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January 20, 2015 at 8:34 pm
in reply to: What was your most valuable takeaway from this weeks’ content?
KeymasterI’m so glad that this week’s content was helpful, and that many of you appreciated the ‘red flags’ that we mentioned. Last fall I had the opportunity to record a podcast for imagine:the early childhood music therapy on-line magazine on when, where, how and why to discuss developmental concerns with parents. You can access the podcast at http://imagine.musictherapy.biz/Imagine/podcasts/Entries/2014/9/15_stopping_the_music__why,_when,_and_how_to_discuss_developmental_concerns_with_families.html. Please let me know if you would like a printed copy. Beth
KeymasterWelcome! I am so excited to meet all of you through this course, and hopefully in person as we share our common passion for young children, music and music therapy. You will get to see and hear a lot from me in the coming weeks through the course videos, but I will also be reading your posts in the forum and commenting along with you.
In addition to Raising Harmony, I am the senior music therapist at Alternatives for Children on Long Island, New York. We service over 500 families through our four centers and it is an honor to be a part of the lives of these children. I also teach in the music therapy program at Molloy College and really enjoy helping young music therapists develop and grow.
On the home front, I am the mother of three grown children, who were my first learning laboratory for human development. I’ve been through many, if not most, of the challenges of parenthood and I can assure you that the work you put into it is worth it in the end.October 22, 2014 at 6:55 pm
in reply to: Use 5 words to describe the music experiences in Sprouting Melodies 1.
KeymasterThanks for all your answers, everyone. I think as you read more posts and work through these exercises in the coming weeks, the purpose of the assignment will become more clear. Many of the prior course participants found these plans to be very helpful when starting to work with real groups.
Laura asked about the idea of planning your sessions around ‘themes’. I don’t focus on themes, although I do try and present experiences that reflect the children’s environment. A perfect example is the Halloween frenzy that happens this time of year here in the United States. I don’t plan on singing songs about Halloween, but I do think about how the experience of Halloween can be explored and expanded in music. So today I wrote a new song about costumes and identity. Here are the words, and I will be sure to record it and put it up as a Sing at Home.
“I know your face. I know your smile.
But then one day for a little while.
You put on a costume from head to toe.
Oh, No! Oh, NO! Oh, NO!!
Where did you go?”KeymasterOne of the things I notice here in my community, is the lack of ‘community’. Many families often feel alienated and struggle to find a place in which they feel that they truly belong. In a small, but very powerful way, we can provide that community feeling for
families.October 22, 2014 at 6:38 pm
in reply to: What value do music therapists bring to families of young children?
KeymasterIt is so empowering to read these posts and remind myself of our value. One of the things we work to create here at Raising Harmony is a community that will continue to support and inform each other long after the course is finished. Together we can accomplish so much for our children and families.
October 5, 2014 at 7:42 pmKeymasterThanks for the question, Ericha. This exercise is meant to help you think more in terms of how musical responses develop, rather than specific songs or activities to provide. The slides are one example. You can use the book to find any number of steps that the child needs to take beginning with Awareness and moving through to Responsibility in order to create a musical response. For instance, before a child can sing an entire melody, they would first need to make vocalizations, use intervals etc…
Please let me know if this helped.October 5, 2014 at 7:31 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 so exciting for me to see how all of you are taking these songs and making them your own! Thank you. Just a reminder that I put up videos of new songs on our Sprouting Melodies blog. Check out the newest on at http://sproutingmelodies.com/2014/09/22/growing-changing-growing/.
Now it’s your turn. Anybody willing to share some of their own compositions with the group?KeymasterWelcome to all! I am very excited to see the experience, talent, education and diversity of this group. We will get to know each other well over the next few weeks, and the community that is created through the forum will become an invaluable resource. Besides Raising Harmony, I work three days a week at a wonderful early intervention and therapeutic preschool site here in New York called Alternatives for Children. I also have the pleasure to teach music therapy at Molloy College, just outside of New York City.
My own children are grown, and so I can assure you that the day to day work of parenting is worth all the effort.
Looking forward to all you have to share.
BethAugust 7, 2014 at 5:50 pmKeymasterJust as a reminder: Keep a copy of your answers to use as you plan your future sessions.
August 7, 2014 at 5:48 pm
in reply to: How have you used these four music experiences in your practice?
KeymasterI think it is easier for parents and caregivers to see the ‘musical’ value in singing and instrument play. Part of what I need to do is to educate them on the musicality of movement, and encourage them to move more freely. Sometimes this happens more naturally when they are holding their little ones.
It is great to see that people are thinking more about listening as an experience in early childhood. Often when I introduce a new song in a different mode or meter, I try and form an atmosphere of expectation and wonder, a time for listening. How do I know the children are listening? I watch the stillness of their bodies and the poised nature of their posture.July 10, 2014 at 9:36 pm
in reply to: How are you planning on sharing this information with colleagues, administrators and families?
KeymasterThank you to all for the encouraging words about the Sprouting Melodies training. Meredith and I will continue to be here for you as you grow your practice and your career. I just wanted to remind everyone to visit us on the web each month on the Sprouting Melodies blog and the Raising Harmony blog. Please share the sites with colleagues and especially families. There are a number of new songs and I will keep sharing them with you through the blogs.
Keep in touch!
Beth
Elizabeth@RaisingHarmony.comKeymasterWelcome! I love meeting each of you in our on-line forum. Over the weeks we get to know each other well despite the distances that separate us. You will be seeing and hearing me each week on the videos, so I wanted to assure you that I am a real person! I live on Long Island, New York where I work a crazy schedule with a number of different hats. For the past 26 years I have been the senior music therapist at Alternatives for Children which provides early intervention, early childhood therapy and education, day care and nursery school. AFC gives me the hands-on experience to keep writing, composing and advocating. I am fortunate to also be on the music therapy faculty of Molloy College on the south shore of Long Island, very close to the New York City border (yes, a bit of a drive for me). My classes are mostly within the graduate level, and I teach treatment planning, school based music therapy and provide academic internship supervision. Every other year, I am honored to teach an introductory course on Nordoff/Robbins music therapy. Clive and Carol Robbins were my first music therapy mentors.
In the past few years, I’ve had the great pleasure to share my work through writing blogs for both the Raising Harmony and Sprouting Melodies web sites. Please take a look and a listen (there are many video blogs with brand new songs). Share them with colleagues and families.
It is easier now for me to spend time on my passion for music therapy since my children are grown. I have lived through all the phases of parenthood, and will be able to share with you the long view of growing children – whether your own or the children you serve.
Enjoy the course and enjoy the music!KeymasterGreat question! I use an acoustic piano all the time in my music therapy work at the therapeutic pre-school. I have a chair on wheels and so use my left hand to keep the music flowing and my right hand to interact with the children (and put in some right handed melody/exploration as I can). As Barb says, it is important to have the music memorized. If you would like, I can try and put up some video of how this happens in my therapy sessions.
I don’t use either a piano or guitar when working with families on the floor. It is my preference to use just my voice or voice and percussion to send a clear message to the grownups that they can do the same thing that I do. Hope this helps.
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