[Kristina Rio]

It is important for us to understand this difference and to be able to communicate it to parents. Music for development is really about using musical elements to encourage participation where the goal or outcome of the experience is growth of the whole child. When we do a marching activity, we are working on physical development, independence, choice making, and concepts related to how we can move. This activity may have elements of skill building without actively working towards it. Marching to a steady beat can help a child develop skills in other areas. A steady internal beat is the basis for crawling, walking, reading, and sometimes help with math skills, though we are not specifically using the music to develop math skills.

[Kristina Rio]

Five Words: Challenging, Interactive, Social, Personality, Inquisitive

Session Plan:
Instrument Exploration: Let’s Make Some Music
Gathering: Hello Everybody
Songs About Me: Together In The Music OR Where Is The Music?
Lap Ride OR another Gathering Song: Swimming Together or How Do You Do And Shake Hands
Instrument Song: You Play A Little
Motor Movement: Jumping Up And Down
Cool Down: Scarf Canopy
Closing: Bye Bye Music Time Is Done

[Kristina Rio]

Thoughts on Stimulation:
Meghan said it very and I agree that we have great instincts and experience with recognizing signs of overstimulation and whether or not we are engaging our clients with success. Sometimes overstimulation can be seen by an escalation of excitement and energy. I’ve noticed sometimes my clients will play an instrument with such force and volume when they are overstimulated. Another sign may be when a child blocks their ears or becomes startled. Children may not be stimulated enough if they are unengaged, not to be confused with signs of independence. Sometimes it takes a quick change of pace or a musical surprise to increase stimulation and get the group involved. What can be difficult is group dynamics. We all know that not everyone functions the same way, so we need to be aware of the individuals in the group and be accommodating to assure the groups success.

Use 5 words to describe the music experiences in Sprouting Melodies 2:
Expressive
Explorative
Active
Interactive
Engaging (matches energy level or changes to re-engage)

Write 5 sentences you can use when speaking with parents about musical responses of children in SM 2:
It is ok that they are just standing and observing that is how they learn!

For this song you can face your baby towards the group so that they can see and observe the other parents and children and learn from everyone.

Isn’t it great how they are exploring independently, this is the age for them to start moving away, but still have you as a secure base to come back to.

If your baby is very active you can jump them during this part of the song by holding them under the arms, but make sure you plant their feet firmly on the ground so they can feel that security of the floor beneath their feet!

Did you notice how her shaking has developed, she’s moved from mouthing the maraca to turning the entire maraca back and forth.

Create a plan for songs and music experiences to use in a Sprouting Melodies 2 session:
Instrument Exploration: Let’s Make Some Music
Greeting: Hello Everybody
Body Percussion: Just Like Me – Come and Sit With Me OR Can You See
Lap Ride: Wiggly Jiggly Car/Tickle song
Instrument Play: Sit With Me and Shake
Motor Movement: March With My Baby Now/ Will You Come? (I’ll Be Marching)
Cool Down: Scarf Canopy/ Where Are My Friends? (large scarf)
Closing: Bye Bye Music Time Is Done

What kind and brand of instruments are you using in your groups with children of this developmental level?
Frame Drums, Tubano, Bongos, Floor Tom-Remo
maracas, tambourines, bells (if they are not mouthing a lot), jumbo chiquitas, cabasa

[Kristina Rio]

5 words: connected/shared, safe, soothing, inviting, nurturing
5 sentences: Sing along, your baby knows and trusts your voice and they really want to hear you. When we sing this song, prop your baby up facing you on your knees, in this position they are about 12-18 inches away from your face, which is perfect for them to see and focus on you. Notice how the musical pause makes you feel, we are looking for a similar response from the baby, movement, or vocalization to initiate the music again. If you gently rub the maraca handle on their palm, their instinctual response will be to grasp it. Keep a steady beat somewhere on your baby’s body so they can be aware of their body in the musical space.

SM1 Plan
Gathering: Good Morning w/ hello to each child
Body Percussion/awareness; Just Like Me/Come And Sit
Lap ride: Row It Faster
Instrument Play: In My Little Hand
Movement: As Big As Can Be
Cool Down: Rainbow Scarves/Where’s My Face?
Goodbye: Bye, Bye Music Time Is Done

Experience: I do not have much experience with this particular age range. I have observed a Sprouting Melodies 1 class that Meredith lead, and I have run a Sprouting Melodies 1 and 2 class once as a “substitute” music therapist. The youngest in the class I ran was I believe 6 months old. In other classes, I have run Sprouting Melodies 3 classes that parents have brought their newborn child with them. It is challenging to shape the music appropriately for the varying ages, but this training has helped me understand things I can say to parents who have a new born baby in the class that is crying while the 2 and 3 year olds are marching, running, and jumping around the room. It may not necessarily be what I do that is different, but to suggest that mom hold her little one while her older child marches independently, and sing with a soft and loving timbre.

It is really great to read the sentences everyone has come up with for SM 1. It is so important that we think about what we can say to parents to help them understand their babies responses to the music. It is challenging to relay that information in such a short and quick manner, but also very important so there is less talking and more music!

[Kristina Rio]

Music therapy in community based settings plays an important role in providing open, flexible, accepting, and shared experiences for members of the community. As music therapists we conduct sessions to meet the needs of our community, whether it be a music therapy after school program for children with sensory needs and emerging language skills, or a Sprouting Melodies program for young children in the community to sing, play, move, and grow! As music therapists, we have the skill set to really listen and mold to the needs of our groups, families, and respective communities. With that said, music therapy can play a very large role in the community as a resource for families, as a connection for families to find other families who are in similar situations, and as a service for those looking to develop, learn, and grow through music in order to support wellness and a stronger sense of community.

[Kristina Rio]

The value that music therapists bring to young children and families is extensive.  The skill set that we have, the way in which we use music to reach and connect with children, and the information we can provide families is so unique.  Many of my families are huge music therapy advocates.  They rave about the programs, the developing skills they see in their child, and the responses their children have within the music group.  One of my parents could not believe the social skills and language her child developed in music therapy because she had never seen him focus long enough to engage in a social group experience.  It is so important that we understand our value and own it so that we can provide our families with our full skill set and potential.  The needs of my families include the need to connect with other parents within the community who also have children with similar disabilities or are of a similar age.  Parents, whether their child has a disability, or is typically developing need support, information, and understanding.  The best way for a parent to feel understood and supported is to help them connect with other parents who are in similar situations.  That is why family based groups can be so beneficial for both the child and the families.  It provides an instant support group for parents and caregivers, which is also a need of the community.  My families need advice, and help understanding their child and the responses they see from their child in music.

[Kristina Rio]

I had mine nicely organized too but it pasted all jumbled together!

[Kristina Rio]

I find that I use all four of these music experiences in my sessions.  Movement is one that I like to use in my groups because it is not only a great way to get the whole body engaged and moving, but also a great opportunity for clients to contribute their own movements of make choices within the structure.  Singing is something I love to use when working on imitative play, call and response, listening and repeating skills.  Once children can sing melodic lines of familiar songs and begin to play with what their voice can do, you can work to stretch and develop vocal skills and articulation.  Instrument play is a great activity for children to choose an instrument that they will play individually, but they are also part of a group.  Instrument play can foster group cohesion, socialization, listening skills, self-awareness, and awareness of others.  Listening is very important.  Clients can work on listening during turn-taking activities where they need to wait, and learn to listen to others.  It is also very important for kids to know they are being listened to.  This can help with group dynamics if you have one loud player, try to direct them to play quieter so they can hear everyone, and then give them a solo where they can explore being loud.  Group exploration of loud, quiet, fast and slow are also great skills to learn.

 

I could do more with listening in my groups.  After watching this weeks videos, I realize that I do not do as much as I would like of listening.  It is always great when kids are actively participating, but I never really thought of listening as active participation.

 

[Kristina Rio]

Singing:
Awareness: facial presence towards source of sound/physical response to singing such as opening mouth or vocal sounds/audible breath
Trust: Imitation of vocalizations/interactive/game-like
Independence: unique vocalization as response to music/melodic babbling
Control: sings familiar song lyrics and start to organize structure of the song melodically
Responsibility: child sings melodic lines and lyrics with a pulse/song is identifiable/can sing entire songs

Playing:
Awareness: looks towards source of sound/reaches for instrument/plays instrument
Trust: brief play within structure/responsive
Independence: explores new instruments and sounds/explores new ways to play familiar instruments
Control: responds to sudden silence by initiating play
Responsibility: consistent play with steady beat/playful with how they create the sound

Moving:
Awareness: instinctual movements/ kicking, waving arms
Trust: swaying or bouncing with pulse
Independence: able to identify and move parts of the body with modeled movements
Control: imitates and anticipates learned movements in structure activities
Responsibility: begins to suggest movements by doing the action wanted (identify parts of body to move to contribute)

Listening:
Awareness: responds appropriately to different timbres (loud/cry…soothing/sleep)
Trust: sensitive to changes in familiar (likes consistent timbre, and use of songs)
Independence: responds to changes in music by matching, looking confused, or looking surprised
Control: request songs they want to hear/changes the track on a CD to listen to something particular
Responsibility: able to stop, wait, and listen to others/developing turn-taking skills

[Kristina Rio]

These are all wonderful songs! I learned many of these songs at the live training in NY and from Meredith. I use “Wiggly Jiggly Car” in my Sprouting Melodies sessions. This is such a fun song for all age groups because the kids can interact with mom or caregiver, another child, the therapist, or do it independently. One thing that I love doing with this song is pointing out to the parents how to enhance the child’s social awareness by going side to side opposite the person next to them so when they sing “woah” and move to their right, there is another child moving to their left, and the children are making eye contact. The kids love this! They smile, laugh, and initiate the side to side motion again. Another element of this bonding song that I use is a tickle song after the bouncing part. The young kids laugh and watch the other kids reactions. The older kids love to be chased around the room, and will often run away in anticipation of the tickle!

[Kristina Rio]

In my home town of Reading, MA we have many community traditions, in which music is incorporated. The high school marching band is a prominent musical institution. They perform at our annual tree lighting festival in the heart of the center each thanksgiving weekend. The community comes together in singing festive songs for the holidays and winter season. The songs are traditional Christmas songs mixed with general traditional winter season songs. Most of the children’s songs I grew up with in my community were American folk songs, and patriotic songs. The songs are part of our tradition, and we will pass them on to our children. As Laura mentioned, I also do not use many traditional American folk songs in my session unless they are adapted in some way. The songs written by music therapists such as the one’s in this weeks video are so much more functional in a therapy setting and can be just as important to families and their traditions.

[Kristina Rio]

A little girl in one of my sprouting melodies classes is starting to become very independent. She is very daring, and will explore all of the instruments in the center bin by pulling each one out. She is very aware and understands a lot of what is going on around her. One challenge for her in the beginning of our sessions together was trust of me, and the mysterious guitar! She would back away from the guitar when given the opportunity to play it. She was content with just observing the other children play the guitar. One day, I went over to mom with the guitar, with her child in her lap and asked her to play the guitar as a model for her daughter. This little girl reached out once, touched the strings of the guitar, and then looked back at her mother. She did not reach out again that day, but she was on her way to trusting familiar objects and people. The next few classes, she became more and more daring with the guitar. She was reaching out to strum when the guitar was brought to her. Last week, I used my ukulele for our hello song. She walked over, sat down directly in front of me. I brought the ukulele a bit closer to her, and she independently reached out without further prompting, and played consistently. It is truly amazing how much you can teach your children when you are willing to model it yourself. This little girl was anxious about the guitar, and mom didn’t know why. It was just something unknown for her. With mom’s model, she was able to start to trust little by little that it was okay to touch this instrument.

[Kristina Rio]

I believe that I will bring myself to early childhood music therapy based programs. What I mean by “myself”, is that I think it’s important to be as genuine as possible. This course provides us with so much information and music to use in our sessions, but what is really important is delivering it in a unique way that is genuine and true to ourselves. It is so important for us to share with families what we are working on, or what we are seeing develop in our sessions because they may not understand it or notice it as a trained professional would. In order to deliver the information with confidence and professionalism, it is important that we use our own words and explanations with the research to back us up. It is also important that we all explore the “child-like” part of ourselves before going into a session. We don’t want to come off as “child-ish”, or “fake”. We need to own that part of ourselves so as to be genuine. Fun is also important when working with kids. When we let ourselves laugh and have fun during our sessions, we will be more genuine as a result. This sense of a “genuine self” is important for my work as a music therapist as well. We need to own our skills and be confident. When we are true to ourselves, that is when we do our best work. Sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zones and try things we may not be used to, but that’s all a part of being flexible in our sessions. Once we find our true selves, our “genuine self”, then we can really focus on the needs of our group and be more goal-oriented.

[Kristina Rio]

At the very end of the second module, Beth said exactly what I was thinking. She said that we need to understand that these developmental markers are only going to be understood as we watch the development unfold in our groups or as we have children of our own. As I watched this presentation, I started to understand developmental markers that I did not quite grasp during the live training. Now that I have been running Sprouting Melodies groups of my own for about three months now, I am starting to understand how I can relay this information to parents in a confident and helpful way. As Renee said in her post, I also find myself holding back when I could be explaining certain developmental skills that I am seeing in my groups because I am not a parent. I too saw specific children and markers from my groups in my head while listening to this weeks presentation, which proves to me that I do know this information, but i just need to share it. Reviewing the developmental markers after having been running groups has really helped me with my confidence, and helped me to realize my role and value as a Sprouting Melodies provider. This understanding is so important not only for me but for my groups of children and families. I strongly urge everyone to come back to these slides after working with young children, whether it be clinical or as a Sprouting Melodies provider!

[Kristina Rio]

Just a little feedback on week one’s video.  at 18:36 the video cuts off Beth’s sentence and repeats from where you started with the slides until the vision statement slide.  Just thought you would like to know that and fix it for the next course!  Very valuable information!!!

[Author]

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