[Lynn Rechel]

-What are your key takeaways from this course?

Music Development IS development!
Children can move back and forth between levels of development depending on a variety of factors
Select and create songs that utilize functional language
Bonus: two takeaways from the Zoom call-
Elizabeth-“Trust the music. The music is enough.”
From Meredith (paraphrased): even though Sprouting Melodies is not clinical work, it can serve as respite for adults to step out of the caregiver role and engage with their child in another way in the music.

-How has this learning changed your perspective on development, your approach to the work, or the way you use music in your sessions?

This course helped me focus more on musical characteristics from the developmental levels sequence rather than the sequence of musical skills.
Before taking this class, I was thinking more about using children’s songs found in music education rather than composing and finding songs appropriate for my population.

-How are you planning on sharing this information with colleagues, administrators and families?

Student question: since it’s not clinical work, can we invite people into the Sprouting Melodies classes? Or, could we have open house/free class opportunities for prospective families?
I know there is a private practice near me that I see on the local news a few times a year. I know another practice that sponsors monthly community drumming sessions at no cost and is frequently at community fairs with a booth. I think I would like to work with the libraries, homeschooling communities, churches, and early childhood centers.

Even though Sprouting Melodies is intended for children under 5, I see children in the public schools that are still going through the developmental levels of awareness, trust, independence, control, and responsibility. I would like to become an advocate for music therapy to be a part of a student’s IEP when appropriate to help them achieve their goals.

[Lynn Rechel]

-Be specific on noticing the behavior we want to see more of
-Find at least one thing the child did that we want to see more of and say “I noticed today…”
-Understand that they don’t all have to sitting the same way to be engaged in the music

I have to remind myself to get curious and not furious about behavior. Behavior is communication, and what is the child trying to say? Another strategy comes from my teaching days: A principal once gave us all goody bags for the first week of school. Each bag had a Q-tip, with the reminder to “Quit Taking It Personally”. I still keep a q-tip on my cork board as a reminder.

[Lynn Rechel]

For me right now, it’s all about the opportunity for connection and reconnection. Because of COVID, many communities had to become physically distant, and coming back together is important. Also, I think it’s good for the smaller family unit to spend time in music together with minimal distractions.

[Lynn Rechel]

Use 5 words to describe the music experiences in Sprouting Melodies 3

Active, Intentional Musicking: meltdowns included.

Create a plan for songs and music experiences to use in Sprouting Melodies 3

Gathering: Sing Hello using each child’s name as they enter (so-mi)
Have instruments available for exploration as families settle in
Greeting: Sing Gather Round!
Bonding: I Have a Little Pony (From Feierabend’s Bounces book)
Songs About Me: From Head to Toe (I already own this book)
Instrument Songs: You Play a Little
Movement Songs: Jumping up and Jumping Down
Goodbye: Goodbye (I liked Meredith’s idea to carry it over from group to group)

[Lynn Rechel]

How is Sprouting Melodies different? We are not focused on the final product of a music performance in this class. We are about making music to support the developing child and their caregivers. Participating in music can help people of all ages develop awareness, trust, independence, control, and responsibility in their life outside of music.

[Lynn Rechel]

Use 5 words to describe the music experiences in Family Sprouts
Growing within Community: Musicking Together

Create a plan for songs and music experiences to use in Family Sprouts
Gathering: Sing Hello using each child’s name as they enter (so-mi)
Have instruments appropriate for all ages/stages available for exploration as families settle in
Greeting: Sing Come and Join the Circle!
Bonding: Wiggly Jiggly Car (works for all ages-maybe the older sibling becomes the car?)
Songs About Me: All of This is Me!
Instrument Songs: Dancing in the Middle (Making sure to have a variety of appropriate, safe instruments.)
Movement Songs: I Can Move Around (Caregivers support younger children as needed)
Goodbye: Goodbye (I liked Meredith’s idea to carry it over from group to group)

[Lynn Rechel]

For me, I think the biggest challenge is selecting material that will engage all ages in different stages. It’s trying to make sure children are not over-or under- stimulated, which can be harder when the needs of the children are broader.
However, I think the benefit of multi-age grouping is that this may be one of the few times in a week that the entire family can interact without it being mealtime or using technology. The very nature of the class invites intentional physical contact between family members, which can be beneficial for all.

[Lynn Rechel]

I’m going to reach back to my education background for this answer and go with the good old “It depends.” (I HATED that answer when I was a student!) In ed psych, there is something in a person’s learning called the “Zone of Proximal development”. While it is not a perfect analogy, it’s a place for me to start understanding how much stimulation for each child and within each group. It takes observing the cues of each child and learning about each child over time. It requires me entering into a trusting relationship with the caregiver, and that each we have the best interest of the child.

[Lynn Rechel]

Remo/Remo Kids drums
Basic Beat Instrument series, including chiquitas.
My first stop for shopping for musical instruments/resources is West Music.

[Lynn Rechel]

Use 5 words to describe the music experiences in Sprouting Melodies 2.
“Caregivers are homebase for explorers”

Write 5 sentences you can use when speaking with parents about musical responses of children in SM 2.
1. It’s okay to sing the same song again…and again…and again.Repetition is important for the child’s development at this stage.
2. We don’t expect children to be able to keep their movements in time with the music. Look at their movement, however; I see that it repeats and it’s to their own internal beat.
3. Your child doesn’t need to stay in your lap. It’s okay if they go off to explore.
4. The instruments are cleaned before each music class. It’s okay if they want to explore the instrument; just put it in the clean bin when they’re done.
5. I noticed that Julie didn’t want to play that instrument right now. It’s not unusual at this age as they start to find their independence; maybe she will decide she wants to play with it later.

Create a plan for songs and music experiences to use in a Sprouting Melodies 2 session
Gathering: Sing Hello using each child’s name as they enter (so-mi)
Have instruments available for exploration as families settle in
Greeting: Sing Hey! Hey! Come and Play!
Bonding: Wiggly Jiggly Car
Songs About Me: All of This is Me!
Instrument Songs: Dancing in the Middle
Movement Songs: As Big As Can Be
Goodbye: Goodbye (I liked Meredith’s)

I kept some of the same songs from SM1 to serve as familiar points in the session/class.

[Lynn Rechel]

Use 5 words to describe the music experiences in Sprouting Melodies® 1.
Interactive, Engaging, Connecting, Accessible, and Varied.

Write 5 sentences you can use when speaking with parents about musical responses of children in SM1.
“I noticed that Michelle looked up at you when you sang her name.”
“I think I heard Mark make a sound that matched the song. Let’s sing the song one more time.”
“I saw Debbie’s legs relax while we were singing that lullaby. Let’s keep rocking while we sing it again.”
“It’s fine that Declan put the shaker in his mouth. At this stage, we expect to see that. We clean the instruments before and after every class for that very reason.”
“I noticed that after you stopped rocking to that song, Laurie started to rock on her own again, and it looks like it’s the same tempo (or speed) of the song.”

Create a plan for songs and music experiences to use in a Sprouting Melodies® 1 session
Gathering: Sing Hello to each family as they enter (so-mi)
Have instruments available for exploration as families settle in
Greeting: Sing Sit Down with Me
Bonding: Wiggly Jiggly Car
Songs About Me: Just Like Me!

[Lynn Rechel]

My experience with community-based settings is very limited, but now more than ever, I see the need for connection that starts in the music. When I started my coursework, I was initially drawn to the clinical MT work, but I liked how Meredith talked about how Sprouting Melodies is Music Therapy based. In my background, we didn’t talk about our mental health, be it wellness or illness. One of the things I like about SM is that it is for all children and their families. It’s about the connection in the music, starting with the family dynamic and extending outwards.

[Lynn Rechel]

Funny story: when I would go into classrooms, I would often bring puppets and book in addition to my instruments. One day, we were all in a circle and I was singing a song with my cow puppet. I made a sudden motion with my puppet to surprise them, and one of my kids fell over in surprise! (She was okay.) I realized afterwards two things:
I moved WAY to fast for this group of kids
The puppet (in proportion to the kids) was VERY big! The cow’s head was a big as the kid’s! No wonder she was so surprised!
That experience taught me to read the energy of the group better and to be prepared to be bigger or smaller, louder or quieter, and to be flexible in the moment.

I have found that children of all ages can sense authenticity. If I don’t want to be in that space, for whatever reason, it limits the possibility of connection. If I don’t like the song I’m sharing/leading, it’s. hard to get others to buy into the piece as well. I used to be really hard on myself if my rendering of the song wasn’t perfect, because I was coming at it from the viewpoint of a classically trained musician; it has to be this way, or it’s wrong. I have found that my kiddos don’t care if I rushed some sixteenth notes or was slightly out of tune on the and of the third beat in measure 16. They care if I’m there and present in the room, making music with them.

[Lynn Rechel]

We provide a space for families to connect in the music. We support parents/caregivers if they need to know more about the development of their children through music.

I had a professor that talked about ‘holding space’ and getting out of the way of the music. I have had to unlearn my tendency to be a ‘fixer’, be alongside people in a therapeutic setting, and to support their work in the music. I have to trust my training and remember the the benefit of music therapy is having a trained music therapist (different than a performer or a music teacher) setting up and holding the space to support the goals of the child/family. That is unique to our discipline.

[Lynn Rechel]

What are the needs of the families that you work with?
Currently, the needs of my children and their families are how to integrate (or re-integrate) into their community, how to take turns, how to communicate with others, and how to self-regulate.

What are the needs of your community?
How to respectfully interact with people whose culture/religion/belief system is different from theirs.

How can music meet the unique needs of your families and community?
Music can connect people by playing together. It is different from sport teams in that no skill level is necessary to be a part of the music group. All can be a part of the group. Choosing music based on musical elements is not found in other disciplines.
We can sing, play, and move with each other. We can listen to music and learn how to stop and just be in the music.

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