An Oasis in a Sea of Change

As I was on my way to work yesterday, I remembered that this would be the day that everything at work would be changing. I mean everything. None of my students have the same classrooms that they had last Thursday when we were last in school. Everyone has either a new teacher, new actual classrooms, new classmates, or new classroom support staff members. No classroom has been left unchanged. So, three snow days, one holiday, and two weekend days ended and we then changed every bit of familiarity that my students knew for all sorts of new experiences!

Apparently things were a bit strained in classrooms as clients are trying to figure out their new situations. We had three groups in music therapy and folks seemed to be glad to be with us. We had no issues with engagement or stress behaviors in our sessions. Kids who do not always engage got involved in what we were doing. New kids were demonstrating their skills in music therapy where they had just sat quietly in their new classes. It was nice to be in a head space where I could notice these things.

Today will probably be a bit more challenging for my students. The novelty of being at school will have waned and the "getting to know you" quest for identification in the classroom pecking order will be ON! I am hoping that the routine and consistency in music therapy can help with some of the situations that are happening in other places.

We have four groups today. One group is our assessment group and clients change in there as new clients arrive at the facility. My intern is running this group (I ran it before all this pandemic nonsense started) and is getting a crash course in on-the-spot session strategizing and flash assessments. I may assign this group to my next intern as well...hmmm.

We will start as we always start - with an opening therapeutic music experience (TME) and then my plan will include some group interaction TMEs and some group musicking TMEs. I get to bring back my visual aids that have had to be tucked away because of our precautions. We apparently are no longer worried about day students bringing in COVID germs to our residential students because we have mixed the populations again, so I am progressing into teaching some of my old routines to both my long-term students and the students who have not experienced them yet. I used my emotion indicator cards with one of my groups yesterday. It was wonderful to offer those types of options again. I also used my instrument cards to offer choices to my students. I now know that I need more instrument cards and choice strips so that I can cover the groups more efficiently. Ooh! I get to make some functional communication aids!! This makes me feel happy.

I am trying to figure out ways to make my room more communication friendly for folks with all sorts of needs and strengths in that particular domain. I envision a board where kids can initiate conversations with others. I also want some specific boards for specific TMEs. I have an idea for an interactive lapbook for songwriting. I just have to figure out how to make it something that I can laminate and make a bit more sturdy than just a unprotected file folder. Ooh! Another challenge that will lead to functional communication aids! I love it!!

I miss my Boo. She used to be my oasis.

I need to write these thoughts down in my idea book. Done. That's the nice thing about having an idea book - I can use it to keep my ideas in one location. My book is almost full, and the next one is ready to go!

Anyway, today, my job as a music therapist is to provide consistency to my clients. We will be an oasis - a place of structure and (hopefully) calm.

An oasis in a sea of change.