[Samantha Hallgren]

Hello all,

I am a bit confused on what this prompt is asking us to do and am looking for clarification. How do we create our own developmental sequence? Should we use the musical responses that are listed in the book under each developmental chapter and combine them in our own way?

For example, If for singing I pick, “the child will calm to familiar melodies” from the Awareness chapter should I pick a music response relating to the musical element of ‘melody’ from the Trust chapter? (e.g. adjust attention when presented with changes in melody).

I’m also unsure as to how to put the worksheet into this forum. I don’t see a way to add an attachment.

Maybe I’m just missing something or it hasn’t clicked… if anyone has suggestions please share!

Thanks,

Sammie

[Samantha Hallgren]

It was a joy to get to learn these songs this week and hear Beth explain how she uses them. She is so expressive as she sings that it reminded me to how the many musical elements can add density and engagement to the music. This week I used “Giggly Wiggly Car” and “Good morning” in an assessment session for a child. When singing ‘Good morning’ the child made eye contact with me and appeared curious about the musical sounds. I think it was a good way to start our session. When we used “Giggly Wiggly Car”, the child giggled as he bounced on his mom’s lap. Since we were just meeting each other, I think it was a great way to facilitate that bonding and trust with his mom a space that was new to him.

Wow! The creativity in these songs is remarkable. I had fun hearing them and learning them. I look forward to using more ‘original’ music in my sessions that benefits the people I work with and is more exciting to sing than ‘Shake your sillies out’ 10 times a day!

[Samantha Hallgren]

When I think of the music I grew up hearing I think of religious music, my dads music, and little rabbit foo-foo. I grew up going to a lutheran church and have songs like “Jesus loves me”, “All in All”, and “Light the Fire” ingrained in me. I also remember my dad playing the classic rock radio station while he was working on his projects in the garage. The song that sticks out the most from my early childhood is little rabbit foo-foo because my mom would read this book to me almost every night. I loved the way she would sing the melody and I wouldn’t let anybody else read it to me.

The question of musical culture is one of many layers to me. I’ve just moved to a new city and am getting to know my clients, some of whom I’ve gathered a bit about their home culture, as in their literal home, and feel as though I am still exploring what the culture of the Rochester community holds.

[Samantha Hallgren]

I am so happy that I’m taking this class! Learning this way of categorizing musical development is allowing me to see more meaning and understand more of what I did during my internship. I particularly remember a young child in the NICU, she was around a year old and was developmentally delayed. She loved consistency and patterns in the music. I remember using a soft but energized vocal timbre with her and then pausing in an active moment of silence… she would smile and laugh as she shook a shaker in response. We could play this game for a few minutes and she just loved it and so would her parents. I also found it very validating to hear Beth talk about how in this stage of trust it’s important to let the child make their musical choices and that those choices are reason for celebration! As someone who does not have a child I am not the most comfortable in telling parents “It’s okay if they choose to put the instruments in the mouth” or that if their child looks away from the music that’s okay too! In the NICU I was always very careful to watch for if a child looked away from the music because it may have been a sign of overstimulation. For those of you who have lead/participated in sprouting melodies courses, have you ever had a child become overstimulated/dysregulated by the music and the group?

[Samantha Hallgren]

Hally, what do you mean by self contained 6’s and integrated 12’s?

[Samantha Hallgren]

I really loved the analogy that Beth shared about the two paths and how we as music therapists do our best to support a child and their family through healthy development. Going with the road analogy, I feel like an individual’s’”disability” is not in the driver’s seat of the car and that by seeking to support the individual in the best way possible, having hope in the potential of their abilities, already brings the car down a different path. I think it is so important to highlight the strengths that an individual possesses and then be the patient, steady, encouragement to foster their potential in a way that works for them. My older sister has Down Syndrome and she participated in a lot of adaptive sports and community groups for people with special needs, so growing up I was constantly around people who had various strengths and struggles. It was my ‘normal’ and being around neurotypical people was sometimes exhausting for me because I felt like I could really be myself with my sister and her friends. I think this part of my upbringing definitely plays into my practice of working with people with people of varying abilities and needs. Feeling joy and having fun just comes more natural!

[Samantha Hallgren]

My biggest takeaway was learning that the concepts of “mine and yours” and “I’m sorry” do not typically develop until 24-36 months and onward. While I was a student I worked at an inhome daycare that I do not believe was run in such a way to best support the children’s development. There was often a lot of yelling over “mine and yours” and kids being sternly told to say sorry after having took a toy that another kid was playing with. Realizing that some of the older kids may have understood those concepts but most of the kids didn’t makes it clear to see how this response was not often helpful in reducing the behaviors and sometimes made it worse.
I also was able to participate a NICU clinic today where we checked in with kids who had stayed in the NICU to assess their development and this information was very helpful!

[Samantha Hallgren]

Samantha, I was thinking about this as I was reading too! I think having a better understanding of these areas will help in identifying what developmental areas might need the most support and that I can focus my goals on.

[Samantha Hallgren]

Hi folks! My name is Sammie and I am very excited to learn with you all. In August I received my board certification and next week
I will start a position with Healing Rhythms Music Therapy LLC in Rochester, MN. My position will involve working with kids and adults with special needs, outpatient pediatric procedural support, and adult hospice. There is potential to work in an early intervention setting as well so my employer, Christina Wood, offered to enroll me in this training and I’m so grateful for this opportunity. I completed my music therapy degree at Wartburg College and had the privilege to undergo my internship at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, UT. I grew immensely as a clinician and a person during this internship. I loved working with kids and young adults and could see myself working in the medical setting. Yet, multiple factors led me to move back to MN (where I was raised) and pursue a position at Healing Rhythms. For my own self care I wanted to be closer to my family and for my professional growth I wanted to explore and gain experience in various settings while learning under the mentorship of resounding music therapists.

I believe that I will learn a great deal from this program and look forward to applying the knowledge gained about child development, developmental musical behaviors, constructively managing behaviors, and supporting families through their child’s development to my practice.

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