[Michelle Nettle]

I was “enlightened” by learning the musical responses of each stage and since I haven’t yet begun working with early childhood in my music therapy practice, I was able to apply it to the current population that I do work with, which is children with developmental disabilities such as autism ,down syndrome, and intellectual disability. I always incorporate the 4 musical elements of singing, moving, playing instruments, and listening to music in my sessions. But what I realized, was that some of my expectations for several of my clients were not “developmentally” appropriate musically because what my clients are currently able to do is say more in the “Trust” stage, and I may have been presenting music interventions that were in the “Control” stage.

This weeks assignment really made me think about each of my current clients and think where they “fall” developmentally in each of the musical areas of singing, moving, listening, and playing instruments.

[Michelle Nettle]

Musical Developmental Sequence: Singing

Awareness
-can demonstrate different duration’s of sound
-vocalizations are in simple rhythms
-uses pitch in vocalizations
-prefers higher pitches

Trust
-makes purposeful pitched vocalizations
-matches selected pitches about half the time
-generally uses descending intervals in melodic contour

Independence
-uses repeated sounds (bababa)
-babbles with melodic inflection
-uses major 2nd interval
-uses varied vowels and consonants when vocalizing

Control
-produces discrete pitches
-matches selected pitches
-follows melodic contour of familiar song
-sings intervals of 2nd, minor and major 3rd, 4ths, and 5ths

Responsibility
-uses melodic contour of whole phrases and sentences
-sings in major and minor keys
-uses pulse and meter within melodic contour from beginning to end

Musical Developmental Sequence: Playing Instruments

Awareness
-reach toward an instrument
-turn head toward the sound of an instrument
-responds differently to sedative vs. play-song music
-may explore instrument very briefly and then drop it

Trust
-briefly uses pulse and meter to play instruments
-explore instrument with mouth and hands
-picks up instrument, shakes a few seconds, and then drops it

Independence
-uses hand to strike a drum or tambourine
-grasps and shakes maracas/jingle bells
-transfers instrument from one hand to another
-explores a variety of instruments purposefully
-not mouthing the instruments as much

Control
-likes to “pound and bang” drums
-starts and stops instruments play with the music (may be a 3 second delay)
– can play a variety of instrument purposefully

Responsibility
-maintains a steady beat
-can control dynamics to match music
-maintains play of an instrument within a group
-will often deliberately “match” what others in the group are playing

Musical Developmental Sequence: Moving

Awareness
-movements are subtle and instinctual
-move rhythmically, but more “naturally”
-respond to sedative vs. play-song music naturally by “slowing down” or “moving faster”

Trust
-uses repetitive movement rhythmically, but NOT synchronizing to the rhythm of the music
-repetitive movements include clapping, patting, jiggling foot, shaking head, moving arms up and down, NOT to the beat necessarily, but moving ONLY when music is playing(so they are definitely moving “to the music”)

Control
-dances spontaneously to music
-imitates learned movements to particular music
-generally has fast internal rhythm
-can do “exact” imitative movements like clapping, patting, stomping, ext.

Responsibility
-imitates simple rhythmic patterns
-uses musical movements in sequence (Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, ext.)
-maintain melody, meter, pulse that matches the meaning of the words

Musical Developmental Sequence: Listening

Awareness
-distinguishes changes in melodies
-prefers consonance vs. dissonance
-recognizes changes in vocal timbre

Trust
-focuses “inwardly” in response to lullaby music
-focuses “outwardly” to play-song music
-recognizes familiar melodies (tell parents-a familiar song can be used as a tool to “calm a child down when upset)

Independence
-enjoys crescendo and other musical surprises like fermatas, glissandos, and silence
-begins to match intensity of movements to the intensity of the music (this includes facial expressions- furrowed brow and frown or raised eyebrow with a smile)

Control
-engages and responds to both familiar songs and spontaneous music
-stops action to listen to music
-engaged in listening and responding to the music

Responsibility
-identifies low pitches easier than high pitches
-recognizes and produces “loud” vs. “soft” music
-listens to the music of others
-respects and enjoys taking turns listening to others play music

[Michelle Nettle]

Phoenix, AZ is a melting pot, as many people have moved here from “somewhere else,” especially from the North where their are long cold winters. Also, due to it being a desert, we don’t see the huge changes in seasons like beautiful fall leaves, leafless winter trees, and blooming trees and flowers. We also have no snow and very little rain and most days are sunny. However, we do experience change in temperature, anywhere from 30 degree winter nights to 115 degree hot summer days.

Because of this, many traditional songs, especially around Christmas time, don’t have as much meaning to children, as they haven’t experienced weather like snow. So for instance, “Over the River and through the Woods to Grandmothers House we Go,” “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, jack frost nipping at your nose”, White Christmas, and even “Jingle Bells” don’t have the same “impact” as they would to children living up North, who actually experience things.

So to accommodate this, we often change the lyrics to the songs to match what the children experience in the Desert. Here’s an example:

Jingle Bells (The Desert Version)

Driving through the sand
With his jeep well in command
Over the rocks and brush
Santa’s in a rush.

Most towns have white snow
But Phoenix has hot sand
But that won’t stop ole Santa Claus
Four wheeling is his plan

Jingle bells, lizard tails
Hot and sunny day
Santa’s here in desert town,
But he cannot stay.

Jingle Bells, lizard tails
Hot and sunny day
Santa’s jeep is packed with toys
So everything’s okay

[Michelle Nettle]

Thus far in my practice, I have had most experience working with children in the Control and Responsibility stage, in which they LOVE and CRAVE sequential songs that have specific directions and expectations such as call and response. One specific intervention that I use is called “The Train Song.” This song has 5 sequential parts that are added one at a time after each verse, much like “She’ll Be Comin’ Around the Mountain.” The song lyrics are as follows:

(chorus)There’s a Train and it rides through the town and the countryside.
Where it goes, nobody knows, but it always ends up here.

The Conductor Says: “All Aboard!” and it always ends up here. (hand to side of mouth)
(repeat chorus)
The Whistle Blows: “Choo Choo!” and it always ends up here. (one arm up and down)
(repeat chorus)
The Engine Goes: “Chugga Chugga!” and it always ends up here. (both arms going back and forth)
(repeat chorus)
The people say: “Jabber Jabber!” and it always ends up here. (fingers pinch together w/ thumb to open and close)
(repeat chorus)
The brakes go: “Screeeech!” and it always ends up here. (hands closed like holding reins on a horse and pull back)
Yes, where it goes, nobody knows, but it always ends up here.

The children love acting out each part and coordinating their movements and words to imitate the sounds and people on the train. You can tell the children feel proud of themselves in their ability to independently do these actions and love the expectation of what comes next and the reciprocal communication between myself, the therapist, and them.

[Michelle Nettle]

I really enjoyed learning these songs and as everyone has previously mentioned, I definitely tend to use major keys in most of the music I use. It was REALLY refreshing to hear songs in minor keys and modes, as they were beautiful, comforting, and intriguing…all of which I think is important in providing music that especially supports the early developmental levels of awareness, trust, and independence. I am excited to try these songs with the little ones I work with.

[Michelle Nettle]

A personal reflection that really “stuck” with me after this weeks videos, was to remember to ALWAYS do my best to be where my client is, no matter who they are and what age. Specifically with early childhood, it reminded me of the importance of “thinking like a child” and where they are in their current development rather than the tendency to slip back into “adult thinking.” Being cognizant of what the “experience” of the music therapy session is like from the “perspective of the child” based on their current developmental level, will help me design music therapy sessions that are developmentally appropriate and also will guide my writing of “realistic” goals and expectations. And of course, it reminded me that with children, it is ALWAYS important to have FUN!

[Michelle Nettle]

The most valuable takeaway I got from this week’s content was that we as music therapists have a unique opportunity to be an early childhood “expert” that parents can go to and “trust” as they are experiencing parenthood and trying to understand healthy and normal development of their children. I have not been a parent, but I HAVE been working with children and families as an in-home music therapist for children with special needs for over 12 years, and have often been an important resource and “ear” for parents to share their concerns and struggles regarding their children with special needs.

Just as I have become a trusted “special needs” expert in my music therapy practice , it excites me to know that in learning about the “typical” development of children ages 0-5 and how best to support this development through music therapy, “in-time” will lead me to be a trusted and educated “expert” in the field of “typical” early childhood development. I have ALWAYS cherished the opportunity to guide and comfort parents who have “special needs” children by providing them the support they need in their child’s healthy development, but taking this course will now allow me to help a WHOLE other set of parents who are seeking healthy development of their “typical” children.

[Michelle Nettle]

Hello! My name is Michelle Nettle and I live in Phoenix Arizona with my husband and 4 cats-my babies :-). I attended the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA and received my Bachelors Degree in Music Therapy in 2000. I completed my clinical internship in 2002 in Albany New York at Capital District Beginnings, an organization that provides a variety of therapies and special education services to children with special needs in the community such as in preschools, head start programs, in-home early intervention, and through IEP’s in the school system in Albany New York and the surrounding cities. After completing my internship I became a Board Certified Music Therapist in 2002 and moved to Phoenix, AZ. I have been providing in-home music therapy services to children with special needs ages 3-18 through a contract with the State of AZ for the past 12 years. However, due to huge state budget cuts to music therapy rates, I dissolved my State Contract and started my own private practice, Blossom & Bloom Music Therapy Services, LLC this past December. I specialize and LOVE working with children, so in addition to providing private-pay individual music therapy services to children with special needs, I am now looking to expand my practice to include group music therapy sessions for both typical and special needs children. I have been wanting to take the Sprouting Melodies Course for the past 2 years and now is the perfect time for me to take this course! What I hope to get out of the Sprouting Melodies Course is a more thorough knowledge of early childhood development and how to apply this knowledge in providing developmentally-based music therapy classes for children ages 0-5 years and their families. In addition, I hope to become a certified Sprouting Melodies Provider at the end of the course so that I have a nationally recognized specialized program to market to the Phoenix community.

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