TME Tuesday: Getting Back Into File Folder Visual Aid Production

Back in January of 2020, I was getting ready for something that I never thought I could do - an exhibition table at the Midwestern Regional Conference. I was producing file folders, small books and keychains, digital links, and several copies of my books to take with me to Lincoln, Nebraska for the conference. I was excited to figure out how to do this part of the job of a music therapy creator when BAM!

Well, you know what happened in March of 2020, so I won't dwell.

Since that time, I have cooled off with my production habits. I have focused on making things that I could use in my clinic, and those things have not often been original files. I have focused on making things from other creators and have not done as much as I would like on my own.

Yesterday, I spent about an hour to two (I didn't really keep track) preparing 80 file folders to use to make visual aids. I trimmed off the flaps on the side so the folders will fit in my laminating pouches, and then I affixed stickers to the back. These blank folders are sitting on my shelf behind my desk just waiting to be filled and sent out to other music therapists.

I have no idea where I will be offering these physical copies of things. Our regional conference this year is virtual, so I may just be preparing for next year. Who knows? I may just have a ton of things sitting around my house waiting for their owners. For me, most of the pleasure comes from the actual making of things rather than the selling of said things.

The best thing about making visual aids is that I then have visual aids to use. I tend to make tools rather than visuals that cover only one song or therapeutic music experience (TME). I have a rule that I have to have six different things to do with anything that I bring into my music therapy space so I can conserve space. If I had a file folder for every song I sing with my clients, I would not have the space for clients in my music therapy room. So, I make things that have multiple uses.

For example, I have two picture sets that I use with my clients for all sorts of TMEs. One of them is a set of food pictures. We use that one for choices and preference indication and communication all the time. The other is a bunch of animals. We use that for every sort of animal TME you can think of in my music therapy room. I am making one for musical instruments so we can communicate preferences for sounds and our culture studies during our education sessions. The musical instrument one is a behemoth of a file - it is up to 30 pages already, and I haven't sorted through many of the pictures that I have available. I think it will end up being my first bundled file on TPT (Teachers Pay Teachers) because it is just enormous!

I use these two files all the time in my room. We use the food pictures when singing "I Like to Eat, Eat, Eat" (the song that is included in the food picture set), for "Gross, Nasty Food," for "Baking a Pie," for "Would You Rather," and for all other TMEs that address the need to communicate food preferences. The animal pictures have similar song lists - a combination of songs that everyone knows and music therapy original songs.

Today is another snow day, so I am homebound and looking around for something to do. I might fire up the new laminator to see how it works. I might spend some time printing resources to make folders for my music therapy clinic. I will also take pictures to post on my Etsy store for those who want to have physical copies sent to them rather than making their own visuals. I think I will start with my alphabet piggies - that's a free resource on TPT, by the way. I can always use another set of alphabet visuals to use in my music therapy clinic. What are five other things I can do with them besides the free song offered in the post? Hmmm. Time to put on my thinking cap and get going with my day.

See you tomorrow!