[Nicole Drozd]

I believe I already answered this one-This is a new board created for the one that was faulty correct?

[Nicole Drozd]

I have only been able to use the “Tra-la-la” song with a child a work with this week. The really cool thing about his song was that after 1-2 times of singing with him was that he began to entrain with the tempo of the song, sit down without a verbal or physical prompt, and even sing the last note of the the last phrase of the song. It is definitely one I will continue to use in our session together.

[Nicole Drozd]

I have been sharing information with some of the families I work with (about child development) and the plan of providing groups in the future for children. I Already have 1-2 local community groups that are looking for resources for single mothers in the area and I plan on reaching out to my church community.

[Nicole Drozd]

Sorry I am so last minute with my response! Things have been hectic with work (which is actually a good thing in Private practice). I hope to become an SM provider by the end of this month and begin networking with others in my community about services. July 4th is my 1 year anniversary of private practice and I have been really taking it slow. Now that I have a little bit of an idea of what I am doing, I think it’s time to leap. The other thing I would like to add, is that while I am taking this leap I will have the SM community supporting me-which is also why I have been taking my time. I have some BIG ideas and I need all the support I can get.

Susan and Alexis, doing it on your own can be kind of scary but you two are making some great steps to prepare for your journey! I have used Cathy Knoll’s “You’re the Boss” course and I have used Kimberley Sena Moore’s E-Book Business Blueprint as starting points for my practice (both are great and affordable). The MTBO Community is a really great community to be a part of and free-you should join as soon as you get your first client!

Good Luck everyone with your work and with become a provider!

[Nicole Drozd]

Remembering you are the leader of the group and modeling are great strategies for running groups-whether it is with kids or adults. Parents need the support to know that they are both being good parents but also that they can put their foot down to their child if the child is being harmful to others or not engaging at all. Having resources available for parents is also a great strategy as well.

[Nicole Drozd]

Erika,

Is Julia allowed to ask these questions after tomorrow’s Call-in? I have the same ones as well.

Think the biggest thing I am excited about if I decide to become a provider is there support. Supervision is hard to come by when you are doing private practice on your own-not to mention, nowadays you have to pay per supervision. As a relatively young professional (I get to go through my first recertification cycle this month) I am just barely making ends meet and having a place to get support and resources from without breaking the bank is a huge deal!

[Nicole Drozd]

Use 5 words to describe the music experiences in Sprouting Melodies 3.
Intentional, Push and Pull, Personality, Active, and Creative

Use 5 words to describe the music experiences in Family Sprouts.
Cooperation, Individuality, Support, Bonding, and Joyful

Create a plan for songs and music experiences to use in a Sprouting Melodies 3 session and Family Sprouts sessions.

Ok I think you want two session plans here…..

sprouting melodies 3 session plan:
Begin with “Gather Around” and have children and parents pick the movements they wish to do in the song. 2. “My Brand New Friend”- use a scarf and model with a child first the song then have each child find a friend to do the song with. 3. “Where is the Music”-I like that the kids get louder as the song comes to a close for this song, it shows an understanding that they are musical for them personally and it shows the parents they their kids are connecting with the experience. 4. “Music is the Way”- allow for instrument exploration, for increased bonding between parent and child, and for a “slow down” of session. 5. “The Leaves go down”- an up tempo son but not too active to end wind the group down. 6.”Time to go.

Family Sprouts Session Plan
1. “Come and Join the circle”- the chant is easy to pick up and also makes the parents a little more comfortable if they do not see themselves a musical 2. “Hold on Tight”- If sitting older child can sit on parent and younger child can sit on older sibling 3. “All of this is Me”- younger kids can point to their body parts and older siblings can help their younger siblings. The song can also be done fast to challenge the older children. 4. “I like this song”- Everyone can play an instrument on this song and older children will have more options for 2-handed instrument play 5. “I can move around” 6. “It’s Time to Say Goodbye”- siblings can share a scarf together for this song.

[Nicole Drozd]

When focusing on child development, music meets the child right where they are at. This means that the music is appropriate for their age and the interventions with the music and intended to engage the child in explore music as well as provide opportunities for the child to learn skills (some language, hand eye coordination, body identification, etc.) at their own pace. When focusing on skill building, music may be used to increase vocabulary, sequencing, sharing with others, etc.

[Nicole Drozd]

Working with a mixed age group can be quite challenging. First, adapting music. Adapting the music to meet all ages can be difficult because you want the little ones to feel safe and not be startled but you also want the older kids to be challenged and interested in the music provided. While there may be opportunities for the older children to model for the younger kids during group, that may not always happen and the older child might try and DO for the child instead of aid the child. Finally, if you have mixed age group a lot of structure AND freedom is needed. Last week I did a group (as a trial run with a sensory gym) and I had a 2 year old, a 6 year old, and 8 year old and some ages in between. The two year old was trying to crawl in my lap and take other kids instruments- the 8 year old was trying to model and the 6 year old was participating but still wanting a challenge. It was a very “fly by the seat of my pants” group-which I expected to possibly happen going in-and it made me have a discussion with the other about providing groups that were divided by age. Don’t get me wrong parts of the group were fun-and challenging- but as an MT I also could see more benefit from dividing the ages up.

[Nicole Drozd]

Thank you Erika! I appreciate it!

[Nicole Drozd]

I think Meredith said it best, if the child is younger the dynamic and gesture should be anticipated and not huge and if the child is older you can increase dynamic and gesture. Of course there are always gray areas to this- MT-BCs need to watch to see if the child becomes withdrawn, fussy, or their affect changes.

[Nicole Drozd]

I have a little bit of everything but I need more! I have 12 egg shakers (which would not necessarily be appropriate for this group), 2 chiquitas, a small remo gathering drum, a child remo djembe, 3 velcro bells, a giro, and 1-2 larger drums- and of course my guitar. Because I am a relatively new private practice owner I have to slowly accumulate instruments to maintain a budget that won’t rob me.

[Nicole Drozd]

Julia, I am glad you mentioned “dancing in the middle” I completely forgot about that song!!! Also, I love all of your sentences 🙂

[Nicole Drozd]

Use 5 words to describe the music experiences in Sprouting Melodies 2.
Playful, Observation (kiddos may just watch during the group, but at home they sing all the melodies), Surprise, Free Movement, and Energy!

Write 5 sentences you can use when speaking with parents about musical responses of children in SM 2.
1. If child just observing the session and “not participating” reassure parents: “Don’t worry! He/she may only be watching the group but I garuntee your little one will be singing many of these songs on their own or with you when they get home!”
2. If child is moving away from parent to explore instruments or try moving on their own reassure parents by: “I promise your child is not rejecting you, they are just developing some independence! Stay where you are and offer a place to come back to when they are ready!”
3. If child needs to jump or tap their feet, help parents by: “Parents. we want to organize the child and make them feel secure while we do music. When we jump, lets make sure when bring them down we have their feet touch the ground. And when they stomp, lets guide their feet to intentionally feel the ground underneath their foot in rhythm,”
4. “when at home allow for songs to have an element of surprise in them. You’ll be surprised that when you pause right before the song ends, your child will initiate vocalization in response to the music.”
5. “Don’t worry about you’re child clapping their hands right away, they will get it over time”

Create a plan for songs and music experiences to use in a Sprouting Melodies 2 session.
Plan for group: 1. make sure environment is safe so that child can move around but you can still keep an eye on them while you facilitate group. 2. Set up group in a circle with instruments in the middle. 2. Open: “Hello Everybody” (MP) this simple song will get parents singing a long easily and has lots of opportunities for small surprises but still be structured enough to not startle the child. 3. “Wiggly Jiggly Car” (EKS) this care both allows for independence for the child as well as gaining a support from the parent. Initiated vocalizations from silence may also occur and depending on development the child may be the parent’s lap, another parent’s lap, or the facilitator’s lap 4. “Just like me” this can be done in the lap or with child in proximity to parent/caregiver. Again, it allows both independence, identity, and bonds to develop and grow. 5. “Sit with me and shake” (MP) allows for instrument playing but also follow musical cues of “start” and “stop”, “fast” and “slow”, “loud” and “soft” etc. The child also begins to learn how to shake the maraca independently. 6. “March with my Baby” (MRP) this is only time to do this song (in SM2). Children can still have instruments and parents gets to hold child while they move with them 7. “Goodbye” and maybe “Thank you very much” this adds closure to the session and also an opportunity for kids to engage with each other.

[Nicole Drozd]

I have only worked with this age group in a 1:1 hospital setting with parents available. Music therapy consisted of calming the child, calming the parent, helping the parent bond with the child, providing support and stimulation, and diversion. The music selected were songs suggested by the parent, recreative performances, and improvised vocalization and guitar playing. I loved working 1:1 in this setting-but to be honest doing a group of babies and parents kind of intimidates me-however I am excited that i have learned more about working with this group and the possibility of creating a group like this in the future.

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