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Keymaster
Jennifer, I think you are right that parents and grownups need a gentle, engaging place to ‘just be’ as much as their children do!
February 24, 2014 at 7:49 pm
in reply to: Share some of your experiences with children of this age and level.
KeymasterKate, in Week 9 we will cover more in depth how to make sure that every child and every family member is successful in the groups. It will include suggestions on talking with parents about their needs and their child’s strengths and needs.
February 24, 2014 at 7:40 pm
in reply to: Use 5 words to describe the music experiences in Sprouting Melodies 1
KeymasterDo you have a song that you have written or adapted and would like to share with the group? We would love to be able to ‘pass around the music’ so we all can have our pockets stuffed with musical ideas. Also, almost all the songs that we used on the videos are available in notated and recorded form the “You and Me Makes We…A Growing Together Songbook”.
February 22, 2014 at 8:49 pm
in reply to: Use 5 words to describe the music experiences in Sprouting Melodies 1
KeymasterLadies, Can you think of specific songs that you would sing? Rather than just categories, come up with a specific song title. It will make it easier for you to come back to it later! Post again with your answers so we can all see each other’s song choices. 🙂 Keep up the great work!
February 22, 2014 at 8:45 pm
in reply to: Share some of your experiences with children of this age and level.
KeymasterI love all of your comments about working with little, little ones. It is such a unique experience and I really do love it! Great self-awareness about both tone of voice and facial affect. Remember with this age group both facial affect and vocal volume and timbre can be too much. You will learn to read their cues very quickly and you will probably over-react at some point and when the baby turns away or start to cry you will know why right away. That’s how we all learn!
I agree with Kristina about the stuff and being able to take care of their baby’s needs. It’s never a bad time to let parents know, and they don’t expect a before class “meeting.” They sign up and come ready to engage that first day. When they are walking in, I will often say to them, “The most important thing is for you and your baby to be comfortable, so if you need to feed or change him or her, that’s fine. If you need to stand up, that’s fine.” I just try to make them feel very comfortable from the very beginning.KeymasterHi, Michelle. Although we talk a lot about the child’s need for repetition, I have found that the grownups need repetition even more! It amazes me when an adult tells me that they really tried to remember ‘that song’ but could only recall the first line. And that was about “Wiggly, Jiggly Car”! So I try and assure them that we will be singing the same songs long enough for them to remember them.
A second idea is to make recordings or hand out words. You have my permission to use any of my songs to record for your families as long as you are not selling the recordings.
The last thought is about culture. I work in an area of Long Island that attracts numerous immigrant groups. Parents from Hispanic or African background sing right away with no apparent self-consciousness. The ones who are most silent are the young mothers.
Hope this help, and keep the comments coming!
BethFebruary 9, 2014 at 8:26 pmKeymasterJust a reminder- you might want to keep a copy of your responses to these forum questions. Your answers are great, and will be useful for you in the future.
February 9, 2014 at 8:23 pm
in reply to: How have you used these four music experiences in your practice
KeymasterOne of the things I have to always remind myself is to leave musical room for the children and parents. My voice is pretty strong, and so I have to consciously think about not overwhelming the group. The grownups usually sing more when I pull back.
February 9, 2014 at 8:13 pm
in reply to: Sing and learn some of the songs presented in the video. Share with the board your experiences using these songs.
KeymasterIt is difficult to send that “I know you are doing great!” message to each child in a large group. I try to give each of them the equivalent of a ‘thumbs up’ by changing the timbre of my voice to make it warmer or more celebratory as I look directly at the child. Most kids seem to get this non-verbal code.
February 9, 2014 at 8:06 pmJanuary 26, 2014 at 1:27 pmKeymasterI so agree with Kristina about celebrating and pointing out the achievements of each child. Many of the parents I work with get so focused on following the ‘rules’ and ‘doing things right’ that they miss the developmental responses of their own child. I try and create an atmosphere of community and support so I also try and point out the achievements of the parents! A simple “You are doing a great job with Bobby” at the end of a session can go a long way to helping a parent.
KeymasterThanks for the question on MT and EI in New York State. Although we have Federal clarification that MT can be an approved service under EI (IDEA Part C) this information has not filtered down to most of the funding agencies. It often becomes a case by case decision. I can send you the supporting documentation or you can find it at http://www.musictherapy.org.
New York has a very active state recognition Task Force. You can find information on what is happening in New York by going to http://www.mar-amta.org and clicking on the state link.KeymasterYes, there is a lot of information to digest! But I am glad that you are already thinking ahead to the music. We will start that in earnest in the coming weeks. If you want some sneak peeks, though, there are short song videos on both http://www.Raisingharmony.com and http://www.SproutingMelodies.com.
KeymasterWelcome once again to all. What a diverse group with so much to share with each other. One of the other hats that I have worn over the years is a the Government Relations Chair for my region. I have had the wonderful opportunity to advocate for music therapy both here in New York and in Washington. I would love to explore more the opposition to music therapy in early intervention in your state that several of you mentioned.
Last year we were able to get the Sprouting Melodies Training recognized through the Illinois Early Intervention Training Program. -
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