[Melaine Pohlman]

I work to incorporate all four experiences in my sessions and interactions with the kids I work with. What struck me most during this week’s information was the notion that as therapists we can remind parents that their children ARE responding to the music in developmentally appropriate ways. Too often some of my families are quick to try and control or shape their children’s musical responses, feeling like the kids shouldn’t play and explore instruments on their own, play in silence or feel like they should have a better sense of melody or pitch at a certain age. As an example, in a session just today, I had a parent apologizing for her child not singing along to the whole melody, yet her child isn’t at that stage yet. The child is just beginning to vocalize and use pitches more consistently with music. It’s more appropriate to do some matching of her pitches rather than expect her to sing an entire song. I think this week reminded me to trust my musical instincts and observations and feel confident in sharing these observations with families.

[Melaine Pohlman]

Singing: Awareness: demonstrate differentiated cries and pitches for various needs, cooing and making repeated sounds, imitates some modeled pitches in vocalizations, and turns eyes and facial attention to source of singing Trust: matching of selected pitches increases, laughs out loud and coos to music, tolerates changes in melody, demonstrates visible pleasure to singing. Independence: Babbles and vocalizes with melody and inflection, imitate sounds and vocalizations, demonstrate vocal play with glissandos, dynamics, intervals and animal sounds. Control: Noticeable melodies and familiar songs recognized in babble and vocalizations, engage in different vocalizations, ie. Whispering, shouting, etc., and demonstrates increased use of pitched intervals in spontaneous singing. Responsibility: Sings longer phrases and songs with functional language, spontaneously create and alter melodies and rhythms, sing with group or independently and use intervals.

Playing Instruments: Awareness: Turn gaze, facial expression or postures toward instrument sounds, tolerate familiar and unfamiliar sounds, reaches with arms for sound, explores with hands. Trust: Uses hands and mouth to explore instruments and sound source, play, grasp or shake instruments for short periods, Independence: Use hand to strike instruments, grasp and shake instruments with purpose briefly, bangs instruments together. Control: Use a mallet to strike instrument, plays in response to music with independent starting and stopping, plays with greater fine motor abilities, and uses varied dynamic levels. Responsibility: Uses two hands and alternates to play instruments, engage in group playing and demonstrate ability to sing and play

Moving: Awareness: alter sounds/babble to varying movements, move entire body instinctively, rather than purposeful, enjoys bouncing and rocking Trust: Visibly moves entire body in response to music and singing, moves with internal beat but movements usually start and stop with presence of music. Independence: Intentional movements of a body part, imitate clapping and bouncing, changes movements in response to changes in music. Control: Moves rhythmically in response to other’s actions, attempts more gross motor movements to music, moves through space while playing and instrument. Responsibility: Recall and reproduce simple movement patterns and sequences, sing and move or play instrument and move at the same time, movements intentionally reflect changes in timbre, and dynamics

Listening: Awareness: Turns toward changes in vocal timbre, turn head to familiar sounds and attends more to consonance rather than dissonance in music. Trust: Looks to singer or sound source in presence of silence and initiates vocalizations, demonstrates emotional affect changes based on changes in music, timbre and silence. Independence: Recognizes familiar sounds and songs, demonstrated likes and dislikes and tolerates and enjoys changes in musical components such as dynamics, harmonies and tempo. Control: Stops actions to take in music stimuli, soothed and calmed by familiar melody, learns from watching others engage and interact in music environment. Responsibility: Listens to and contributes to music of others, adjusts music interactions to others in group, uses language in song to communicate, follows routine and structure of music and sessions.

[Melaine Pohlman]

Since I’m on vacation, I won’t be using the songs for a bit, but I look forward to using them with my little ones in the EI system. I especially liked the “Wiggly Jiggly Car,” “Sit Down With Me” and “Come With Me.” I liked the reminders about using language in original songs that has functional This is such an important part of the work I do in EI, especially since the goals our therapeutic teams work on are family driven. As well, I liked the syncopation that many of the songs included and the reminder that this type of motion in the rhythm will move the children forward as well.

[Melaine Pohlman]

The area I live in has pretty typical children’s repertoire tastes as well. Many traditional repertoire and folk songs are used as well as some of the newer music from current kids’ entertainers. We don’t have a strong amount of diversity, that calls for music from different cultures, but I agree that the children seem to be more influenced by the the Country and Pop music of our day than when I first started in the field. In my own work, I would like to expand my knowledge of multi-cultural music in children’s repertoire. Not having had a huge need to incorporate them into my work, I’ve made less effort to expand my repertoire in this area. I see this is as a great area for potential growth in my own practice.

[Melaine Pohlman]

I’m on vacation this week, and spending time with one year old twin nephews. As I watch this week’s information, I am struck with watching them as they move from the awareness to trust stages in musical development. As I listened to their babble and began to sing some of their sounds back to them, there was the immediate awareness and turning heads and body towards my voice and the musical stimulation. We went back and forth a few times as they made sounds. In addition, I observed them beginning to attend to and explore instruments. In addition, during some play that involved musical freezes and silences, the boys were very engaged; watching intently for tickling fingers to start tickles as the music began. What a joy it was to see these little boys illustrating these stages. This was great timing for my interactions with them!

[Melaine Pohlman]

I’ve been reflecting on this, and I think that while not unique to just myself, the dual (and sometimes triple) roles I play as a parent, a therapist and community member will give me a strong platform to support the growth and development of children through music. The mix of knowledge of typical development and parenting experiences, paired along with experiences working with families and children who need additional supports has given a broad lens to look through when finding strategies, guidance and interventions for families. I think this mix gives me a strong reputation as a knowledgeable and trustworthy person who has been in the trenches of early childhood development, both as a parent and as a clinician.

[Melaine Pohlman]

I found the information from Elizabeth’s presentation and book to be a great refresher. In my work as an early intervention specialist in Illinois, I often work with kiddos who are quite delayed, and I tend to overlook what is “typical.” I found the review to be helpful in remembering that while there is a general progression, it is true that things happen at different times for different kids. As well, I was reminded of the unique set of skills that we bring to the table as Music Therapists (and as parents) in our role as Early Intervention/Childhood providers. We are really able to see the whole picture of development, from both a personal and clinical viewpoint and able to connect the domains providing ongoing guidance and support for the families we work with.

[Melaine Pohlman]

Hello! My name is Melaine Pohlman and I live and work in Geneva, IL; a far western suburb of Chicago. I’ve maintained a successful full and part time Music Therapy practice since entering the field in 2001 focusing my work and energies on work with older adults as well as young children. I have been credentialed as an Early Intervention Provider in Illinois since 2004. MT-BCs can be credentialed as Developmental Therapists and this gives me an in to work with some wonderful families in the EI system. As the mom of two (9 years and 6 years old), I find both my clinical and maternal knowledge and experiences as well as my love of little ones make this work quite satisfying and enjoyable!

In recent years I have wanted to create and begin an early childhood group in our area. I find that the wonderful park districts in our area offer some of the nationally branded early childhood music groups, but there is not a group or environment where those who might have special needs can feel comfortable. The Sprouting Melodies program intrigues me as an option to offer these families. Having been in the field for almost 15 years (YIKES!) I’m looking forward to this training being a little professional energy boost that can help me figure out how I can bring some groups to life in our area. I’m looking forward to the online interactions and musical “booster shots” that will come with new repertoire and ideas. As well, I’m hopeful that I can gain some sound business ideas and insight to help bring a program like Sprouting Melodies to our community and continue to advocate for Music Therapy.

I look forward to the coming weeks! Thanks to Meredith and Elizabeth for the warm welcome and resources to get us started!

[Author]

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