Ms. Grocke has presented a timely and very interesting question of direct relevance to my current situation. After reading the responses to date, however, I recognize that I am coming from a slightly different perspective as an instructor of an "introductory" course in music therapy to music majors at a local college. This course is a stand-alone elective, as there is not presently a training program at this college. Hence, my consideration of what to include and exclude is not impacted by the knowledge/crossover effect of any other music therapy courses which the students may be taking concurrently, or will be taking in the future. I have also had the opportunity to teach a much shorter (12 hours), less comprehensive, introductory course at a local community college, through their Arts Outreach program.
My selection of a textbook for began last May. I had the opportunity to review Music Therapy by Jacqueline Peters, (2nd Ed.); and An Introduction to Music Therapy, by Davis, Gfeller and Thaut (2nd Ed.). (I have since reviewed A Comprehensive Guide to Music Therapy by Wigram, Pedersen and Bonde). The reasons for selecting the text I chose were three-fold. First, I wanted to provide students with a text which was published within the last five years, and which provided them with a well-rounded body of information concerning the profession and practice of music therapy. The Davis, Gfeller, and Thaut text presented its contents in a straightforward and attractive (typesetting, layout, etc.) format and did not appear overly biased towards one theoretical orientation or another. Secondly, the inclusion of "study questions" at the end of each chapter also helped in the development of test and examination materials. The authors' influence within the field of music was a third and final consideration based on my own graduate training in music therapy, a Masters of Music Therapy, and ongoing review of music therapy literature for professional purposes.
In addition to the text, I chose supplemental materials (journal articles and videos), based on their ability to provide students with exposure to a wide range of pedagogical and theoretical orientations, as well as a diverse geographical scope. Included were materials from the Nordoff and Robbins approach, Analytical Music Therapy, Bruscia's text on Improvisational music therapy techniques, Rehabilitation and medical settings (Thaut's "Gait Training" video, NAMT/AMTA's "Medical Partnerships" video); the Mozart effect, materials from North America, Europe, and Australia; and electronic resources such as the Voices e-magazine and various web resources/sites. In particular, I supplemented the chapter on "Medical Music Therapy", including information pertaining to pre-birth/womb musical experiences, labour and delivery and developmental aspects of music with premature and healthy infants. Similarily, I supplemented the "History of Music Therapy", including information on the development of music therapy in Canada, using Maranto's International Perspectives and professional discussions and correspondence with my fellow music therapists. The only chapter which I failed to utilize and/or supplement in the text was "Music Therapy in Correctional Settings".
I feel strongly that students should also have an opportunity to experience a variety of music therapy techniques, within the ethical and knowledge based limitations of my professional abilities. Hence, I did not include a GIM or biofeedback experiential component. I did, however, include experiential sessions involving: improvisational techniques, music listening/lyric analysis, song-writing, music and movement/dance, and culturally-based music therapy interventions (materials in French, drumming, and native American spiritual beliefs and activities).
Finally, I felt compelled to "prove" the growth and establishment of the profession of music therapy. Why is this something many of us still feel compelled to do? or, perhaps a better question is: Will we ever get to a point where our professional contributions to the health and well-being of our clients will be a "given"?. In preparing for this course, I was excited and somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of material available pertaining to the practice of music therapy. Hence, students were assigned a bibliographic reference search assignment in which they were to focus on a particular area of practice or topic. In doing so, I hoped to convey a sense of a developing, but established profession and perhaps, increase their "interest" in pursing a career in music therapy. The outcome of this assignment was a mixture of disappointment and clarity. Why? Students in their second year of college did not seem to be able to locate and/or identify materials, utilizing the electronic and printed materials at their disposal. (The only restrictions I placed on the assignment were: sources less than five years old and no more than fifty individual references). Perhaps I am naive in thinking that had these students been in a psychology or "science" type program, the result would have been very different. It also provided insight and clarity with respect to our professional appearance. Several students inquired as "Why were so many of the articles written by nurses and other non-music therapists?" and "Why haven't some of the criticisms made by non-music therapists concerning music therapist's research protocols and sample sizes been addressed by current music therapists who are contributing to the research literature?" While I was able to provide some insight regarding these questions, some of the same questions came to mind, personally, while I was preparing for the course and professionally as a pondered my own lack of contribution to the music therapy literature!
I look forward to reading the ongoing contributions to this discussion question and I would be happy to provide a more detailed list of the materials utilized in the long course to anyone who is interested. I may be contacted via e-mail: jlmt@telus.net or by traditional mail: 11238 - 55 Street, Edmonton, AB CANADA, T5W 3P4/Ph: (780) 406-6948.
Ms. Grocke has presented a timely and very interesting question of direct relevance to my current situation. After reading the responses to date, however, I recognize that I am coming from a slightly different perspective as an instructor of an "introductory" course in music therapy to music majors at a local college. This course is a stand-alone elective, as there is not presently a training program at this college. Hence, my consideration of what to include and exclude is not impacted by the knowledge/crossover effect of any other music therapy courses which the students may be taking concurrently, or will be taking in the future. I have also had the opportunity to teach a much shorter (12 hours), less comprehensive, introductory course at a local community college, through their Arts Outreach program.
My selection of a textbook for began last May. I had the opportunity to review Music Therapy by Jacqueline Peters, (2nd Ed.); and An Introduction to Music Therapy, by Davis, Gfeller and Thaut (2nd Ed.). (I have since reviewed A Comprehensive Guide to Music Therapy by Wigram, Pedersen and Bonde). The reasons for selecting the text I chose were three-fold. First, I wanted to provide students with a text which was published within the last five years, and which provided them with a well-rounded body of information concerning the profession and practice of music therapy. The Davis, Gfeller, and Thaut text presented its contents in a straightforward and attractive (typesetting, layout, etc.) format and did not appear overly biased towards one theoretical orientation or another. Secondly, the inclusion of "study questions" at the end of each chapter also helped in the development of test and examination materials. The authors' influence within the field of music was a third and final consideration based on my own graduate training in music therapy, a Masters of Music Therapy, and ongoing review of music therapy literature for professional purposes.
In addition to the text, I chose supplemental materials (journal articles and videos), based on their ability to provide students with exposure to a wide range of pedagogical and theoretical orientations, as well as a diverse geographical scope. Included were materials from the Nordoff and Robbins approach, Analytical Music Therapy, Bruscia's text on Improvisational music therapy techniques, Rehabilitation and medical settings (Thaut's "Gait Training" video, NAMT/AMTA's "Medical Partnerships" video); the Mozart effect, materials from North America, Europe, and Australia; and electronic resources such as the Voices e-magazine and various web resources/sites. In particular, I supplemented the chapter on "Medical Music Therapy", including information pertaining to pre-birth/womb musical experiences, labour and delivery and developmental aspects of music with premature and healthy infants. Similarily, I supplemented the "History of Music Therapy", including information on the development of music therapy in Canada, using Maranto's International Perspectives and professional discussions and correspondence with my fellow music therapists. The only chapter which I failed to utilize and/or supplement in the text was "Music Therapy in Correctional Settings".
I feel strongly that students should also have an opportunity to experience a variety of music therapy techniques, within the ethical and knowledge based limitations of my professional abilities. Hence, I did not include a GIM or biofeedback experiential component. I did, however, include experiential sessions involving: improvisational techniques, music listening/lyric analysis, song-writing, music and movement/dance, and culturally-based music therapy interventions (materials in French, drumming, and native American spiritual beliefs and activities).
Finally, I felt compelled to "prove" the growth and establishment of the profession of music therapy. Why is this something many of us still feel compelled to do? or, perhaps a better question is: Will we ever get to a point where our professional contributions to the health and well-being of our clients will be a "given"?. In preparing for this course, I was excited and somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of material available pertaining to the practice of music therapy. Hence, students were assigned a bibliographic reference search assignment in which they were to focus on a particular area of practice or topic. In doing so, I hoped to convey a sense of a developing, but established profession and perhaps, increase their "interest" in pursing a career in music therapy. The outcome of this assignment was a mixture of disappointment and clarity. Why? Students in their second year of college did not seem to be able to locate and/or identify materials, utilizing the electronic and printed materials at their disposal. (The only restrictions I placed on the assignment were: sources less than five years old and no more than fifty individual references). Perhaps I am naive in thinking that had these students been in a psychology or "science" type program, the result would have been very different. It also provided insight and clarity with respect to our professional appearance. Several students inquired as "Why were so many of the articles written by nurses and other non-music therapists?" and "Why haven't some of the criticisms made by non-music therapists concerning music therapist's research protocols and sample sizes been addressed by current music therapists who are contributing to the research literature?" While I was able to provide some insight regarding these questions, some of the same questions came to mind, personally, while I was preparing for the course and professionally as a pondered my own lack of contribution to the music therapy literature!
I look forward to reading the ongoing contributions to this discussion question and I would be happy to provide a more detailed list of the materials utilized in the long course to anyone who is interested. I may be contacted via e-mail: jlmt@telus.net or by traditional mail: 11238 - 55 Street, Edmonton, AB CANADA, T5W 3P4/Ph: (780) 406-6948.