[Shonda Malik]

As I mentioned in a previous post I have tried forming classes for preschool ages where I thought there would already be established advertising and foot traffic. I tried a YMCA, a community recreation center and a community arts center. Unfortunately there was never enough sign-ups to run a class. So my first step will need to be approaching my library to offer free monthly groups to build an interest in order to find enough sign-ups.

I have already begun to incorporate the music knowledge I learned from this course into my clinical work. Particular ideas I have been thinking about are how repeating a song multiple times in one session is useful for young ages and that repeating songs with clients across sessions can build skills. In the past I was concerned that such repetition would be boring and lose the client’s interest.

[Shonda Malik]

I share information with colleagues, administrators and families in a variety of ways. I do ask families for help connecting with others. One family responded by letting me know about a county sponsored health fair. I followed up by having a table at this health fair and a family I met there called for music therapy services about 9 months later. I do vendor tables at various events, presentations for college classes and local groups, I send brochures to county programs that disseminate the information to case workers. I find that this time consuming commitment to advocating for music therapy requires patience in order to see the rewards which often take quite some time before these initial contacts turn into work opportunities.

[Shonda Malik]

I am looking forward to having tools to help me find enough families to run a class. I have tried a few different things over the years like running a class at the local YMCA, a local creative arts center and a local activity center but there was never enough sign-ups to run the class. I hope to begin this process by offering a monthly class at my local library as Meredith has done.

[Shonda Malik]

I don’t currently lead any young age music groups. I do however have private clients with autism who have siblings that join our sessions. Often times the child with autism might be reluctant to participate especially when we first begin sessions. When this happens I will have the sibling, who is often younger, take a turn using an instrument and then I sing a direction to pass to their sibling. Most times this works and the reluctant client will engage by accepting the instrument and taking a turn.

When I run kindergarten groups in special needs classrooms and I notice a child not actively engaging in the music making I will begin to sing each child’s name and what they are playing and move around the circle. When I come to the child who had not been playing, the singing of his name and instrument will often times help encourage active participation.

[Shonda Malik]

Some challenges about the varied ages would be to keep the music for the youngest participants appropriate while not boring the older kids. Ways to challenge the older kids would be to do an extra verse at the end for them to go really fast, ask for their ideas about ways to move, ways to play instruments, ways to change words. The older kids can also help the younger kids during songs such as body identification.

[Shonda Malik]

Five words SM3; deliberate, emotional, active, strong, intentional
Five words SM Family; sharing, cooperative, joyful, varied, together

Sprouting Melody 3 plan; Gathering song=”Oh Gather Round”. Bonding=”Swimming Together”. Songs About Me=’Music in Me’ chant. Instrument song=”Music is the Way”. Movement=”The leaves are falling”. Goodbye=”Time to Go”. Approach notes; The kids are able to contribute ideas so I would offer opportunities for them to think of a movement or a way to play their instrument on multiple verses of the songs.

Sprouting Melody Family plan; Gathering song=”Sit Down with Me”; Bonding=”Hold on Tight”; Songs About Me=”All of this is me”; Instrument Song; “I like this song”; Movement=”I can move around”; Goodbye=”Its time to say goodbye” Approach notes; The older kids will enjoy opportunities to help the younger kids and they will enjoy showcasing their skills, such as going fast. The music will need to be sensitive to the needs of the youngest participants so as not to startle them.

[Shonda Malik]

I would share with the parents that music for development has to do with the brain processing the music and making new connections. Those new connections have to do with language, cognition, social-emotional aspects, and motor movements. Music for skill building is the embedded learning skills such as counting, colors,how to hold and play instruments, book handling, etc.

[Shonda Malik]

I have a collection of small drums by Remo. I did have a small ocean drum which I also found a favorite of the kids but it went missing. I need to replace that soon. All my clients really enjoy the lollipop drum. I also get a lot of use out of a jingle strap that can be fastened with the velcro either around their waist or arms/legs for movement songs. I do love to use my buffalo drum and the deep sound seems to be attractive to my younger clients. I also use a small cabasa a lot and the kids love to use their fingers to roll the beads.

[Shonda Malik]

My observations about how much stimulation is enough relate to my clinical work with children who have autism. Currently I have a sensitive client whom I have to watch closely for his reactions to the music. If I don’t adjust quickly enough his behavior can quickly escalate to an agitated state or he can become so shut-down that any chance at further music engagement is impossible. So, I pay very close attention and if he grimaces I know to adjust my volume of playing or singing down. I also have to find creative ways to offer music making experiences because if I present it as a question he will usually sign ‘no’. So instead I will often play a little on an instrument and then gesture if he would like to try. With this same teenage client I have learned that when I teach him new songs that I want him to sing he does best when I sing a simple and repetitive lyric and sing it for him a few times. Then, he almost always joins in when I ask and then he enjoys a few more verses of singing. I do believe the emphasis sprouting melodies gives to repetition helped me to be more comfortable singing so many verses of a song with this particular client. His developmental level is appropriate for this but it is easy to be thrown off by a clients age and size and be worried they might get bored with repetition.

[Shonda Malik]

5 words; explorers, observers, movers, surprises, fun

5 sentences; 1. If you notice your child sings the songs at home but never in class that is normal and completely okay. 2. Your child will enjoy facing you at times and facing towards the group at times. 3. It is okay for your child to explore the room, even if it seems they are not engaged in the song, this is normal and they will rejoin the music making when they are ready. 4. Help your child organize and feel safe in their jumping by firmly planting their feet on the floor with each landing. 5. When you child finishes with an instrument and it has been in their mouth please place it in the bin marked “wash me.”

Session plan sprouting melodies 2; 1. Instrument exploration- recorded music during arrival. 2. Gathering song-Hey! Hey! come and Play! (EKS) 3. Hello song- NR 4. bonding-wiggly jiggly car (EKS) 5. Instrument play-dancing in the middle (EKS) 6. Gross motor movement-pick your hands up high (EKS) with scarves 7. Cool Down- can you see me? (EKS) 8. Goodbye (MRP) 9.Farewell-Thank you very much (EKS)

[Shonda Malik]

Part of my caseload is clinical-based and I also have a variety of community-based settings where my work in groups is more experiential, social or performance based. I believe the work I do in these community-based settings looks much different than what a non-music therapist might provide. When I work in groups with clients who have significant developmental disabilities I provide them with music instrument playing opportunities that are as independent as possible. Non-music therapists might not even give an instrument to these same clients, or play it for them, or do hand over hand play the entire time. In another group for adults with mild cognitive delays, part of our music experience is on-topic group discussions based on themes presented in the songs we play together. A non-music therapist facilitating a music group might think that discussions don’t have a place in music making time.

[Shonda Malik]

5 words= soothing, gentle, comforting, soft, safe

5 sentences= 1. The baby loves your voice the most. 2. The baby sees you best when you hold her 12-18 inches from your face. 3. (when they arrive late) I’m so glad you made it, join us. 4. Sway with the baby gently and slowly. 5. (baby asleep) Their sleep is important, you can learn the song and share it with your baby at home.

Session Plan; Instrument exploration with recorded music; Greeting song-“Hello”-Nordoff-Robbins, sing names; Gathering song- “Gather Round Babies” (MRP) body percussion; Bonding song- “Row it faster” (EKS) baby held in bended legs; Instrument play with “in my little hand” (EKS); movement song- “as big as can be” (EKS); cool down-‘Just like me” (EKS); goodbye-Meredith’s goodbye song

[Shonda Malik]

I do not currently work with children this young. My youngest client in the past was close to two when we began services. For this client I made a special purchase of some small instruments like an age appropriate rattle, rainstick, and drums. I do have children and when they were tiny I sang and swayed with them often. Slow movements with soothing vowel sounds or humming helped to calm and relax them. I also used songs with my kids for early learning concepts much like songs from Barney or Sesame Street.

[Shonda Malik]

I would like to talk about the live music we provide as compared to programs like Kindermusik that rely heavily on prerecorded music. Our live music approach allows us to be more in the moment with our groups and use silence, surprise, repetition, dynamics, voice timbre, etc etc. We are also better able to adjust mid-session to the needs of our clients because we have such a large repertoire of music within ourselves and therefore don’t have to fumble with a digital device. We also have, at the least, a bachelor’s degree in music therapy which brings with it abundant knowledge about child development, psychology, biology and a tremendous understanding of how music can be used as a therapeutic medium. This expertise puts music therapists in a league of their own as compared to music leaders of other early childhood music programs.

[Shonda Malik]

The biggest need of the families I work with who have children with autism or other developmental needs is funding. Often the families are already spending money and time on ST, OT and PT so their willingness to even get started with trying music therapy usually relies on whether there is funding. An even bigger obstacle is that when I present the county and local grant funding options to families only a small percentage of them will actually follow through with even attempting to get the funding set-up. I think most families are overwhelmed with their busy and stressful lives and they just aren’t able to manage following through with the funding applications.

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