Reflections From a Music Therapy Intern

Reflections from a Music Therapy Intern

Karen Herzel, a graduate student at Illinois State University, joined me back in August as The Hope Institute’s first-ever music therapy intern.  I asked her to share some reflections as we approach the six-month mark of her internship (she’ll be with me through May), and she graciously agreed.  Here they are, in her own words:

As the second half of my internship evolves, it is a good feeling to reflect on the journey to this point. I can say, without a doubt, that the greatest part of the internship on a personal level has been the positive change in my belief in myself as a competent music therapist.

I am consistently challenged to discern the needs of our clients, and then consider how best to address those needs within a group music therapy setting. I am continuously learning how to more effectively combine creativity and structure, and rejoice in the small effects for the students as well as the larger ones.

I am blessed to have a supervisor who believes in and encourages individual growth. Her wise and patient choices to allow flexibility within specific parameters, in addition to her honest and timely feedback have been, in my opinion, the keys to a truly worthwhile and educational opportunity for me.

We talk through so many facets of music therapy itself, as well as how to most efficiently apply it to our specific special educational setting. She is also an amazing musician and therapist, and her example has been a strong catalyst in strengthening and broadening my own musicianship and therapy skills.

This has been, and will continue to be, a truly joyful journey. I feel confident that the excellent training and supervision I have received during this internship will allow for me to provide worthwhile services to clients in the future.

Thank you, Rachel, so very much, for so graciously putting wind under my music therapy wings.

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

January Calendar Song

Lately I’ve had quite a few readers ask about my work at The Hope Institute, a residential school for children with multiple disabilities where I’ve headed up the music therapy program for the last (almost) 4 years.

I’ll be writing about the program in more detail throughout the year, but today I thought I’d share a simple yet important song that remains a staple in many of the classrooms with which I work.

Calendar time is an essential part of the school day around here (as it is in many schools), and I incorporate calendar songs of all varieties into my music therapy sessions.  Here’s one I’ve mentioned before — spruced up a bit for the new year:

Today is ______,
Today is ______.
Today is ______, January _____.
Yesterday was ______,
Tomorrow’s ________.
But today is ______, January _____, 2011.

So when I sing this with my students this morning, the lyrics will be:

“Today is Monday, today is Monday.  Today is Monday, January 10th.  Yesterday was Sunday; tomorrow’s Tuesday.  But today is Monday, January 10th, 2011.”

Each month, I record a new version with the correct month already included.  That way, when the teachers sing this song with their students on a daily basis, they fill in the day and date themselves.

I’ve been using this song (which I came up with it on my own, though I’m positive others have done something very similar if not identical) for years now, but am always up for new ideas.  If you’ve got another daily calendar song to share, please do!

Singalong & So Long (Until 2011)

hope school holiday singalong

Today is one of my favorite days of the entire year.  It started with the entire school gathered together for The Hope Institute’s 4th Annual Holiday Singalong, a tradition I started way back in 2007.

And it’s not just me standing in the front of the room, strumming my guitar and leading the singing….oh, no.  We go all out around here, with a full band (guitar, bass, keyboard, drums) made up of Hope employees and lyric sheets for everyone in attendance.  This year, the Singalong included 16 of our favorite holiday songs and lasted a little over a half hour.  Lots of singing, dancing and merriment for all!

Now that the Singalong is over, there are just a few more hours until I walk out the door for Christmas vacation.  Two whole weeks of it.  This is one of those times of year where my husband is VERY jealous of my teacher’s schedule :)

So how will I spend my vacation?  Thankfully, both of our families will be here in town for the holidays, which means no traveling for us.  Just lots of quality time spent with our nearest and dearest, including hosting our first Christmas…yikes!

And as much as I LOVE my students, I’m very ready for the down time I’ll have — especially during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.  But of course I’ll be so ready to see everyone again come January 3.

What are your plans for Christmas vacation?

So Long, School Year!

A year ago today, I sat in this same chair and wrote a blog post very similar to the one I’m writing now.  I can’t believe an entire school year has flown by since then!  It really has gone by quickly, not that I’m complaining :)  As much as I love my time here at The Hope Institute, I sure am looking forward to having a few months away to tackle new projects and recharge my batteries so that when I return in August, I’m refreshed and ready to rock.

While cleaning out and organizing my office today, I’ve come across quite a few reminders of how busy, productive, and fun this year has been.  There were leftover CDs my students and I created for our Celebrity Chef fundraiser, copies of my presentation at the Illinois State Board of Education’s nonpublic schools conference, an issue of the magazine in which our school (and my music therapy program) were featured, the programs from our holiday sing-along and spring sing-along, and my favorite: the numerous cards, gifts and artwork my students have given me throughout the year.

I’m a big baby when it comes to good-byes, so I’m trying to focus on all the big things this summer holds.  Get ready for an onslaught of new songs, the release of my first studio album, and everything else I’m cooking up for you, my cherished Listen & Learn readers!

The End is Near…

The end of the school year, that is!  There are a few big events at the school where I work which signify that summer break is upon us.  One of those events happened just yesterday and is my very favorite of the whole year.

It doesn’t get much better than having all of the students faculty, and staff gathered in one place, singing the songs we’ve been working on in music therapy all year. And better yet, I have a full band! With Mike on bass, Joe on guitar, and Jayne (who unfortunately is not pictured; she is to the right of me) on drums, our songs get quite the rock ‘n roll treatment.

But the fun’s not over yet.  Tomorrow morning, our graduation ceremony will be held in the very same room.  Graduation is always a bittersweet event; as happy as I am for the students, I’m still sad to see them go.  This year I’ll be singing “For Good” (from the musical Wicked) during the ceremony.

Next Wednesday is our last day of school, and in the afternoon we’ll have our annual talent show.  It’s always so entertaining to watch not only students and entire classes, but also various faculty and staff, get up on stage and show off their dancing, singing, and instrument-playing talents.  A couple of classrooms will be performing music therapy “hits” – an awesome choice of repertoire, if you ask me :)

So that’s what is going on around here.  Now I must get to something I’ve been putting off all month…creating summer song packets and CDs for each class.  Although there will be a sub (not a music therapist, but a music teacher who is very skilled in working with my student population) taking over for the summer, I still like to leave materials behind so that the teachers can continue reinforcing the skills and concepts we’ve spent all year learning.  Plus, I don’t want everyone to forget me while I’m away!