I'm really excited about an opportunity I have this evening: tonight, from 6-6:30pm EST, I'll be a guest on the radio program Dr. On Call. It airs on WSCH 99.3 The Eagle out of Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and is hosted by Dr. Marcus Cobb of Spine and Neuromuscular Associates of SEI. If you're unable to receive the signal, you can listen live online here. An audio recording of the show will be made available in the coming weeks, as well.
During the half hour, I'll be explaining the profession of music therapy, hitting on three main points: What music therapy is, Who a music therapist is, and How services may be made available and beneficial to those receiving the service. Based upon my experience, the special needs population will be highlighted. There may also be a live example or two thrown in! Hope you're able to tune in : )
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Monday, April 2, 2012
sing it, spell it, say it
Whichever way you choose, or whichever word you use, whether sung or spoken, every session I lead starts with this: "hi!" ("hello", "hi there", etc.). The idea to spell it while singing came organically during one such session, when one of my kiddos started doing so on his own. I've only used this in 1:1 sessions thus far but, when in a group, I plan to include letter cards for each individual to hold up and spell our greeting. It's a natural way to begin, because it's what we do when we meet friends, family, co-workers, or folks we meet for the first time. Within a music therapy setting, I'm using a song format to teach this social greeting, with the end goal of being able to fade the musical cue and appropriately initiate or reciprocate a spoken form of "Hi".
And as it turns out, there's a lot to welcome...
Hello, April. Our fourth month of the year is here, and we've definitely been ushered in with great weather. It's still hard to believe it's officially spring and we're on this page of the calendar already!
Hi, Autism Awareness Month. Today was the 5th World Autism Awareness Day, and organizations around the world took part in unique events to commemorate the event.
Hi there, new opportunities! Next Tuesday, I'll be the guest speaker on the radio program Dr. On Call. It airs on 99.3FM out of Lawrenceburg, Indiana from 6-6:30PM (EST). Music therapy- of course- is the topic, and I'll be giving listeners an introduction to the profession and sharing information about MT and special needs. An audio link will be available shortly following the live show.
Separately, on Saturday the 14th, I'll be taking part in the Autism Sports Day event at the TriHealth Fitness Pavillion in Cincinnati. From 12-12:30, demonstrations of music and movement will be available for participation.
Hello to you reading, especially if this is your first time visiting! I hope you find information provided to be useful and enjoy your time here.
Sing and Spell Hello
H-E-L-L-O
Hello, hello
It's music time, you know
It’s so nice to see you today
So first we will spell and say:
H-E-L-L-O
Hello, hello
Hello ___
Hello ___
Hello ___
Hello ___
H-E-L-L-O
Hello, hello!
And as it turns out, there's a lot to welcome...
Hello, April. Our fourth month of the year is here, and we've definitely been ushered in with great weather. It's still hard to believe it's officially spring and we're on this page of the calendar already!
Hi, Autism Awareness Month. Today was the 5th World Autism Awareness Day, and organizations around the world took part in unique events to commemorate the event.
Hi there, new opportunities! Next Tuesday, I'll be the guest speaker on the radio program Dr. On Call. It airs on 99.3FM out of Lawrenceburg, Indiana from 6-6:30PM (EST). Music therapy- of course- is the topic, and I'll be giving listeners an introduction to the profession and sharing information about MT and special needs. An audio link will be available shortly following the live show.
Separately, on Saturday the 14th, I'll be taking part in the Autism Sports Day event at the TriHealth Fitness Pavillion in Cincinnati. From 12-12:30, demonstrations of music and movement will be available for participation.
Hello to you reading, especially if this is your first time visiting! I hope you find information provided to be useful and enjoy your time here.
Sing and Spell Hello
H-E-L-L-O
Hello, hello
It's music time, you know
It’s so nice to see you today
So first we will spell and say:
H-E-L-L-O
Hello, hello
Hello ___
Hello ___
Hello ___
Hello ___
H-E-L-L-O
Hello, hello!
Monday, March 5, 2012
Onomatopoeia
Say what??? I think of myself as an English nerd (but hardly anything to cause embarrassment!). In high school, I was on the English team of our academic team. If I hadn't already learned it in class, you can bet that I soaked up the new words and terms that were thrown at me while studying for meets.
Are you familiar with the term or meaning of the post's title? Onomatopoeia (on-uh-mat-uh-pee-uh) is a term for a word that's associated with or used to describe the sound something makes (ie: "moo", "pop", or "splash")- it's a 'sound word.'
Hope you enjoy!
CLICK CLACK CLATTERPILLAR
Click clack,
Click clack,
The clatterpillar goes “click clack.”
Like a train running on its track
It goes up and down,
Down and back.
Like a train running on its track,
The clatterpillar goes “click, click, clack.”
Are you familiar with the term or meaning of the post's title? Onomatopoeia (on-uh-mat-uh-pee-uh) is a term for a word that's associated with or used to describe the sound something makes (ie: "moo", "pop", or "splash")- it's a 'sound word.'
 |
| clatterpillar |
Such are the sounds that I've always associated with the pictured instrument (the clatterpillar- a term Microsoft Word ceases to believe exists : )- "click" and "clack". This little song came to be very organically during a music therapy session with a little guy who quickly became enamored with the clatterpillar. I needed a quick tune for a short length of turn-taking, as well as to describe the instrument itself. I also knew he loved trains and loved the connection between the click-clack sound of the instrument compared to a train chugging on its tracks. He enjoyed the song from the start, and now adds the "click clack" + "up and down" lyrics on his own...with smiles, giggles, and eye contact!
With my young kiddos, I use a plastic constructed clatterpillar as shown above (vs. wood), as I can sanitize the heck out of it : )
Hope you enjoy!
CLICK CLACK CLATTERPILLAR
Click clack,
Click clack,
The clatterpillar goes “click clack.”
Like a train running on its track
It goes up and down,
Down and back.
Like a train running on its track,
The clatterpillar goes “click, click, clack.”
Monday, February 27, 2012
a "sweet" little song
Sweet, indeed! In fact, upon some first encounters with this particular instrument some kiddos have (pretend) licked it. The picture gives it away, but I'm talking about my trio of lollipop drums! (Any other MTs experience a similar reaction with your clients?) It's fun to be able to offer an instrument that looks like a sweet treat : )In my arsenal of activities, I try to keep at least one "instrument-specific" song handy. That is, a song that can be used to accompany playing, describe the instrument, or instruct how to play (ie: "Rub the Cabasa" or "The Clatterpillar Goes Click-Clack") while a client is manipulating the specific object. I have a few songs about drums, but not one for the specific lollipop variety. And... one of my kiddos has been working so very hard on articulation of /L/ and /th/ sounds...so... yahoo- a song with more than one use! (gotta love multi-purposing an activity :) ) I tried hard to include a variety of initial, medial, and final (occuring first-in the middle-at the end of a word) placements of both sounds, as well as plenty of opportunities to practice throughout the song- we don't just want to include 2 /L/ words and call it a day! When using this song to target articulation, we also practice the words without music before/after, as well as use a mirror to watch placement of the tongue (when not holding and playing a drum, of course!)
I hope you may find this useful for one or both of my intended purposes. Let me know if you can think of another : )
Oh- and the /L/ and /th/ sounds we're working on are both sounding lovely!
THE LOLLIPOP DRUM
/th/, /th/, /th/, the lollipop
Play the lollipop drum
Play the lollipop drum
/th/, /th/, /th/, the lollipop
Playing is so much fun
Round like a circle
Sweet as can be
Sing along,
Play this song,
With me
/th/, /th/, /th/, the lollipop
Play the lollipop dru-um
/th/, /th/, /th/, the lollipop
Play the lollipop drum
Friday, January 27, 2012
7 Thoughts of an Advocacy “In-between-er”
A few weeks ago, I shared an advocacy video for my profession’s social media advocacy month. My goal was twofold: 1. to illustrate how a music therapist might use music as a vehicle to present information, and 2. to state that by persisting as a team, combined with individual work, music therapists can help push forward as our profession grows.
Today, I wanted to elaborate on some points that I’ve found helpful when it comes to advocacy:
I wouldn’t consider myself an advocacy “ace”; however, I wouldn’t say I’m quite an amateur advocate, either. I feel comfortable and fairly confident at my current position in the middle- able to share what I’ve learned this far and appreciative of what I can absorb from others. Whether you’re an ace, amateur, or an in-between-er, I welcome you to explore my thoughts about what I’ve personally found to work. These can easily apply to non-music therapists.
1. No discrimination. Just like the uniqueness of humanity, advocacy and being an advocate comes in all shapes and sizes. I feel as though this is a point that's been shared throughout our advocacy project...yay- we're on the same page! Whatever your comfort level, there’s a way for you be involved. If you’re not a fan of public speaking or you’d rather be the one in front and in charge, you can tailor your involvement to fit your preferences. Consider working within a team setting versus individually. You can gain insights, experience, and have a built-in support system!
2. Be and do. “Advocate” is both a noun and a verb. Be an advocate. Advocate for your passion, whatever it may be. My professional passion is utilizing the power of music to help others achieve important, meaningful skills in their lives. I have begun to think of advocacy as an obligation, rather than simply something I’m “able” to do. We as music therapists possess knowledge that others without our training don’t have. And from therapist to therapist we differ. It almost feels like an injustice not to share our smarts!
3. Stray outside of your profession. I’ve been told by mentors- music therapists and non-music therapists- that it’s easiest to start public speaking when you’re presenting to those who aren’t of the same career. This gives you a great opportunity of spreading your message without anxiety of being scrutinized by fellow therapists/ doctors/ educators/ builders/ bakers, etc. The first presentation I gave was to related service professionals (physical therapists, early intervention therapists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists). Some were familiar with my line of work, but many had never been introduced to the topic. It was a great way to advocate, educate, and share- with an only slightly elevated heart rate. I was the expert!
4. Be social. Social media has given us lots of (free) ways to connect, while being states, countries, or continents apart. Through Linked-In, I met a speech-language pathologist from Florida. In her 11 years of practicing, she had never met a music therapist in her area. She was intrigued by my job, and asked me to write an article about it for her blog. Advocacy. Done. And it was started by just clicking “accept” on a virtual invitation. Likewise, there are in-person opportunities to connect with a wide variety of professionals in your community: your local chamber of commerce or business networking groups (BNI is one such organization.) On the flip side…
5. Birds of a feather flock together. While it’s important to educate those who aren’t music therapy majors, keeping up with the latest happenings in the world of music therapy, meeting new colleagues, and collaborating will only help us help each other.
6. In the famous words of the Nike brand- “just do it.” Like any new seemingly daunting task, it will get, if even minisculely so, easier as you become more used to and practice the idea. Looking back to beginning my collegiate career, (in my pre-MT major days, at a 35,000+ Big 10 university), I thought “How in the world am I going to meet new people in this environment?” Turns out, I just did it. I began to initiate conversations, introduce myself, and never looked back. To this day, this experience takes credit for my ability to be comfortable in new social settings. Now, as a small-business owner, it’s completely up to me to advocate for and well-represent my company and my profession, and I feel comfortable doing so. I do this when I: engage in public speaking, attend a resource fair, host shadowing opportunities for high school and college students who are interested in music therapy, begin a new music therapy program, write a blog post that someone may happen to “happen upon”…and so continues the many ways! Take a deep breath and jump in…there will always be someone around to assist you, if need be.
7. Carpe articulum. Seize the moment. Music therapists are, generally, used to elaborating on their job descriptions when asked “So- what do you do?” Use this opportunity to advocate and educate. Think about the many scenarios when this may unfold. Create a succinct speech that you can recite or share an anecdote that will share information to those without the knowledge- and who can in turn walk away with an introduction to music therapy.
When I shared the “a-d-v-o-c-a-t-e” video two weeks ago, I was nervous. It was my first musical offering on the Web when I was both heard and seen. But I did it. Maybe someone was introduced to the subject of music therapy that day- who knows?
It’s been great to read and listen to all of the contributions from my fellow therapists during the past few weeks. I know this project has lit a fire for me to consistently keep up with advocacy efforts, and I suspect that our profession will continue to make headway and burn brightly, too.
Today, I wanted to elaborate on some points that I’ve found helpful when it comes to advocacy:
I wouldn’t consider myself an advocacy “ace”; however, I wouldn’t say I’m quite an amateur advocate, either. I feel comfortable and fairly confident at my current position in the middle- able to share what I’ve learned this far and appreciative of what I can absorb from others. Whether you’re an ace, amateur, or an in-between-er, I welcome you to explore my thoughts about what I’ve personally found to work. These can easily apply to non-music therapists.
1. No discrimination. Just like the uniqueness of humanity, advocacy and being an advocate comes in all shapes and sizes. I feel as though this is a point that's been shared throughout our advocacy project...yay- we're on the same page! Whatever your comfort level, there’s a way for you be involved. If you’re not a fan of public speaking or you’d rather be the one in front and in charge, you can tailor your involvement to fit your preferences. Consider working within a team setting versus individually. You can gain insights, experience, and have a built-in support system!
2. Be and do. “Advocate” is both a noun and a verb. Be an advocate. Advocate for your passion, whatever it may be. My professional passion is utilizing the power of music to help others achieve important, meaningful skills in their lives. I have begun to think of advocacy as an obligation, rather than simply something I’m “able” to do. We as music therapists possess knowledge that others without our training don’t have. And from therapist to therapist we differ. It almost feels like an injustice not to share our smarts!
3. Stray outside of your profession. I’ve been told by mentors- music therapists and non-music therapists- that it’s easiest to start public speaking when you’re presenting to those who aren’t of the same career. This gives you a great opportunity of spreading your message without anxiety of being scrutinized by fellow therapists/ doctors/ educators/ builders/ bakers, etc. The first presentation I gave was to related service professionals (physical therapists, early intervention therapists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists). Some were familiar with my line of work, but many had never been introduced to the topic. It was a great way to advocate, educate, and share- with an only slightly elevated heart rate. I was the expert!
4. Be social. Social media has given us lots of (free) ways to connect, while being states, countries, or continents apart. Through Linked-In, I met a speech-language pathologist from Florida. In her 11 years of practicing, she had never met a music therapist in her area. She was intrigued by my job, and asked me to write an article about it for her blog. Advocacy. Done. And it was started by just clicking “accept” on a virtual invitation. Likewise, there are in-person opportunities to connect with a wide variety of professionals in your community: your local chamber of commerce or business networking groups (BNI is one such organization.) On the flip side…
5. Birds of a feather flock together. While it’s important to educate those who aren’t music therapy majors, keeping up with the latest happenings in the world of music therapy, meeting new colleagues, and collaborating will only help us help each other.
6. In the famous words of the Nike brand- “just do it.” Like any new seemingly daunting task, it will get, if even minisculely so, easier as you become more used to and practice the idea. Looking back to beginning my collegiate career, (in my pre-MT major days, at a 35,000+ Big 10 university), I thought “How in the world am I going to meet new people in this environment?” Turns out, I just did it. I began to initiate conversations, introduce myself, and never looked back. To this day, this experience takes credit for my ability to be comfortable in new social settings. Now, as a small-business owner, it’s completely up to me to advocate for and well-represent my company and my profession, and I feel comfortable doing so. I do this when I: engage in public speaking, attend a resource fair, host shadowing opportunities for high school and college students who are interested in music therapy, begin a new music therapy program, write a blog post that someone may happen to “happen upon”…and so continues the many ways! Take a deep breath and jump in…there will always be someone around to assist you, if need be.
7. Carpe articulum. Seize the moment. Music therapists are, generally, used to elaborating on their job descriptions when asked “So- what do you do?” Use this opportunity to advocate and educate. Think about the many scenarios when this may unfold. Create a succinct speech that you can recite or share an anecdote that will share information to those without the knowledge- and who can in turn walk away with an introduction to music therapy.
When I shared the “a-d-v-o-c-a-t-e” video two weeks ago, I was nervous. It was my first musical offering on the Web when I was both heard and seen. But I did it. Maybe someone was introduced to the subject of music therapy that day- who knows?
It’s been great to read and listen to all of the contributions from my fellow therapists during the past few weeks. I know this project has lit a fire for me to consistently keep up with advocacy efforts, and I suspect that our profession will continue to make headway and burn brightly, too.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Week 3 Wrap-Up
Music therapists have been b.u.s.y cranking out more advocacy articles! It's been really interesting and enjoyable to hear what fellow colleagues have to say, and sort of get a little taste of everyone's personality through his/her writing. You can explore all of the contributions that have been published this far quickly and efficiently, by visiting the list compiled here as well as here.
Hooray for the ease in which we're able to share all of this great information! : )
Monday, January 16, 2012
a-d-v-o-c-a-t-e...on YouTube
As promised, I'd like to share part of my contribution to the 2012 Music Therapy Social Media Advocacy Month with you...by way of my first YouTube video!
This actually came before my article...(half truth- I had a pretty solid rough draft, but then the song 'happened' and changed my course of thinking). I was driving home at the end of my work day- with the days' songs + ideas of writing for the project swirling in my mind- and this came to be in a very short period of time. Thank goodness for voice memo apps!
This actually came before my article...(half truth- I had a pretty solid rough draft, but then the song 'happened' and changed my course of thinking). I was driving home at the end of my work day- with the days' songs + ideas of writing for the project swirling in my mind- and this came to be in a very short period of time. Thank goodness for voice memo apps!
I often find that individuals who are not familiar with music therapy can really benefit from experiental examples- active or passive... I'm hoping that the new Music Matters YouTube channel will allow for future educate-by-example advocacy opportunities.
Monday, January 9, 2012
And the word of the month is...
Advocacy! To digress just a minute or so...when I was young, I had the (good/ strange- I'm not quite sure) opportunity to watch "Pee-wee's Playhouse" as part of my lineup of Saturday morning cartoons. Did you? I distinctly remember the 'word of the day' segment at the beginning; anytime one of the characters uttered the word during the episode, it was followed by the instructed 'aaaaugh'- scream really loud.
In the world of music therapy, we're using our word- advocacy- throughout the month of January. Music therapy bloggers (including yours truly) and podcasters from around the country will be expressing their thoughts on the topic and our profession- why it's important, how to be an advocate, ideas, and tips. A complied list of contributions can be found on the Music Therapy Maven's website. If you're a Twitter user, you can also follow the #mtadvocacy hashtag.
I'm looking forward to each week's articles and podcasts, as well as sharing my own with you toward the end of the month...no screaming at the word necessary : ).
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
...and a Happy New Year!
I've had this song as my ringtone for the past few days, and find myself humming it even when my phone doesn't ring. Straight No Chaser is one of my faves, and I love their take on this tune...I hope you enjoy as I do : )
In case you're interested- here's a link to a Washington Post search on the history of the topic; in my opinion, they present the most information/ best story. You can sign up free to read the first article, "Who Gets Credit for 'Auld Lang Syne'"?
Thursday, December 22, 2011
A Whole New Decade
So, friends...yesterday I turned 30. 3-0! No longer a 20-something. I have been told multiple times [because, honestly, I'm not thrilled about this change yet], that age is a state of mind, not a number...which I am thankful to be reminded of, because I still feel like an early twenty-year-old, even though I have a brand new first number to get used to!
With this, I thought that I would give you a present for my birthday. A few of my kiddos have been working hard on numbers, specifically counting by different intervals: 2's, 5's, and 10's. Since I'm at a new 10-year mark, I'm sharing a "Count by 10's" little ditty with you. You can hop over to my Bandcamp page and download the mp3, sans charge. Celebrate!
I am proud of and, again, thankful for all that I have accomplished and been presented in during my last decade [see- that just sounds weird!]...and although I'm not taking this change quite in stride yet, am very excited to see what the next 10 years brings- and I look forward to sharing it with you : )
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