The Wednesday "Ughs"
Does anyone else ever get the "Ughs?"
These are the feelings when you are not really looking forward to your day for one reason or another. Lately, mine have been landing solidly on Wednesdays, and I know exactly why. My Wednesdays are made up of songwriting lessons, three groups, two individual sessions, two meetings (ugh), and the group that causes most of my "Ughs." Unfortunately, that group is my last group of the day and then I go into an individual session (that usually brightens my mood for a bit), but then I have to go into meetings. After that, I leave to go to my part-time job which usually assists me in getting over the "Ughs."
You may be asking, "Why do you put up with the 'Ughs?'" In my experience, the "Ughs" are what happens when something isn't quite right with the therapeutic process. My therapeutic process right now is scattered with this group of clients. There is one client who screams no matter what happens. That client doesn't like when others make noise of any kind - as far as I can tell, it is not related to timbre, dynamics, song, pitch, or any of the therapeutic elements of music. This client appears not to like it when others breathe within a 200 ft. radius. The client only wants to play on the computer and listen to preferred music without interruption. Unfortunately, that is not what group music therapy is.
Most of my problem comes from the fact that the staff members that work with this client are perfectly content to allow the client to play on the computer and dictate what will happen with everyone else in the classroom. So, they allow the client to escape from challenging environments to go play on the computer rather than expecting the client to engage with others. In the past, with different staff members and expectations, this client has engaged appropriately in music therapy and other group interactions and interventions. So, the classroom culture has completely contributed to a decrease in appropriate interaction and educational function for this client.
I cannot change the classroom culture. I am not the teacher in the classroom, but I am the therapist in my music therapy clinic. I have certain expectations for how all my clients interact in music therapy. If someone needs to use the bathroom or take a sensory break, I ask that they address me rather than just leave. I also require that they remain safe during their inquiry. I don't think that these expectations are over-the-top, but I may be wrong.
This particular client does everything possible to escape the session and get back to the computer except talking to me. Once I am asked, I am fine with allowing the client to leave (though I don't think there should be a reward of computer use after having a tantrum full of aggression and screaming behaviors, but that's classroom culture again).
I am advocating for a change of classroom. The assistant principal understands the dilemma (it's not just me and my "Ughs" that are in play here) and is working on finding a new placement for this student. I am hoping (selfishly) that it happens today before the class session starts. That would make my Wednesdays very different.
So, how do I progress? I will remember my strategies and will be strong in the face of classroom staff members who do not understand my procedure or expectations. I will continue my reflective journaling around this day and this topic. I will also address the "Ughs" face on in order to figure out how to change them into "Ohs."
Off I go.
These are the feelings when you are not really looking forward to your day for one reason or another. Lately, mine have been landing solidly on Wednesdays, and I know exactly why. My Wednesdays are made up of songwriting lessons, three groups, two individual sessions, two meetings (ugh), and the group that causes most of my "Ughs." Unfortunately, that group is my last group of the day and then I go into an individual session (that usually brightens my mood for a bit), but then I have to go into meetings. After that, I leave to go to my part-time job which usually assists me in getting over the "Ughs."
You may be asking, "Why do you put up with the 'Ughs?'" In my experience, the "Ughs" are what happens when something isn't quite right with the therapeutic process. My therapeutic process right now is scattered with this group of clients. There is one client who screams no matter what happens. That client doesn't like when others make noise of any kind - as far as I can tell, it is not related to timbre, dynamics, song, pitch, or any of the therapeutic elements of music. This client appears not to like it when others breathe within a 200 ft. radius. The client only wants to play on the computer and listen to preferred music without interruption. Unfortunately, that is not what group music therapy is.
Most of my problem comes from the fact that the staff members that work with this client are perfectly content to allow the client to play on the computer and dictate what will happen with everyone else in the classroom. So, they allow the client to escape from challenging environments to go play on the computer rather than expecting the client to engage with others. In the past, with different staff members and expectations, this client has engaged appropriately in music therapy and other group interactions and interventions. So, the classroom culture has completely contributed to a decrease in appropriate interaction and educational function for this client.
I cannot change the classroom culture. I am not the teacher in the classroom, but I am the therapist in my music therapy clinic. I have certain expectations for how all my clients interact in music therapy. If someone needs to use the bathroom or take a sensory break, I ask that they address me rather than just leave. I also require that they remain safe during their inquiry. I don't think that these expectations are over-the-top, but I may be wrong.
This particular client does everything possible to escape the session and get back to the computer except talking to me. Once I am asked, I am fine with allowing the client to leave (though I don't think there should be a reward of computer use after having a tantrum full of aggression and screaming behaviors, but that's classroom culture again).
I am advocating for a change of classroom. The assistant principal understands the dilemma (it's not just me and my "Ughs" that are in play here) and is working on finding a new placement for this student. I am hoping (selfishly) that it happens today before the class session starts. That would make my Wednesdays very different.
So, how do I progress? I will remember my strategies and will be strong in the face of classroom staff members who do not understand my procedure or expectations. I will continue my reflective journaling around this day and this topic. I will also address the "Ughs" face on in order to figure out how to change them into "Ohs."
Off I go.
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