specialists/educators, who have a background/degree in music, but not necessarily in child development/music therapy. And I can safely say that, as music therapists, we offer such a unique perspective. There is the knowledge of child development and behavior and progression of musical skills, absolutely. But we also know how to structure and conduct a successful group. We understand the challenge and importance of transitions, how to be flexible and adjust “in the moment” when needed, follow the energy level of the group, and how to give concise, specific feedback to parents and little ones during the class. We know how to assess in the moment, which songs will be appropriate to use with each age level, and how to add layers and levels effectively to help the children grow. It’s a unique depth of knowledge, planning, and perspective.

[Kristen McManus]

Sara May, thank you for sharing your community’s needs. One of the areas I’ve been really interested in lately is how music impacts bonding between a child and parent, especially young parents. Music class seems to create a safe environment for that bond to develop and grow.

[Kristen McManus]

Like many of you, I work in a variety of settings, with families and in schools, so I have direct contact with families and teachers/support staff/therapists. For our families, I find that many of them are looking for an outlet in and connections with their community, and support from the community of parents. We also have a large Spanish-speaking population around our school’s neighborhood, so we recently developed classes in Spanish, taught by native Spanish speakers.

I’m so interested in how others share information with their families, though, so thank you for sharing some of those ideas here. I find that time before and after classes is limited and scattered, and that my families sometimes do not read emails or info that I share with them. Finding time to do this is tricky with a little one. I put together a family handbook with lots of program information, research, etc… and in the class we model behavior and encourage families in the moment. But I’d love to find a time-effective way to share research, ideas, and information with my families. Does anyone utilize social media to share information with their families? Maybe a caregiver group that could connect families and teachers? If so, how has this been received?

[Kristen McManus]

Cynthia and Sabrina, I completely agree that having these levels more clearly defined has helped to develop more meaningful activities. I find myself, in the moment of the class, thinking so much more about where my students are and about how I can support their reactions and experiences.

I’ve used moments of silence in class, but I find that I’ve been playing with them more now. We held a moment of silence in a falling snow song much, much longer than we usually do. The kids were silent, smiling, anticipating the moment music would begin, and we just held the silence. It was magical!

One of the things that I’ve been challenging myself to do is to allow my older pre-k students (4-5 year olds) to have more creative control over movements in songs, instrument choices, etc… Understanding what students in the developmental levels of control and responsibility are capable of has helped to create successful activities where their voices and ideas are heard.

[Kristen McManus]

Thanks to all for sharing your clear responses.

Singing: Awareness: reacts to change in pitch/ Trust: varies pitch relative to song/ Independence: Experiments with simple intervals (i.e. sol-mi) while exploring vocalizations/ Control: sings portions of songs with varied pitch/ Responsibility: sings a complete song, using distinct pitches within the melodic contour

Playing Instruments: Awareness: reacts by turning towards or reaching for instrument/ Trust: will hold instrument briefly and play (in those moments) with purpose/ Independence: chooses and explores instruments with purpose/ Control: Chooses instruments with purpose; leads and follows changes in tempo and starts and stops with the music/ Responsibility: plays and instrument with a steady beat

Moving: Awareness: moves body naturally to the music/ Trust: moves with repetitive movement (i.e. bounce, rock, or nod head)/ Independence: repeats movement in a single part of body/ Control: Imitates movements imbedded in a song/ Responsibility: Can repeat a sequence of learned movements

Listening: Awareness: reacts to change in vocal timbre/ Trust: Attends to or reacts to a familiar melody by movement and/or vocalizations/ Independence: moves and/or sings with purpose and intensity based on the dynamic changes in the music/ Control: Can choose to stop movement and listen/ Responsibility: can be an audience!

[Kristen McManus]

I love that Beth is encouraging us to take the songs and make them our own, tailor them to our specific clients and groups. I admit that most of what I sing is in a major key, a few songs in minor, so it took a moment to connect with some songs that were in other modes. But I started singing them, loved them, and can understand how children would be drawn to their novel melody and the mood they create. I’m looking forward to trying them.

[Kristen McManus]

In the youngest group I work with, the 6-18 month olds, we have little ones moving from awareness all the way to the beginnings of independence. One of the parents was wondering if her son was ready to move up to the next level, so we started assessing his level of engagement and behavior closely. He had started grasping instruments, playing with purpose, and vocalizing with songs, but the sure sign was when he crossed the circle we were sitting in, and positioned himself on the opposite side as his mom, and smiled, so confident in his chosen spot in the circle. He purposely positioned himself away from her, continued to engage with the music and with her, but at a distance, and on his terms. It was such a perfect “I’m ready for more!” moment! He moved up to the next level, with the toddlers, and he’s been successful in continuing to display independence.

[Kristen McManus]

Hi, Cynthia! Thanks for sharing your background and your experiences! Care for children who experienced trauma is something I’ve been so interested in, and I hope you share more about integrating lessons learned in this training with your work. Do you have any resources (books, websites, etc…) that you would recommend checking out regarding childhood trauma or trauma and music therapy?

[Kristen McManus]

Hi, Rebecca! I think what helped me the most was observing the ways in which classroom teachers interact with the kids. Are you working in a school or daycare setting? Is there a local school that you could contact to schedule an observation, or an MT who works in the schools in your area that you could shadow? I learned so much about what to plan, how to share instructions, and how to manage groups both small and large, from observing. The same is true for parent-child groups. I observed my co-workers, and really learned to be present with the group. It takes time (I’m still learning every day…each group has its own vibe), but you will definitely get it!

[Kristen McManus]

I started leading early childhood groups just out of my internship, with little understanding of developmental milestones. Over the years, I’ve learned through experience how to create appropriate interventions and, most importantly, how to talk to parents about development. I don’t have kids, and felt, at first, that I just didn’t have the knowledge, or even the right, to talk about development with parents in my classes. Children are great teachers, though, and, through research, observation, and lots of interaction, I finally feel at home in this arena. What I appreciate most about what Elizabeth said is that these are approximations. It’s very easy for parents to become focused on comparing their child against the others in the class, and we can be an extra set of eyes to observe their growth and reassure parents that, if they are meeting milestones, every child develops at their own pace. I have had a group for the past two years that all began class when their babies were between 6-9 months…and five of the 10 were premies! Those parents have been incredible teachers, and supporters of one another, as they meet milestones at different times. They’re still together and have formed strong friendships…the power of music 🙂

[Kristen McManus]

Hello!
I’m a music therapist from Chicago, IL, working primarily with an early childhood population. I run an age-based early childhood music program (6 months-4.5 years) at a community music school, and also lead groups in several schools and preschools in the city, including typically developing, blended, and self-contained classrooms. I’ve always felt a bit ‘in-between’ as a music therapist, since I have the knowledge and credentials of an MT, but adore early childhood music education and see immense benefit it has on children, families, and the community. After watching the first video, I am so excited to meet and learn from like-minded music therapists who see the benefits of having an MT-BC lead early childhood music groups. We can offer our families and schools so much when it comes to an understanding of child and family development. My expectation for this course is to gain knowledge and new perspectives that help me feel confident that I am providing the best information and practices to the families and schools that I serve.

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