[Laura Myers]

Since I do not currently work with children, I do not have any specific examples. However, knowing my community has given me ideas of my community are. The community that I hope to serve has many challenges. High unemployment, poverty, drug problems, with a very small town feel. We are located outside of the metro area. I would think that many of these families would need support, education. As discussed in the video. They seem unsure of what to do, how to interact with their children. Many families could use somewhere to spend quality time bonding with their children, someplace free from distraction.

[Laura Myers]

Music therapists have our education and training. Through this education and training we are able to adapt to whatever our sessions give us. We learn how to pace our sessions and how to allow our families the opportunities to “be” with the music. We can musically support our clients and families. I think every session I have ever done has needed adapting while I’m in the middle of it. Sprouting Melodies supports this need for possible adaptation by being an open session model.

[Laura Myers]

I have not been able to use these sequences in my practice yet. I will be doing my best to use them in making music experiences with my little one, until I can begin my own program. Right now I am taking the time to learn the sequences and how they correspond with the developmental milestones of children. I hope that over time I am able to put this new knowledge to use with actual early music programs.

[Laura Myers]

This is a difficult one! I find that I am still getting to know these levels, and have read the chapters a couple of times each. This is a completely different way of looking at how music is processed. As stated before, I have only worked with adults and geriatrics in my professional career.I’m sure over time, I will begin to understand these sequences better, and provide better examples. But for now, I’m still figuring it out. So, here it goes. I used the examples of stages and responses that were provided in the book to formulate my sequences.
Singing
Awareness- prefers higher pitches
Trust- makes vocal pitch changes
Independence- uses varied vowels and consonants when vocalizing
Control- Imitates words of songs before pitch or rhythms
Responsibility- discriminates talking voice from singing voice

Playing Instruments
Awareness- Responds differently to sedative verses play-song- music
Trust- play or strike inst with internal rhythmic beat
Independence- Explores a variety of instruments purposefully
Control- Likes to pound and bang
Responsibility- maintains play of instrument within a group

Moving
Awareness- actions and motions are rhythmic in nature
Trust- Displays movement that is rhythmic but not synchronized
Independence- Bounces and rocks rhythmically, uses body
Control- imitates learned movements
Responsibility- uses pulse when moving musically

Listening
Awareness- recognizes changes in melodies
Trust- Recognizes familiar melodies
Independence- Enjoys musical surprises
Control- anticipates the beginning of music
Responsibility- follow session routine

[Laura Myers]

The songs presented this week have gotten me excited about working with children soon. I have always found myself making up songs to illustrate what I am doing with my baby, and sing those to her while we are completing a task. I sang her the good morning song while getting ready this morning and she just stared at me with big open eyes. I also have tried the bonding songs with her, she is a busy little girl who seemed to enjoy the movement of the Wiggly Jiggle Car and the accents on Hold on Tight. I hope to become more comfortable in using this music before starting my own groups. I have plans to start spending some time engaging the children at Leanna’s daycare in music making.

[Laura Myers]

I never really thought about cultural music until I moved to Virginia. I realized that each area of the country has songs that are important to them. I quickly was introduced to bluegrass and gospel music. Currently I am living back in the midwest, in a different area that I grew up in, and have found other music that is culturally important to this area. St. Louis is a very Catholic city, and working in a Catholic nursing home with many Sister residents, I have begun to learn the music traditionally sung for mass. I am finding that much of my bluegrass music isn’t relevant here, but traditional folk songs are known by just about everyone.

[Laura Myers]

Since I do not currently practice with children, this is difficult for me. However, I do have a 14 month old, so I have been able to see her go through these developmental levels. One example that pops into my mind is the first time she held an egg shaker I bought her at a conference. She grabbed the shaker, and began to shake it. The look on her face when it made a sound was precious. She was so excited. She then began to laugh while shaking it and pointing it to my husband and I for us to shake. This happened when she was about 8 months old.

[Laura Myers]

This is a difficult task for me. I often find it difficult to reflect on my skills as a clinician. As a provider of MT services to older adults, I feel I bring energy and humor to my sessions. I don’t mind doing silly things if it will get a patient to engage in the program I am offering. So, I guess I would bring these two elements into my work in early childhood music therapy. It will be interesting to see how I would need to alter my energy and humor to work with children. I feel the information offered will support my work as a music therapist by giving me the knowledge of how to interact musically with children.~ Laura

[Laura Myers]

My most valuable takeaway from this weeks content was to feel confident in my knowledge of early childhood development. That although I work only with older adults, I do have knowledge of how children develop. I have two children, and have watched each of them grow, yet I’ve never felt confident in my knowledge of developmental milestones. Listening to the video and reading the slides and the text, I found that I really do know some of this stuff! 🙂 I was also able to put myself more into a providers mindset, rather than a parents mindset. ~ Laura

[Laura Myers]

Hello! I’m Laura Myers from the st. Louis area. I graduated from Western Illinois University and did my masters through Saint Mary Of The Woods in Indiana.I am married and have two daughters. One is almost 9 and the other is 14 months. My professional experience has been strictly with older adults in the nursing home and psychiatric setting. I have been working, since moving to Missouri 5 years ago, at a Catholic based nursing home with their nursing home and assisted living residents. Prior to this, I was in Virginia working at nursing homes and a psychiatric hospital.
Since I had my little one last year I have been wanting to branch into early childhood music. I see how there is no active music making at her daycare and I thought this is a void I could fill.
I have no experience working musically with young children, and am excited about the information Sprouting Melodies will provide.

[Laura Myers]

I am not able to upload a picture right now. I will do it next time I’m on my desktop.
Laura

[Author]

Posts