music, therapy, and me

I am currently trying to figure out how to release a free file to all of you, but I am getting bogged down in the details of how to get this going. I have the file ready, but I am unsure how to get you to that file. I can do it through a quick website update, but I need some time to do that website update. This is causing me to change some plans, but that is fine. Anyway, is anyone up for a November freebie? I am going to release information about a free resource this week. I am. I just need to get things organized on my side of things. In the meantime, I am getting ready for (ugh) Spirit Week and Halloween at work. I am going to share my Halloween resources with groups this week after we talk about our October Musicians of the Month. I have books, carols, games, and all sorts of Halloween-ish stuff. I am working on the pattern for a Halloween lapbook, but that will probably not be ready to share by Friday. It is spurring my creativity, though. I love lapbooks, but I haven't produc...

Lap books are file folder activities up a notch - there are flaps, multiple things to look at and do, and are something that I like designing and using with clients who need or want independent time that has a musical theme. Lap books are something that are pretty popular on the education feeds on Pinterest. I haven't moved past basic flaps on my lap books yet, but someday I will figure out how to make nifty flaps on each page AND get them laminated for durability!   The idea is simple enough. Use a file folder to make a book. When I do this, I fold the folder into the middle as indicated here - and then I trim off small pieces so I can fit the folder into the laminating film. Then it's time to get creative. I have included two examples here - the Manners lap book and the Instrument Family lap book.  The Manners lap book is based on some piggy back songs that some of my clients wrote a bit ago. The questions on the front cover match the manner songs printed on the inside...

Okay, my new passion is music therapy lapbooks. I enjoy making things to use with my students, and these are just plain old fun! Basically, a lapbook is a visual aid designed for use by an individual. I first got wind of the idea when I was trolling around the education board at Pinterest. It seems that many teachers and homeschoolers use lapbooks for learning and reviewing specific materials and topics. They are often very complex - lots of flaps, pockets, pictures, and information. The music examples are all based on music theory - something good to know, but not something that is really relevant to my clients. So, I have started to adapt the idea of lapbooks into books that are relevant to my kids. So, I bought a package of file folders and got started. As a music therapist, I am always looking for ways to use music to assist my clients in achieving non-musical goals. Composition and music theory are fine topics for some of my clients, but many of them are unable to understand...