We are excited to present a three-part blog series, “Music Therapy in Schools.” Directed to both parents/caregivers, as well as special education directors, we will….
1) Explain how music therapy is present in your child’s school,
2) Provide a step-by-step guide for acquiring music therapy as part of your child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP), and
3) Describe to special education directors how to incorporate music therapy into your school.
For those of you that didn’t already know, music therapy is accessible in most North Texas public schools. Take a walk with us down a school hallway to see what this may look like….
Walking down the halls of a school during the day, you may expect to see a librarian reading to a circle of students, smell lunch being prepared as students are filing into the cafeteria, hear the voices of students warming up in the music classroom…and live guitar music coming from a room occupied by one student and their music therapist.
This student has been pulled from their classroom to participate in music therapy within the direct service model. In this case, the music therapist is using music to support selected IEP goals. For example, the student may be playing an egg shaker to demonstrate direction-following, sustained attention, or impulse control. The student could also be observed answering 5-W Questions (e.g. Who, What, When, etc.) during a sung children’s book intervention. Or maybe the child is playing a drum while counting.
Within the Direct Service Model, students are identified based on an evaluation referral by the IEP team or as part of their FIE (Full Individual Evaluation), assessed by a Board-Certified Music Therapist, and then can receive music therapy services as outlined in his/her IEP.*
—
Resuming our walk through the school’s hallway, you may see a classroom full of children dancing along with a music therapist. These students may be receiving music therapy within the Program Model. Their classroom (e.g. Early Childhood Special Education, Life Skills, Applied Academics, etc.) receive music therapy within the group setting where they may be seen practicing social skills such as turn-taking, or classroom academic goals such as letter recognition.
Program Model music therapy sessions are conducted regularly in designated classrooms as determined by the district and music therapy team.*
—
While ending our walk down the hallway, you may overhear a music therapist answering questions and presenting music therapy strategies to an educational staff in what’s referred to as the Consult Service Model. They may be providing demonstrations, and easily-accessible resources such as printable visuals that go along with a song to be sung in the classroom, or even links to recommended YouTube videos or singable children’s books.
—
Now as we circle back around to the front entryway, you may be thinking, “this all sounds great, but how do I know if my student is a good candidate for these services?”
It is vital to understand that music therapy is recognized as a related service in special education and settings serving students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)20 U.S.C. §1400. Music therapy services utilize clinical and evidence-based music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship.
Students with special needs aged 0-21 can use music therapy to address physical, cognitive, social, and emotional needs, including goals targeted in their Individualized Education Program (IEP), which are then transferred to other areas of their life.
—
If this sounds beneficial for your child, stay tuned for part two of this blog (to be published later this month) for a step-by-step guide on how to acquire music therapy for your child on their Individual Education Plan!
Did you know that A Suite Sound Music Center (based in Waxahachie, TX) provides contracted facility-based music therapy services with school districts? These services are administered by a board-certified music therapist. Click here to learn more about A Suite Sound’s facility-based services OR contact us directly to see if we are an active provider at your child’s school.
*Model descriptions copyright Music Therapy Joy.
