[Lauren Klimek]

Thanks! Fingers crossed it all goes as planned!

[Lauren Klimek]

I’m just strolling through the forums and see Kristin had asked about the community and I have to say the local towns in my community are pretty organized when it comes to offering cultural events, like outdoor concerts, caroling, and family shows. I personally used to sing at an opera night once a month and there was always a huge turn out. I haven’t really seen any world music events or anything like that but they do have some variety of different things for everyone to attend.

[Lauren Klimek]

Thanks for the link Beth!

[Lauren Klimek]

I’ve already begun sharing this information by speaking with various businesses and mothers from an MT group I run. I’ve been sharing this information with other colleagues as well by telling them about the benefits of this training and how it has already helped me in shaping my ideas for my own approach to early childhood music therapy practice. I’ve been telling some parents whose children I work with about the training and about early childhood music and they were asking when and where I plan on offering these services. I really stress the importance of music for development and emotional growth and how we as music therapists are trained in identifying, assessing and implementing appropriate goals and interventions based on early childhood development which sets us a part from any other profession offering music classes. This training has been invaluable and I know I’ll continue to look back on it as I continue on my private practice journey!

[Lauren Klimek]

Since starting the Sprouting melodies training, I’ve reached out to a sensory gym run by 2 occupational therapists to see if they’d like to offer music therapy groups for the children they provide services to and for their community. I met with them about a month a go and this past Saturday, I actually ran two trial groups for 3-5 y/o and 6-8 y/o. I also promoted an infant and toddler group and will be running trials for them next Saturday. The OT’s really get what music therapy is and are very interested in incorporating it into their existing business so we’re hoping to start scheduling groups as early as the beginning of December. I’ve also been speaking with a mother from one of my other groups who is the president of SEPTA in my school district and told her about how I would like to offer groups at our local library and she said that she has already spoken to the director of the library and they are in the process of writing grants to fund classes as there isn’t much offered for the children. She said she had already kept me in mind for running these groups and will invite me to their next meeting! She also encouraged me to attend the SEPTA meeting at the high school scheduled for this week and I plan on going this Thursday night. She would also like for me to run SEPTA funded groups as part of their respite programs. Some other mothers from the group overheard our conversation and were wondering if these services could be provided in their communities and SEPTA organizations. I’m really trying my best to network within the circles I’m already a part of as some of these women have known me and my work for a few years. I’m also trying to find facilities and organizations that don’t offer music therapy but are willing to have me come in and run a free trial to see what the interest is. In my personal experience, I find that everyone is willing to help and spread the word about music therapy (like Meredith said) and sometimes you just have to go out on a limb and ask. I think private practice is a very long limb to go out on but there is such a need for music therapy advocacy and promotion of services and there are so many opportunities, it’s all about what you make of them.

[Lauren Klimek]

Some strategies I’ve used in my groups would be modifying the music curriculum to the needs and/or ability of the child. I’ve used modified instruments for children that are developing, or have a deficit, in fine and/or gross motor skills, such as thicker mallets and maracas. For children who are wheelchair bound, I’ve used taller drums, and modified marching songs where they can lead the group in the march around the room, so as to not feel left out of the group activity (which I know some MT’s would just abandon the marching song all together). In general, I try to keep the music and activities as engaging and exciting as possible so the children want to participate and learn. I believe that if the music remains exciting, predictable, fun, safe and intriguing, then the children will always succeed.

[Lauren Klimek]

I’m looking forward to applying the information and structure of the sprouting melodies program to my own group work and practice. I have been running groups for the past 5 or so years for children ranging in age from 2-18 but have never ran groups for infants and toddlers and I’m looking forward to expanding my practice to working with this age group and their caregivers. I feel more confident and knowledgeable in working in early childhood music therapy after taking this training and may consider becoming a provider in the future.

[Lauren Klimek]

Developmental stages and skill building go hand in hand. In my group work, I try to remind the parents that once their child reaches certain milestones that they are then ready to take their experience and knowledge, and use it. I explain that the developmentally appropriate music is the foundation for their growth and once they are able to process the music and what’s being asked of them, they are then able to develop skill sets such as being able to complete tasks, relate to others, turn taking etc…

[Lauren Klimek]

FAMILY SPROUTS- Love, Listening, Togetherness, Fun, Trust.
Session Plan- Gathering: Come and Join the Circle, How do you do and shake hands, Movement: Can you follow me?, Clikety Clack, Instrument: Come and play (drum song), Bonding: Wiggly Jiggly, Songs about me- All of this is me, Cool Down: Apple song (scarves), Good-bye: Music time is over, Bye Bye (with bells)

SM 3- Independence, Freedom, Creativity, Awareness, Initiation.
Session Plan- Gathering: Sit down and join the circle, How do you do and shake hands, Movement- Can you follow?, Clickety Clack, Instrument- It’s time to play the drum, In my little hands, Bonding: Wiggly Jiggly, Songs about me: Can you see me? Cool Down- Put your hands up (scarves), Good-Bye- Music time is over, Bye Bye

[Lauren Klimek]

I agree with you Gina and Dina, it can be very challenging at times to find that happy medium that suits all of the children’s needs but I think that this can be said for group work with any age group including adults. In my group work, I find that some children grasp the material sooner than others based on their developmental level and if I think they appear to be “bored” or just not interested anymore, I try to give them a “role” whether it be helping to collect the scarves by holding the bag during clean up or I sometimes will sing out their name and ask them, “what should we do next?” as we transition to another activity but I’m always being mindful to the needs of the group as a whole and I always leave ample opportunity for every child to express themselves and have their turn in shaping the format of the session.

[Lauren Klimek]

You’ll be able to tell how much stimulation is enough when the children are engaged and remain engaged during the music session. Their ability to remain in the music should look like the ability to stay in proximity to the music and it’s source, follow simple musical cues and structure, respond to the music appropriately with excitement, attention and anticipation. If there is too much stimulation you may see, loss of attention to task and the musical source and the inability to “draw the child back in,” the child may appear startled and may cry, scream and/or whine, and the child may turn away and/or try to hide from the music and/or activity that is too over stimulating. When I first became a music therapist and ran my first few groups I definitely “toyed” around with various instruments and songs and have seen what works and what doesn’t. You definitely know what to use and what to leave at the door for a later date or different age group. When I was first starting out, I always thought that quantity of activities would give my clients better quality of services but I eventually learned that less is more in some cases and especially when working with little little ones.

[Lauren Klimek]

5 words- independence, learning, awareness, fun, exciting. 5 sentences- “It’s okay if they are playing off beat as they’re learning how to make music and play the instrument” “You can put him down so he can explore, it’s okay if he wanders from the circle and then comes back as he’s exploring his environment and the music” “Make sure to mimic the therapist’s movements in the song so your child knows it’s okay to do it too” “Look at how she is anticipating the next word in the song, she’s learning the music and processing the order of it” “Give your child some time and space to experience what it likes to make music and to be in music.” Session Plan- Free play with instruments and/or books and toys during the greeting, Gathering: Sit down and join the circle, How do you do and shake hands (with one version of singing faster and shaking hands faster) into Here’s my hand baby (with tambourine- child hits the tambourine with their hand on the word hand and yes), Marching/Movement: Can you follow? and/or scarves- Pick your hands up high-where oh where is my face, Bonding: Wiggly Jiggly Car, Songs About Me:All of this is me, Instrument Song: We’re going to shake, Goodbye- Bye Bye (with bells), Music time is over. There is always a transition clean up song in between the songs that require instruments or props to be put away which is, “Clean up put away we’ll play again another day.” I LOVE Beth’s songs. Most of the songs I use are her’s except a few that are my own. When I grow up I want to write children’s songs like Beth ha ha ha ha ha!! 🙂

[Lauren Klimek]

I don’t currently run groups with this age group but for my special needs group ranging in age from 3-10 (same level of functioning) I currently use shakers by basic beat and santana, a remo floor drum and bongos, tone bells with mallets, buffalo drum, scarves, and acoustic guitar (takamine).

[Lauren Klimek]

Hello Song- come and join the circle, how do you do and shake hands
Bonding Song- we are singing together
Instrument play- we’re going to shake
Transition- clean up song
Movement- put your hands up high (scarves), where is my face
Transition- clean up song
Bonding song- I like you
Cool down- swaying to guitar music and lullaby-esqe vocalizations
Good-bye- bye bye

[Lauren Klimek]

Gina, the idea for a wellness group with healthcare professionals is great. There’s a hospital in my town and I’ve been thinking of offering something like that.

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