Author: Erin

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Design, public policy, and the learning process

I attended an event tonight entitled, “Can Design Change the World?” This is a part of a speaker series called “Policy and a Pint.”

Policy and a Pint® is an event series co-sponsored by the Citizens League and 89.3 The Current, that engages young people in important conversations about public policy in Minnesota.

Three designers answered questions asked of them by a host who was broadcast on 89.3. The designers spent about half an hour speaking amongst themselves and the host, and then another half an hour taking questions for audience members.

One of the guest designers mentioned that after the fourth grade, the level of creativity (however that is determined, I am not sure) plummets. Each of the designers spoke to the importance of cultivating creativity in our education systems, and that design is a practice of imagination and implementation that each and every person does on a daily basis.

As we all know by now, I am not an architect or a fashion designer or a stylist. But, I was intrigued by one of the questions: “How or why is design practical?” One of the guests responded by speaking to the fact that most people require at least two if not three means through which to learn a skill — audio, visual, and experiential. A way that design supports the learning process is by bringing to reality technology that provides tools for such ways of learning to take place, i.e., the iPad and its apps that many of us music therapists, teachers, and students use in a variety of ways.

If only there were a way to keep music and art in schools…

 

 

 

 

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Presenting

I am thrilled that tonight I was asked whether or not I am interested in presenting on music therapy to a monthly meeting of families with children who have Down’s syndrome. Thrilled. I look forward to this opportunity, should it come to fruition (I haven’t been officially invited yet). I’ve wanted to present for a long time; this would be a great beginning.

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Bereavement care

I had a meeting with the director of my care center’s pastoral care department today regarding bringing music therapy into staff bereavement services already offered by pastoral care. I am really excited to now be a part of the services. I’d like to be more integral in the care of those residents in hospice and in creating more support for grieving staff. Just this morning, I had a conversation with a staff member who was angered and emotional about the fast decline and death of a resident. Of course I thought she could benefit from the bereavement services that will be happening, but I also know that there is such little time any staff has to process the losses of those residents in their care. So, I am sure many staff will choose not to participate. I’d love to be able to make such services available and easily accessible to all. The next services are on Friday.

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Love to my residents

I was looking through my planner, and I saw I wrote down this quote from one of my really vocal residents: “It’s nice to see you. It was nice to hear you, too. You’re better than no one.” Funny and sweet at the same time.

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Humor

I have always felt that humor is an important character in the livelihood of any successful person.

“Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.”
Mark Twain

Do you find laughter, or inspire it, every single day?

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Teaching to special needs

I know someone whose son is a musician, studying music education. This person mentioned that her son has been teaching music lessons to children with developmental disabilities, some of whom are profoundly delayed. I immediately asked if he is taking music therapy classes, or is aware of music therapy. Apparently, he is not taking any music therapy related curriculum, but does know about music therapy. I know that he has supervisors, but they are not music therapists, either. Learning this made me uneasy, though I was delighted that this person reportedly loves working with these students. Curious.

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A day of observance

I work in a Catholic care center. I, however, am not Catholic. I am also not ready to start talking about or singing about or anything about Thanksgiving, even though it is now officially November. So, I researched All Saints Day (today), and All Souls Day (tomorrow). Knowing that the days are observed in the Catholic faith, I doubted the majority of my residents would take any issue to discussions about the special days.

Certainly, the true definition of the two days is elaborate and, well, based in Catholicism. But I was interested when I read, “All Soul’s Day is a Roman Catholic day of remembrance for friends and loved once who have passed away” (Source). This, of course, is a very simple overview of All Souls Day, and I like it.

In my internship, I worked primarily with hospice patients. Now, most of the work I do is with residents in a care center, some of whom live in the palliative care unit. Many of my residents won’t live through the rest of this calendar year.

I have been searching for ways in which to commemorate the lives of those patients and residents who have died. Perhaps tomorrow, I can create my own version of All Souls Day, and use a portion of the day to spend honoring those people who have passed away.

Do you practice any kind of memorial for passed patients or residents?

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Care center competition

Happy Halloween!

I was truly surprised when I went to work in the care center today. Each department came up with some elaborate decorations and costumes.

A shot of the house across the street

Back in June or July (I’m not kidding), during one of department’s monthly planning meetings, one of the coordinators mentioned Halloween. The director of our department is new and hasn’t been here for a whole year; he was not aware of the complexity that Halloween apparently involves. According to that particular unit coordinator, many departments had already begun planning their themes and performances (!) for Halloween. Again, this was in mid-summer.

I love Halloween. So I got all into it when one of the suggested themes was “cops and robbers.” I changed it to “cops and convicts” because I like the alliteration, and immediately decided that half of the department could be cops, searching out the convicts.

I wrote up short scripts for coordinators who were cops and those who were convicts. The day included “pass-bys,” where one or the other coordinator spotted the other and staged a chase through the halls, thereby involving all of the residents in sight and earshot. We took mug shots of the convicts, and showed them to residents to help the cops seek out those pictured. We prepared a song and even created a jail for this portion of the day where all of the departments’ themes were judged.

We did pretty well. I thought the whole thing was pretty fun.

Another shot of the same house!

We did not win, though. We didn’t even get second place. Not even the department whose theme was “Clue,” and who dedicated different offices and conference rooms to the various spaces in the movie, won or took second. The winner was an Egyptian theme, but I don’t know what their shtick was. Or how they engaged the residents.

Seems that I don’t like losing. But I love Halloween.