Systems in Music Therapy: Templates

On Fridays, I tend to focus on the practices that make my life a bit easier. These practices are not things that will resonate with everyone, but I write about them anyway because this system might be something that will work for you or for someone you know who is looking for a way to do things. I never know, so I just keep writing.

Let's talk about templates today.

I like a strong template, and I make them all the time. I make templates for my Teachers Pay Teachers offerings, my documentation, my current task box project, therapeutic music experience development, forms for my internship duties, you name it - I make a template for it! 

Once the template is figured out, I can use it in many different ways to get things finished. While there is time spent developing the template, once it is established, I save lots of time. So, I do what I love to do - I go into project planning and figuring things out to get templates going.

For me, the purpose of a template is to provide a foundation - something to fill in rather than develop from the start every single time. I have made some of my original systems into templates. My Therapeutic Music Experience (TME) format is one that uses a template. I fill in the various pieces as new ideas happen. Having this template allows me to make things look similar and satisfies my order and organization craving heart.

As I am making a template, I think about several things. First, how fast do I need to complete this task? If I need to do seven of these immediately after a music therapy sessions, then I will design the template differently than if I can take time, sitting at my desk, to write. I like checkboxes for quick and easy documentation. I prefer long answers for things like assessments and intern comments. These preferences inform my template design. My session documentation is a combination of checkboxes and long answers. There are also some drop down menus to help with time recapture. When you have to do lots of notes per week, you want to find ways to reclaim as much time as you possibly can. Work smarter, you know?

To help me become a bit more productive on the product development side of things - something that I am working towards to help me actually retire in five years - I am making use of my templates on a regular basis. I have a consistent product template for my visual aids. It resides in my computer as TPT Master Portrait. I start with this particular file every time I sit down to make something for myself to use with my clients. I figure, if I can use it, then others will as well. I do not have a consistent template for other things that I produce...yet. That is something to go on the quest list.

I really do find that this system of making templates and then tweaking them until they work for me very valuable.

Today is going to be one of my self-promotion posts - something that I am trying to become more comfortable doing - letting you know what I have already produced and offering a way to find those products. Some of the links below are intended for internship directors. Some are made for students or interns. Others are made for use in sessions. They are all available after signing up for a free account at Teachers Pay Teachers. By the way, I am not sponsored by Teachers Pay Teachers or by anyone, so signing up for this site doesn't provide me with any financial benefit - but purchasing files from my store does, so thanks for thinking about it. I do my best to keep costs down for my fellow music therapists.

Music Therapy Intern Supervision Format Sheet

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Music-Therapy-Intern-Supervision-Format-Sheet-4838118

Music Therapy Research-Informed Clinician Template

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Music-Therapy-Research-Informed-Clinician-Format-4826436

National Roster Internship Orientation Checklist

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Music-Therapy-National-Roster-Internship-Checklist-4065775

National Roster Internship Session Evaluation

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/National-Roster-Internship-Session-Evaluation-Form-4288394

Music Therapy Session Strategy Planning Sheet

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Music-Therapy-Session-Strategy-Sheet-Group-4786972

Error-Less and Sequencing Templates for TMEs and Data Collection

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Error-Less-and-Sequencing-Templates-for-Music-Therapy-8264901

 

Schedule Board Template

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Music-Therapy-Schedule-Board-Template-5753350

 

Customizable Schedule Board Template

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Music-Therapy-Choice-Board-Template-Customizable-6961647

 

Ground-Hog Day Lyric Sheet Templates and Choice Boards

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ground-Hog-Day-Lyric-Sheet-Templates-and-Blank-Choice-Boards-5078099

  

Music Direction Board Game Template

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Music-Direction-Game-Board-Template-5083758


 

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