Free Download: “Little Red Apples”
This is one of many counting songs I’ve written, which focuses on counting both up to 5 and down from 5. I created simple apple visual aides (using red construction paper and then laminating) which my students can then manipulate as we count.
Click here to download the mp3 and lyrics/chords.
P.S. If you want access to my entire collection of over 200 songs (mp3, lead sheet, and instrumental track), videos, tutorials, and visual aides, plus ALL new releases from Listen & Learn Music, consider joining me over at Listen & Learn Plus!
Friday Fave: Erfurt Music Resource
I’m assuming that since you’re here at Listen & Learn, you are probably interested in music therapy, music education, or just music in general. If that is the case, then you’ll definitely want to stop by the Erfurt Music Resource, a new website created by my friend and fellow music therapist, Michelle Erfurt. Read as Michelle describes it in her own words:
“The idea of creating an online resource for music related products, services, and information came from a conversation I had with Raymond Day, adaptive instrument maker and long time music therapy supporter. I had published a music songbook for Rachel Rambach and really needed to show it off at the next national American Music Therapy Association conference. I wanted a table in the exhibit hall but was looking for someone else to share the rental cost in order to be as fiscally responsible as possible. I had heard about Raymond Day from my days volunteering with the AMTA membership committee and gave him a call. Turns out that he wanted to sell his products at conference but wasn’t able to physically be there. So we worked out a deal…and together we were able to spread the word about our products.”
“There are many people out there just like Raymond, Rachel and myself. Individuals with products, services and information that would be of interest to music therapists, music educators, parents, and more. But we need help connecting our great products with all of you out there. So, that’s exactly what we have done. The Erfurt Music Resource: A collection of individuals working to promote our items together.”
This site truly is a comprehensive collection; you’ll find other music therapy bloggers like me, video lessons, e-books, and lots more. It’s nice to be part of a community that is growing so quickly and receiving such a great response.
Giveaway: SleepPhones
Many of my favorite blogs offer periodic giveaways to their loyal readers, and I am so excited to be following in their footsteps! I couldn’t have asked for a better freebie: the SleepPhones System by AcousticSheep.
SleepPhones are soft, comfortable headphones that are housed in a machine-washable fleece headband, perfect for wearing at night as you sleep (hence their name). They can be plugged into an iPod, CD player, radio or any other audio device with a regular headphone jack. Some of you might remember that I posted my own review of the SleepPhones (complete with personal pics!) after trying them out for myself last fall. I’ve been using them for months now; I just plug my SleepPhones into my iPod, tuck it underneath my pillow, and drift off to my favorite sleepy-time music.
Several readers wrote to me after my SleepPhones post to tell me they were purchasing their own pair. Now YOU have the chance to win a pair (valued at $54.95) just by leaving a comment at the end of this post by Sunday, 8 pm CT. [Note: Your comment must include an email address to be eligible to win, either through your Google ID or typed into your comment entry.] I’ll use random.org to select a winner, who will be announced on Monday, February 22nd. Good luck!
P.S. If you don’t win, you can still save on SleepPhones! AcousticSheep has generously offered a $5 discount to my lovely readers. Just use the coupon code “LALM5” when you place your order.
Taming the Tidal Wave
2010 has been a very good year so far, as far as my work is concerned. Maybe even a little too good! What I mean is that since January, I have been inundated with exciting opportunities, new projects, and the addition of several students to my private practice/studio. While those are all very positive things, and I am extremely grateful for them, I’ve been just a little stressed! Understandable, right? Juggling so many responsibilities sometimes feels like I’m surfing a tidal wave, just barely staying above water.
So here’s the question: how do you get off that tidal wave and back to solid ground? As a parent, teacher, therapist, or pretty much anyone else with a life and responsibilities, you’ve probably found yourself faced with that very question. I want to share a few of the things that have helped me through this most current wave of stress.
- Get organized. I’ve learned that if I don’t take control of the things that stress me out, they just swirl around in my head and cause even more stress. David Allen’s best-selling book Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
was almost life-changing, in that it taught me new but simple ways to organize my life and work to cut out a lot of that free-floating stress.
- Identify the next step, then take it. I know all too well that looking at the “big picture” of a project can be really scary. Instead, I break the project down into tasks that can be completed and marked off the list. That way, I can see my progress as the project moves toward completion.
- Reward yourself. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate; something as simple as a lunch break could serve as your reward for finishing a task on your to-do list. Last summer when I was working on music for the Model Me Kids: Faces & Emotions DVD, I would sit down at my desk around 6:00 am to begin. Each song took several hours to write, record, and edit, so every time I completed one, I allowed myself to spend some time unwinding (usually with a snack while watching television or taking my dog for a walk). I looked forward to that downtime, which gave me extra motivation to complete my work.
- Regain your confidence. This is especially important when you are facing new challenges and unchartered water. I have taken on several new roles this year, and at the beginning, I questioned whether I could really handle each of them. Constantly questioning my abilities was really stressing me out, until I realized something: I wouldn’t have these roles unless I was capable of them. Others put their trust in me, so why shouldn’t I trust myself?
- Imagine the outcome. With each project and task that you undertake, you most likely have an end goal in mind. Picture your life once you have completed each one; how you will feel, what you will do with the extra time. Sometimes that is all the motivation I need to get through a particularly difficult item on my list!
Now I am off to apply some of these very techniques as I tackle the rest of my day. Here’s to a productive, stress-free and enjoyable afternoon. (Oh, and if you have any items to add to the list, please share them in the comments section!)
Body Cross, Apple Sauce
“Crossing the midline” is a term you hear quite often as a parent, and if you are a therapist or teacher, it is often a goal for many of your students or clients. This action refers to any movement that requires one side of the body to cross over the center line of the body.
Kimberly Sena Moore wrote a fantastic post on her blog, Music Therapy Maven, about the importance of crossing the midline and how this skill affects a child’s abilities in many other areas of function. I highly recommend reading it to learn more about this subject.
As a music therapist, this goal is very common amongst my students, which is why I wrote a song meant to target such movements. Some of the motor skills included in the song are more difficult than others, but I wanted it to be as comprehensive as possible so that students can work towards successfully achieving all of the movements in the song.
Body cross, apple sauce,
Movin to the beat,
You can do it sittin’ down,
Or up on your feet.
Body cross, apple sauce,
Do as I say,
Move, move your body
This way.
Body cross, apple sauce,
Here we go,
Make your left hand touch
Your right elbow.
Bring your hand across, to
Your other elbow, you see,
Move, move, movin’ your body.
Body cross, apple sauce,
Here we go,
Make your right hand touch
Your left elbow.
Bring your arm across, to
Your other elbow, you see,
Move, move, movin’ your body.
Body cross, apple sauce,
Here we go,
Make your left knee touch
Your right elbow.
Bring your arm across,
So it can touch your other knee,
Move, move, movin’ your body.
Body cross, apple sauce,
Here we go,
Make your right knee touch
Your left elbow.
Bring your arm across,
So it can touch your other knee,
Move, move, movin’ your body.
Body cross, apple sauce,
If you please,
Make your left hand
Give your right shoulder a squeeze.
Bring your arm across, to
Your other shoulder, you see.
Move, move, movin’ your body.
Body cross, apple sauce,
If you please,
Make your right hand
Give your left shoulder a squeeze.
Bring your arm across, to
Your other shoulder, you see.
Move, move, movin’ your body.
Body cross, apple sauce,
Your pardon I beg,
Give a little kick across
With your left leg.
Kick your leg across the other,
To the right, you see,
Move, move, movin’ your body.
Body cross, apple sauce,
Your pardon I beg,
Give a little kick across
With your right leg.
Kick your leg across the other,
To the left, you see,
Move, move, movin’ your body.
Do you have any other strategies for targeting this important skill? If you can think of any additional “across the midline” movements I’ve left out, please share so that I can add to the song.
Music Therapy Round Table
Guess what? I’m a podcaster! Along with my friends and fellow music therapists Kimberly Sena Moore and Michelle Erfurt, we have started the Music Therapy Round Table, a podcast in which we discuss all kinds of topics related to music therapy that are important to us.
Michelle, Kimberly and I live in three different time zones across the country, and we met via social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. The idea to start a podcast manifested when the three of us finally got together in person, at last year’s AMTA National Conference in San Diego. A few months later, after lots of research and several Skype sessions, our podcast is up and running!
We even have our own blog, where we post both the audio and transcripted versions of each episode. Episode 1 is live now; in it, we introduce ourselves and share how we became music therapists, as well as outline our goals for the podcast series.
You can also find us on iTunes! Just search “Music Therapy Round Table” and you should see what I have pictured above. Subscribe to receive new episodes as they are published monthly.
Our podcast is geared toward not only other music therapists, but anyone else who is interested in music as a therapeutic means to improving peoples’ lives. I hope that you will check it out, and I can’t wait to hear your feedback!
My Funny Valentine
I’m not talking about the old song; I’m referring to my wonderful husband of one and a half years! Even though we haven’t been married for very long, we have a very interesting history that goes back to before either of us hit puberty. And in honor of Valentine’s Day, I’m going to tell you our story.
Zach and I started dating as 21-year-olds in 2004 (September 16, to be exact) but we first met at the age of 11. Fifth grade. We became friends, and would hang out in big groups after school and on the weekends. The next year, Zach asked me to be his girlfriend. We were each other’s first kiss, and he even told me he loved me. Needless to say, he was heartbroken when I broke up with him a month later. He still gives me a hard time about that!
Zach and I remained friends through our sophomore year of high school, but at that point, we drifted apart. We still had lots of mutual friends, but he was too much of a party animal for me. After graduation, I didn’t see Zach again until I ran into him the night of my 21st birthday, at a bar of all places. We were inseparable the rest of the summer, but didn’t make it official until the fall.
In 2005, Zach graduated from college and returned to Springfield to start his career. I still had a year of graduate school left, so we only saw each other on the weekends. It was a tough year, to say the least, but we still managed to have a lot of fun.
2006 was another challenging year, because I spent most of it in St. Louis doing my music therapy internship. Luckily, I was able to live with Zach’s sister and brother-in-law, and I went home on the weekends to see him. Zach took me on my first trip to Las Vegas (the picture is of us on the plane…can you tell I’m excited?) and we bought our first house.
On August 8, 2008 (8-8-08…can you guess my lucky number?) Zach and I had the most beautiful, perfect, and fun wedding. After a week in St. Lucia on our honeymoon, we returned to real life as a married couple. Turns out 2008 was the year of weddings, including Zach’s brother’s just a few months after ours.
2009 started off with a bang: we bought a new house! We spent the next few months decorating and nesting, and I moved my private practice from the “road” into my new home studio. In May, we added a new member to our family…our golden retriever, Sadie. Career-wise, we both had amazing years; Zach earned the prestigious title of AAA’s “Agent of the Year” while I successfully raised money to record a professional CD, presented at the AMTA National Conference, and was featured in the media several times.
2010 has only just begun, but so far it has been great! We took an exciting trip to New York City and attended our friends’ gorgeous wedding last month, and we are already looking forward to a few days of sun and fun in San Antonio this April.
Tonight we are going out to dinner to celebrate Valentine’s Day…our 6th together, with many more to come! I feel so lucky to have such a supportive, successful, and loving husband, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.
Saturday Singalong: The Story of My Feelings
“Sunday Singalong” got bumped to Saturday, because I have a special Valentine’s Day post planned for tomorrow. Two weekend posts…bonus!
Like I said in the video, I chose Laurie Berkner’s song “The Story of My Feelings”
And now back to today’s regularly scheduled programming: couch time! It is Saturday, after all, my one day to relax after a busy week. Sundays start early, with choir rehearsal, church, grocery shopping, Church Mice, and tomorrow, a Valentine’s Day dinner with my special Valentine. More on that to come!
Friday Fave: M-Audio Preamp
Can I just tell you how “amped” I am about my new MobilePre USB Preamp
Before my preamp arrived earlier this week, I had been recording all of my guitar tracks just by setting up my Blue Snowball Microphone
I should mention that since my aforementioned Snowball mic connects via USB, I don’t need to use my preamp when I record my vocals. But since there are two microphone inputs in addition to the instrument input, that leaves the option available if I get a new microphone at some point in the future. You can’t beat that versatility.
I haven’t had much time this week to play with my new toy, but you better believe that I’ll be spending a good deal of my three-day weekend doing just that! Hopefully I’ll have some brand new songs to show for it, too. What are your plans this weekend? Are you one of the really, really lucky people who has a four-day weekend? Happy Birthday, Mr. Lincoln, and for all of you readers who got to stay home in honor of it, enjoy!
Temple Grandin: The Movie
I first read about Temple Grandin during my music therapy internship several years ago, and I was completely fascinated. The way she was able to describe her autism, and the way her brain worked, was completely unique and as far as I knew, unheard of. I have since learned a lot more about Temple Grandin, and now, thanks to HBO, so have a whole lot of people who otherwise might not have.
On Saturday, February 6th, the full-length film Temple Grandin premiered, starring Claire Danes as the title character. I had the opportunity to watch the film at The Autism Program of Illinois headquarters, which was a pretty amazing experience. TAP and The Hope Institute for Children and Families (where I work as the music therapist) officially endorsed the film, and even sponsored its Chicago opening at the end of January.
Dr. Nyre, Hope’s President/CEO, was interviewed by several sources and spoke at the viewing I attended on Saturday. I wholeheartedly agree with his assertion that this film should and will be used as a teaching tool in schools and facilities all over the country, because it provides such an accurate depiction of autism. The film uses on-screen graphics to let us look into Ms. Grandin’s brain, to see the world as she sees it.
Have you seen the film yet? If so, what were your thoughts and reactions? I can tell you that by the end, there weren’t many dry eyes in the room where I was watching it. Claire Danes is amazing as Temple Grandin; in fact, you really do forget that you’re watching an actor, not the real deal. The film is educational and eye-opening, yes, but it is also extremely entertaining and touching. Take my advice and watch it.
People You Do & Don’t Know
I very distinctly remember my mom sitting my brother and I down and telling us all about stranger danger. She explained who we could trust to stay with us, take us places, and even made up a code word for adults to let us know that it was okay to go with them in the case of an emergency situation. Now, over twenty years later, I still get lectures about stranger danger from my mom, but I guess I can’t blame her. After all, the world can be a scary place, as we are too often reminded by the stories in newspapers and on television.
The song that I wrote to address this topic identifies three different categories of adults:
- Safe Side Adults
- People You Kind of Know
- Strangers
Today’s song identifies and defines the three categories, and also determines whether or not it is safe to go with people from each. The term “Safe Side Adult” came from a consult client who uses this word with her children (a benefit of custom-written songs – incorporating your own phrases and terminology).
The world is full of people,
Some you’ll know and some you won’t.
I wanna tell you ’bout three
Kinds of people you see,
Some you can go with, some you don’t.
A safe side adult is a person that you know.
With a safe side adult it’s okay to go.
Because it’s your grandma, grandpa, mom or dad,
Or someone that you’ve been told:
Is a safe side adult, a person you know,
With whom it’s okay to go.
There are also people that you kind of know.
With those people you shouldn’t go,
Unless a safe side adult has told you for sure,
That a person, specifically,
Is someone you can trust and know,
With whom it’s okay to go.
A stranger is a person that you don’t know.
With a stranger you should never go.
Because it’s someone that you’ve never seen before,
Or someone that you’ve been told,
Is a stranger, a person you don’t know,
With whom you should not go.
The world is full of people,
Some you’ll know and some you won’t.
I told you ’bout three
Kinds of people you see,
Some you can go with, some you don’t.
I’m sure you noticed that the tone is a little heavier than my other songs; I wrote the melody this way on purpose. Children need to realize how serious the topic of strangers really is, and I wanted this song to reflect that seriousness. What methods have you used to approach this subject with your children or students? Know of any other stranger danger songs? I’d love to hear about them!