[Stephanie Harris]

Be flexible. Be repetitive. Engage each child at their level. Be passionate, professional, and persistent. Assess if a child not engaging needs further resources/support or needs new challenges. Set expectations. Have FUN!

[Stephanie Harris]

I’m looking forward to using all this new (and relearned) knowledge to finally start some groups we’ve been wanting to do for a long time. I’ve spent a lot of time reviewing different structures for all different types of groups scenarios and I feel that the SM structure and format would be successful in our situation.

I look forward to providing services to a new group of clientele in our area and a group that has been eager to get services for a significant period of time. I also look forward to diversifying our practice and providing new opportunities for our music therapists!

[Stephanie Harris]

Music for development provides an environment for the child to engage with music in a way that enhances what is already happening in their growing minds and bodies. Music for skill building engages them in a way that targets a particular need area and works specifically on that skill for improvement.

[Stephanie Harris]

SM3

Personality, Creative, Deliberate, Strong, Active

Gathering: Sit Down with Me, Bonding: Swimming Together, Songs About Me: Where is the Music?, Instrument Song: You Play a Little, Movement Song: Will You Come?, Goodbye: Time to Go

Family Sprouts

Joyful, Cooperation, Helping, Magical, Busy

Gathering: Come and Join the Circle, Bonding: Hold On Tight, Songs About Me: All of This is Me, Instrument Songs: I like this Song, Movement Song: I Really Gotta Jump, GoodBye: Music Time is Over

[Stephanie Harris]

One of the reasons I love doing groups with a variety of ages and skill levels is because I think they’re not only challenging for the leader, but also provide opportunities for the older children to model and be in the “helper” role and it gives the younger children the opportunity to learn from the older kids.

I liked Beth’s idea of bringing it back down at the end of the session for the younger kids. Including the older kids to help with the younger ones and to make a lot of the choices would be helpful.

[Stephanie Harris]

The owners/supervisors at my facility are aware of me taking the course and we will move forward with discussions on the advantages of becoming a SM provider versus creating our own group programs now that it is complete. Our goal as a company is to increase music therapy availability for our current ABA clients and outreaching to the early intervention program who desperately seeks services from us. The families are unable to afford private weekly individual sessions, so setting a group program up with multi-week sessions should be extremely successful.

One colleague is doing the course this cycle, and others will complete it as we move forward. We will outreach to current families and contacts at our other local agencies with specific information once we make decisions about how to proceed.

[Stephanie Harris]

From here, I will be exploring with my employer whether we will become a SM provider or if we will be creating a program based more specifically on our facilities needs. Regardless, the training has given me a greater understanding of music and development with young children and I will utilize that with all of my clients. We are hoping to start some sort of program in the fall/early winter.

Immediately, I will read Beth’s book and ordered the songbook to increase my young child repertoire since I’ve been mostly working with adults.

[Stephanie Harris]

1. Playful, energy, spontaneous, explore, free
2. Wow, listen to how he is vocalizing that syllable with us. It’s okay for him to wander around the room, we want him to explore! It’s great that he’s exploring the drum by rubbing it and feeling it, he’ll learn to bang on it soon. Look at how he’s banging the maracas together, that’s a great skill at this age. He just pointed to the right body part we sang!
3. GATHERING/GREETING- “Hey, Hey, Come and Play” to start to bring parents and children together and transition to “Hello” with children’s names added. BONDING- “Hold On Tight” to encourage children to sit and bond with parent, engage in rocking type movements to the song, with slight changes in tempo or some spontaneity. SONGS ABOUT ME- “All of This is Me” to work on body parts, and repetitive words could encourage speech imitation. INSTRUMENT SONGS- “In My Little Hand” to encourage moving in general direction of song and again syllables to encourage some imitation of speech. MOVEMENT SONG- “Will You Come” to encourage following movements. GOODBYE- “Goodbye my friend, music is done.” repetition from SM1.

[Stephanie Harris]

I don’t have any early childhood groups running yet, but in this training and other sources I know that instruments such as maracas or enclosed bells with handles, nesting drums, and chiquitas work best with this age. It was recommended not to use eggs and jingle bells that can be put in the mouth. Metallic instruments are not recommended yet due to the more abrasive sound. In general, I feel pretty strongly that even younger children can handle instruments and benefit more from quality made instruments versus toy-type instruments.

I love the idea of the ‘wash me’ bin for parents to put instruments that have been mouthed so other kids don’t end up picking it up before it gets cleaned!

[Stephanie Harris]

I think that this would be an area where music therapist’s leading these types of early music groups is really beneficial. Our ability to gauge stimulation and adapt the session is part of our training and education. I think every child is different with what stimulates them and what will put them over the edge to overstimulation. I think gradually challenging a child with something that you know is stimulating is a positive experience for them. Some children may be overstimulated by all the different music and sounds, so keeping some predictability and repetition would provide a familiar safe spot to return to. Others may be more stimulated by what all the other children are playing and doing, so it would be important to help direct the parents how to interact with their child to prevent overstimulation.

[Stephanie Harris]

1. Gentle, Rocking, Bonding, Support, Calm
2. He vocalized back at you, keep up that singing! She didn’t startle like she did when we were at that part last time. He is following you, you’re at a great distance from him for interaction. She’s doing such a great job grasping and shaking the maraca today. Look at that smile when we started going faster.
3. GATHERING/GREETING- Good Morning song – adapted from Nordoff Robbins, repetitive with option to add names. BONDING SONGS- Row it Faster- a familiar song for parents to feel comfortable, but opportunity to adapt. SONGS ABOUT ME- Just Like Me- Hand motions to engage, repetitive INSTRUMENT SONG- Boom Boom- “Boom boom it’s fun to play the drum, play the drum…” “Shake Shake it’s fun to shake the maraca, shake maraca. MOVEMENT SONG- Noble Duke of York- opportunity to move child up/down. GOODBYE- “Goodbye my friends, time to go.”

[Stephanie Harris]

I also have not had clinical experience with this age range. But have two young children under five, so it’s not been so long. I really can’t wait to have a group of these little ones together. I feel like my challenge would be making sure to address all the differences in their development and being able to confidently communicate with the new parents.

[Stephanie Harris]

We have found in our practice that the ‘community’ that happens in the waiting room with the parents connecting to one another and sharing resources is as beneficial for their child as what we’re doing with them during our sessions. These families start to recognize one another from week to week and share their stories, it’s really a neat thing that happens. I know I have found that same connection with other moms while I wait for my daughter in dance class. You put folks with some similar interest or situation together and they will naturally try to support one another. Our city is also a wellness oriented city with many seeking out these types of opportunities for their families.

[Stephanie Harris]

I think the most value we bring is our comfort level with knowing how children develop and being able to adapt and change in the moment to the needs of the group.

In my area music therapists have a positive reputation, but we are isolated due to available funding sources and many feel benefitting from a music therapist’s services are unattainable.

Personally, I have years of working with clients with behavioral needs and educating families and teams of how music therapy supports the individual. I believe I could bring that experience to this younger age group.

[Stephanie Harris]

We aren’t currently providing early childhood music therapy at our facility, but have had the request many times because our owner is a clinical psychologist that does evaluations for the state early intervention program. Many times the children she evaluates are not diagnosed but have delays, and unfortunately do not qualify for therapy services through funding sources. I think we could provide that additional support they need while providing support to the parents and at an affordable private rate. </p>
<p>Another area that there is a need is providing a positive experience for the siblings of the children coming into our practice for intensive therapy. The parents could benefit from 1:1 time with the neurotypical child, and the family could benefit from a positive experience together as well. </p>
<p>We have had families express to us that they love having their child with special needs in an inclusive group but the leaders don’t often know how to adapt or include their child in a successful way. We as music therapists certainly have the skills to bring all of those needs together.

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