Friday Fave: Facebook

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When I joined Facebook as a 21-year-old graduate student back in 2004, I would have laughed at you if you’d told me that one day, my mother and I would be Facebook friends. Fast-forward to five years later, when I am Facebook friends with not only my mother, but her friends, my dad, my former professors, and my students’ parents. Not to mention hundreds of other people from all areas of my life.

Over the last couple of years, Facebook has transitioned from a neat way to keep in touch with friends from college, to a completely legitimate networking tool. I’ve befriended and exchanged ideas with other music therapists, explained music therapy to complete strangers via mutual friends’ wall posts, and created a nice network of people who read Listen & Learn or use the services of my private practice, Music Therapy Connections. My Facebook page allows me to update my “fans” with new blog posts, information they might find useful, and best of all, it lets them get to know me as a person.

So thank you to everyone who has taken a moment to “become a fan” of Listen & Learn on Facebook, simply by clicking the Facebook box that appears in the left-hand sidebar of this page. (And if you haven’t already, please do so!) I also wanted to share a few other Facebook pages that you might enjoy:

Brown Music Therapy
The Hope Institute for Children & Families
Kidlutions: Solutions for Kids
Kids Sing Studio
Laurie Berkner Band
Midwest Music Therapy Services
Model Me Kids
Neurosong Music Therapy Services, Inc.
Songs For Teaching
West Music

If you can think of any I might have left out, or you have your own Facebook page that Listen & Learn readers might enjoy, please feel free to share in the comments section or send me an email. Happy Friday, everyone!

On the Horizon

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Beginning in January, I will be offering consultative music therapy services through my private practice, Music Therapy Connections. Consultative services, you ask? Though I go into great detail on the MTC website, I’ll sum it up here in just a few sentences.

When a student comes to my studio for one-on-one or group music therapy, that is considered direct service. We work on specified goals and objectives using the songs, activities and interventions I have designed based on that student’s specific needs. However, if I provide the student with those songs, activities, and interventions (as well as accompanying tools for the parent, teacher, or other professional) without meeting face-to-face on a regular basis, then that is considered consultative service.

Several factors played into my decision to offer consultative services. First of all, I love creating and providing resources (which is pretty clear, I hope, based on this blog). The fact that children all over the US and beyond are benefiting from my songs and activities simply amazes me, and I want to take that further. Consultative services allow me to provide individual therapeutic and learning experiences through music on a wider scale; in this way, I am not limited to children in central Illinois. Anyone, anywhere can receive these services as long as communication is available via phone, internet, and (seldomly) snail mail.

Secondly, my direct services are limited to the students I can see between the hours of 4 and 7 pm, as I work at a school during the day. Consultative services are not :) After all, doesn’t everybody need one more way to fill their nights and weekends? The truth is, I love the work that I do and I can’t wait to do even more of it.
And last but not least, I think the interest is there. I receive many emails from parents all over who want to explore music therapy for their children, but do not have a music therapist in their area. And while direct service is the ideal means of delivery, sometimes it just isn’t possible.

Please visit my new Consultative Services page for a more in-depth explanation. I have also put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions, though you are certainly welcome to contact me directly for more information.

The Birthday Song You Haven’t Heard (Part 2)

by | Listen & Learn Music, Uncategorized

When it comes to ending a music class or music therapy session, I have plenty of goodbye songs from which to choose. But last year for Maggie’s birthday party, I wanted to do something a little different.

So instead of ending the music portion of her party with a goodbye song she already knew, I sang one I wrote especially for her. Thus, the “Birthday Goodbye Song” became a tradition, and I have been using it ever since.

Now it’s time for me to sing my last song.
I’m so glad you came today and sang along.
Thanks so much for joining in and listening too,
I had a wonderful time with all of you!

Music time is over but the party’s just begun,
There’s still so much to do so let’s go have more fun.
Maggie’s turning five so we’re gonna celebrate,
With presents to open and ice cream and cake.

Now it’s time for me to sing my last song.
I’m so glad you came today and sang along.
Thanks so much for joining in and listening too,
I had a wonderful time with all of you!

Short and sweet, because by the time the music portion of a birthday party comes to an end, the birthday girl or boy and guests are getting antsy in anticipation of sugar…lots and lots of sugar. And I don’t mind having a piece of cake and some ice cream, myself!

The Birthday Song You Haven’t Heard (Part 1)

by | Listen & Learn Music, Uncategorized

Last year I had the pleasure of helping two of my favorite church mice, Maggie and Samantha, celebrate their birthdays. Not only did I lead music time at both girls’ birthday parties, but I also made them special CDs with some of their favorite songs included.

The girls’ mom has asked for birthday CDs again this year, so I decided to take it one step further. I wrote a personalized birthday song which includes both the name and age of my birthday buddy, in this case, Maggie. I combined my new words and melody with the classic “Happy Birthday” song, which resulted in this:

Doot-do-do, do-do-do
Happy birthday, Maggie!
You are turning five years old.
Celebrate yourself today,
And all the fun this year will hold.

Birthday parties, presents to open,
Cake and ice cream too.
Friends and family come together
And it’s all because of you!

CHORUS

It’s your very special day
So do what you want to do.
Laugh and smile, have a ball.
And may your birthday wish come true!

CHORUS

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday, dear Maggie,
Happy birthday to you!

This tune starts the CD, letting the birthday girl know that it is her very own special song collection. The rest of the playlist includes both favorites recommended by her parents and other Listen & Learn songs I think she might enjoy. There is also a special birthday goodbye song at the end, which again is personalized. Come back tomorrow to hear it :)

‘Dem Bones, ‘Dem Bones

by | Listen & Learn Music, Uncategorized

How about a Halloween song that almost everyone knows, or at least has heard once or twice? It’s actually an old spiritual, but over the years has become a staple for this time of year. Most of my students instantly recognize this when I begin singing or playing one of the many versions that has been recorded for children.

My favorite is in the style of a barbershop quartet, and you can find it on the album Wee Sing for Halloween. What’s great about “Dry Bones” is that it doubles as a fun way to work on body part identification.

Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones!
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones!
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones!
Oh see dem skeleton bones.

The foot bone connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the back bone,
The back bone connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone connected to the head bone,
Oh see dem skeleton bones.

Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around,
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around,
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk around,
Oh see dem skeleton bones.

The head bone connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone connected to the back bone,
The back bone connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone connected to the foot bone,
Oh see dem skeleton bones.

Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones!
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones!
Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones!
Oh see dem skeleton bones.

I usually pass out rhythm sticks for this song, and yesterday, one of my students did the cutest, most clever thing with them. She made a “skeleton” out of an entire tub of sticks, and then pointed to each different “bone” as it was sung. Seriously, these kids never cease to amaze me.