Outlining the Thought Process
I am currently in a contemplative frame of mind and am directing my thoughts towards the presentations I've agreed to give at various and sundry conferences in the next few months. I came up with the ideas for most of these presentations, and now it is time to flesh them out in a way that makes sense to me (and to my audience).
I always get into this process about this time of year. I spend time thinking about my presentations when it's proposal time, but then I leave the thoughts behind until I hear whether the presentations are accepted by the various selection committees. After I know whether others are interested in what I have to say, I start the process of outlining my presentations. With just under two months until the American Music Therapy Association conference, it is time to start getting my presentations ready.
I am presenting on three different topics this year - on the Online Conference for Music Therapy (with the executive director - I didn't have to write this proposal!!), on Therapeutic Music Experiences (TMEs) for young adults with diagnoses on the intellectual/developmental disability spectrum, and on becoming a more research-informed clinician (apparently I have to do something along with the MTR2025 initiative for this one). As a result, I have to make up my beginning outlines this week so I can start practicing my spiel.
The first step in this process is to print off the information that I sent to AMTA to begin with. I've had some difficulties with AMTA not matching what I've put into my proposals, abstracts, and descriptions before, so I make sure that I save all of my contributions now. That way, whatever I read in the conference book, I have all the information that I contributed at my fingertips.
Once I have that printed out, it is time to start the outline.
Again, I am a visual learner, so outlining things gives me something to look at and to comprehend. The outline allows me to organize and reorganize my thoughts, main points, and ideas. I can also trash the entire thing and start from scratch if I need to. I also make lists of materials I need to take with me to the conference (this year it'll be some examples of TMEs and several copies of journals with specific articles in them).
I'm going to spend some time today starting my outlining process so I'll be ready to present in less than two months. It will be fun!!
I always get into this process about this time of year. I spend time thinking about my presentations when it's proposal time, but then I leave the thoughts behind until I hear whether the presentations are accepted by the various selection committees. After I know whether others are interested in what I have to say, I start the process of outlining my presentations. With just under two months until the American Music Therapy Association conference, it is time to start getting my presentations ready.
I am presenting on three different topics this year - on the Online Conference for Music Therapy (with the executive director - I didn't have to write this proposal!!), on Therapeutic Music Experiences (TMEs) for young adults with diagnoses on the intellectual/developmental disability spectrum, and on becoming a more research-informed clinician (apparently I have to do something along with the MTR2025 initiative for this one). As a result, I have to make up my beginning outlines this week so I can start practicing my spiel.
The first step in this process is to print off the information that I sent to AMTA to begin with. I've had some difficulties with AMTA not matching what I've put into my proposals, abstracts, and descriptions before, so I make sure that I save all of my contributions now. That way, whatever I read in the conference book, I have all the information that I contributed at my fingertips.
Once I have that printed out, it is time to start the outline.
Again, I am a visual learner, so outlining things gives me something to look at and to comprehend. The outline allows me to organize and reorganize my thoughts, main points, and ideas. I can also trash the entire thing and start from scratch if I need to. I also make lists of materials I need to take with me to the conference (this year it'll be some examples of TMEs and several copies of journals with specific articles in them).
I'm going to spend some time today starting my outlining process so I'll be ready to present in less than two months. It will be fun!!
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