[Samantha Knapp]

Tabatha, I love that you used decision-making and expression in your 5 words for FS! They are both so important in this stage and we absolutely can provide that for these kiddos.

[Samantha Knapp]

Family Sprouts:
5 Words: Model, Balance, Community, Support, Fun
Gathering Hey Everybody – engaging and steady
Bonding Hold On Tight – engaging for older kids, security for younger; inclusive
Songs About Me All of This is Me – interaction between younger and older kids; can change the speed to make it more fun and engaging for big kids
Instrument Songs I Like This Song – opportunity for different levels of instrument play; interaction between kids
Movement I can Move Around – big kids get to show off for siblings/parents
Goodbye It’s Time to Say Goodbye – closing and transition to leaving

SM 3:
5 Words: Active, Strong, Engaging, Creative, Model
Gathering Sit Down With Me – allowing students to be creative in how they play and sing and move in the gathering song
Bonding Swimming Together – encourage bonding with other children while parents model singing but don’t engage as much
Songs About Me From Head to Toe (Eric Carle) – body exploration in book form
Instrument Songs Music Is the Way – harmonic content to draw kids in, playing instruments and exploring new musical elements
Movement Will You Come – lots of movement, allowing children to explore the movement through the music
Goodbye Thank You Very Much – engaging each child, transitioning to leaving music

[Samantha Knapp]

Carrie, I work in a reverse inclusion preschool where we put typical peers in with our autistic or disabled kiddos and they are there to set the example in a lot of different ways. It backfires sometimes, but it’s super useful for both groups of kids because they all can grow so much in so many different ways!

[Samantha Knapp]

Ooh, jealousy! Such an ugly little thing, but also a huge part of development in siblings and groups of kiddos.

Good luck with starting up some groups! Head Start is an awesome place, and, in my area at least, they would greatly benefit from a group like this!

[Samantha Knapp]

I currently work in a setting where there are multiple ages in one group and it can be a huge challenge, especially with younger children. Children grow so much in their younger years that a few months can see a huge difference in development and skills. I have children who are as young as 2 in a group with children who have just turned 5. Their needs are extremely different. 2 year olds require more one on one time, more rest, and almost constant vigilance. A 5 year old still requires rest and one on one time, but they also need to be appropriate stimulated in order to continue to grow. A group with multiple ages requires a lot of planning and patience. I try to make it clear that my older kiddos are the example and need to help me “teach” the younger kiddos about what we’re doing and how we play. It’s exhausting, but quite rewarding too!

[Samantha Knapp]

Carrie, I love how specific you are in your answer, providing the ways that the children grow through music in their skills and development. It really makes it much more clear.

[Samantha Knapp]

Brooke, I was also a bit confused at this prompt, but I really like how you approached and answered the question. Well done!

[Samantha Knapp]

Music for development is looking at the child as an entire human. They are using the music to process how the world works and their role in the world as well. Music for skill is focusing on building up speech, gross and fine motor, and other developmental areas. We are working on specific goals in specific domains in order to help the child grow.

[Samantha Knapp]

Thanks Alicia for asking those questions. And thanks Erika for answering them. The iso principle is so important and integral to how I practice daily that I can’t see myself not using it in the SM settings as well.

[Samantha Knapp]

Five words: Engaging, Fun, Playful, Movement, Authentic

Five sentences: 1. It’s okay if your baby is moving away from you – they’re spreading their wings, but they’ll come back to you too! 2. Thank you for being here today! It’s really great to see you! 3. At this stage, your little one is curious and learning. Try turning them around so that they can see what’s going on in the group. 4. They’ll sing when they’re ready! You’ll probably hear this song at home later. 5. Don’t be afraid to share your lap! These little ones are learning to trust and explore and you all provide safety and security in a comfortable environment!

Plan: Gathering Song – Hey Hey Come and Play: Fun and inviting to welcome everyone to the group. Bonding Song: Wiggly Jiggly Car: Fun, movement, safe and secure. Songs About Me – Can You See Me?: Initiating a response, exploring the self, advocating for independence. Instrument Song – Dancing in the Middle: inviting, fun, movement, gathering. Movement Song – Pick Your Hands Up High: encouraging exploration, moving in the space. Goodbye – Thank You Very Much: Closing, saying goodbye.

[Samantha Knapp]

I can’t believe I forgot about my ocean drum! I use those guys just about every day. It’s a favorite among my kids. I’m going to have to look into the starter kit at West. Thanks for mentioning it, Shannon!

[Samantha Knapp]

I inherited a lot of instruments from the previous music therapist at my job. Most, if not all, of the drums are Remo, but a handful of them are showing their age so I need to be careful with them. I try to avoid using those for some of my little guys because I don’t want sometime to break while they’re playing with it. I have a bag full of maracas that I use with my little ones as well. I’m not sure what brand they are specifically, but most of my kiddos really enjoy using them. They have a sturdy wooden handle, a plastic body, and a nice sound to them. When I do the ordering, I try to stick with West Music or my local music store to provide the few things that I’ve needed so far, but I don’t really have specific brands that I stick to.

[Samantha Knapp]

Alicia, I do the same thing at the end of my groups. I like to have fun with my kids, but I try to bring everything to a calm, or at least neutral, closing so that they can go back to learning. I had a few designated songs this year that really helped to do that, and every time the kids heard those songs they knew it was time to clean up and cool down.

I also wanted to touch on your question of whether or not we leave the kids alone. I prefer to allow kids to explore and participate in their own time. I might request that they stay with the group, but if a student doesn’t want to participate, I’m just happy that they’re sharing the space with us and not being disruptive. I’ve had a few students this year who have been disruptive and a staff member will usually remove them from the group or try to find something that they enjoy to help them calm down. It’s such a fine line to try to manage.

[Samantha Knapp]

I love what you say about the numbers because it can make a huge different. I work in special education and have no control over the number of students in each group, unfortunately. Our pre-k program is rapidly growing and I had up to 12 students in a group throughout this school year, a mixture of disabled and typically developing peers. It’s difficult to engage everyone with such a large mixture of needs in the group. There’s a lot of power in being able to advocate for your clients and close off the number of people in each group.

[Samantha Knapp]

I think that there can be a lot of variation in the proper amount of stimulation based on the group overall. For a consistent base, there needs to be enough stimulation so as to keep everyone engaged in the activity and the music, but not so much that they are overwhelmed. As a provider, we need to be aware of how the children are acting, how the adults are acting, and respond accordingly. There could be a constant fluctuation in how we engage the group.

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