I think it’s safe to say that we are ALL ready to close the book on 2020, and we are sooooo close. Now, I know there won’t be some sort of magical reset when 2021 begins, but at least I know that resuming a somewhat normal life in the next year is within the realm of possibility.
It felt GREAT to type “2021” on my session plan for January, which I’m excited to share with you today. A new year calls for several new songs, along with fresh takes on some oldies that haven’t seen the light of day since I first wrote them years ago.
In these uncertain times (to use one of many pandemic era buzz phrases), I find comfort in consistency. That’s why every month, I create a session plan for you to use virtually, in person, or in some cases, to file away for a later date when you are able to resume your services. I’m certainly longing for the day I can use these materials to their full potential, but in the meantime, I’m grateful for each and every music-making opportunity.
I also find comfort in writing and recording new songs, several of which make their debut in the November session plan. This is one of my favorite seasons when it comes to repertoire, and I’m excited to dig into not only this month’s plan, but the entire Thanksgiving song collection.
For the month of November, I’m incorporating bells, stretchy band, cabasa, and providing opportunities for addressing gross motor movement, body part identification, counting, Thanksgiving, and much more.
The November session plan includes 10 goal-based songs (mp3, instrumental track, lyrics/chords) along with a facilitation guide for each song, which will allow you to implement a cohesive 30-45 minute music experience. Grab it for yourself for just $10.
Wow, what a wild ride the past half year has been! It’s been an interesting several months, and I’m so glad to be back on the blog to share what life as a music therapist has looked like during this time.
Going back to my previous posts, the last one I shared was in February: A Week in the Life of a Music Therapist. Little did I know that the world would soon be flipped upside down with a pandemic. As I’m sure many people have experienced, my typical week does not look much like it did back in February!
This summer has looked very different than I had initially planned, as I’m sure is also true for you. In a normal, non-pandemic world, my kids would be busy with various summer camps and spend one full day each week with their babysitter so that I would have dedicated work time…but this is not a normal, non-pandemic world at the moment.
Instead, the 3 of us have spent each and every day together, mostly at home with some pool days thrown in to keep us all sane. That of course translates into me not getting as much work done (like, barely even a fraction of it) as I had originally hoped, but I’m giving myself grace — as we all should during the year 2020.
That said, I have managed to write and record a few new tunes, as well as breathed new life into a good handful of songs I wrote in my earlier professional years. You can check out all of the latest songs over in the store, but I wanted to feature 3 of them here for you. Hopefully you can get some use out of them as we enter the last full month of summer!
What does August have in store for you? Are you continuing virtual services, preparing to return to in-person classrooms and groups, or a combination of both? As for me, I am wrapping up my summer session of virtual music classes, getting ready to reopen Music Therapy Connections for in-person 1:1 services next week, and waiting with bated breath to hear what school will look like for my children.
I still don’t know when my groups and classes will go back to being held in-person, but I’m guessing that won’t happen anytime soon. That is why I’m continuing to create session plans that are flexible and can work both virtually and in physical proximity.
Welcome! I’m Rachel Rambach, board-certified music therapist and creator of Listen & Learn Music — educational songs and musical materials for children. I love sharing my work with you, along with my behind-the-scenes creative process, adventures in business ownership, and life as a mom of two little ones.
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Session Plans
Next month’s music therapy sessions, early childhood groups, or classroom music…planned for you in advance.
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