The Herald Spotlights Tots and Tunes

Read the following article The News Herald ran on January 31st. I was thrilled at the coverage they gave this special class. It has been such a success and will continue to be with all of the effort and support we're receiving from the partipating families and wonderful establishments like the Mt. Juliet Chick-Fil-A! Wow!!! I LOVE my "job"!

Making Music Matter
Jennifer Green is motivated and moved by the power of music to rehabilitate and inspire. She had an innate interest in music that was noticed by her Kindergarten teachers who used music as a teaching tool very often in class. Mrs. Kimberling, Jennifer's music teacher, didn't limit what she taught based on age. She continued to teach and stretch her students regardless of the expected age for that material. Mrs. Kimberling helped develop Jennifer's musical skills and her ear for music.

When Jennifer was growing up, her mother became a substitute teacher in a classroom with children who had profound to severe disabilities. As Jennifer moved through middle and high school she became acquainted with the children and their level of functionality. The administration at the school asked her mother to design a time of music for the children. Observing in the classroom, Jennifer was amazed at how much more they could accomplish when music was involved.

Jennifer graduated from Lipscomb University with a BS in Psychology and a music minor. Throughout her last year of college she was the director of a middle school chorus and acted as Classroom Coordinator for the Regional Intervention Program. Shortly after graduation, Jennifer began working as a publicist and spent the next four years working for top-selling artists in both the country music and Christian music industries. In 2002, Green established her business, Tots and Tunes, and became a Licensed Kindermusik Educator and a Private Voice/Piano Instructor.

In addition to sharing a home in the Donelson area with husband, John, and two boys, Daniel and Luke, Jennifer teaches Kindermusik classes, provides therapeutic music intervention in local nursing homes and the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, and continues with her private music instruction. Jennifer loves to perform many genres of music and has had the privilege of performing for audiences of elementary school children to cancer survivors. Above all, she is motivated by the power of music and dedicated to the cause of making music matter!

Jennifer's curiosity has continued to grow about the effect of music on children with developmental delays. Green remarks, “Music helps, but why? I want to know why music soothes. Why is this working the way it works?” Her love for music combined with her passion for children with disabilities paved the way to the study she's currently conducting.

In the Fall of 2007, Mrs. Green launched a year long study of ten families of children with developmental delays and how music can be used to improve verbal, cognitive, social, or physical progress. Mrs. Green proposes committed families participating in a music program, such as Kindermusik, can make a tremendous difference on children experiencing developmental challenges.

Reflecting on her past experiences with the effect of music Jennifer comments, “I have a deep interest and passion for using the power of music to make a difference in lives. I couldn't think of any better way to do this than by offering such a strong, proven method as the Kindermusik program specifically to families of children with developmental differences.”

Kindermusik is designed to develop specific areas of the child - verbal, physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and musical. The activities such as creative movement, discretionary listening, vocal play, group dances, instrument exploration, and more can help to promote many of these at one time. These are vital elements of every child, no matter their level of function.

In order to facilitate the study, Jennifer gathered the necessary resources including willing families, the curricula for the consecutive semesters, and the At-Home Materials for each participating family. The At-Home materials consist of CDs, literature books, instruments, puppets, a family activity guide and games. These materials are essential to expand on the activities and goals presented in class, furthering the development in the children. “I'd like to recognize the Mt. Juliet Chick-Fil-A as the sole sponsor for the materials for the entire year. I couldn't have done this without their help!” expresses Jennifer with gratitude.

The developmental delays that are represented in the study group include Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, speech delays, sensory integration issues, motor delays, to name a few. There were approximately 12 children participating in the Fall semester and should have about the same for the Spring semester.

The duration of the study is three consecutive semesters: Fall (10 weeks), Spring (10 weeks), and Summer Camp (five weeks). The first semester provides a time for the group to cohere, the second includes discussing and observing developmental growth, with Summer Camp being a celebration of sorts. “Of course, in no time this class has become such a part of me... I may go on and on until the families decide to throw me out!”

The participants in the study were chosen based on the following factors. “I wanted to give this to families who were weighed down with multiple weekly therapies including speech, occupational, physical, etc.” Although needed and effective, the financial, physical, and mental drain on families in therapy is overwhelming. Participating families are willing to give music a chance and understand the developmental growth that can result from consistent intervention.

In addition, children without developmental delays are in the class serving as peer models and promoting integration of differences. Jennifer comments, “Children need to know they can learn and interact with everyone; not just those that look and function the same as them.” Jennifer has observed the parents thriving in this environment, “What a treasure to see the moms and dads leaning on one another, venting, sharing, and growing.”

Austin is a three year old boy who is participating in the study group. His dad, Billy, shares his comments about Jennifer Green and the study group, “Overall, this program has given Austin a better understanding of how to relate to music as it fuels his senses. Austin is a sensory seeker and this program gives him enough freedom to feed his senses and structure to be involved with the group. The exposure to other kids in a group setting has provided him with more (much needed) comfort in being in situations where kids are drawn together. As a parent, it’s exciting for us to participate in the program because not only are we having fun and learning with our son, but we’re also doing it in a setting with people who genuinely care about us.”

Billy continues, “The first semester of Mrs. Green's Kindermusik class has taught Austin the difference between fast and slow tempos. This is seen in his slow flowing body movements while standing still or rapid jumping movements while listening to the songs he likes. We have seen him begin to produce a steady beat by banging two blocks together and by beating on a toy drum. We have also seen him begin to follow group activates involving steady beats. This was seen when he started patting his lap with both hands while everyone else was.”

“We have also seen him associate songs with activities done in the class. For example, at home we heard one of the slow songs and he looked up at the ceiling. I knew he was looking for a flashlight. So, I got him one and he started waving the light around the ceiling. We feel that our success says a lot not just about the program but also for the Educator…and this is only our first semester!”

Lukas Rodia is a 2 ½ year old boy participating in Jennifer's study group. What an amazing story the Rodia family has to share! Lukas had a stroke at birth and at 9 months old started having seizures up to 100 times per day. The seizures were drop seizures where he would literally fall over and when he came to would continue playing. At the age of two, Lukas had brain surgery to remove or disconnect the left hemisphere of his brain, the language center, in an effort to stop the seizures. Fortunately, there have been no seizures since the surgery. The doctors told Lukas' parents that he may or may not ever speak and he now speaks 12 words and knows 30 signs.

Since beginning Jennifer's class in the Fall of 2007, Lukas has made great strides adding new signs and enjoying his newfound connection to music. Lukas is grasping the concepts of tempo and rhythm tapping along to music as the tempo changes. Lukas' mom, Jennifer Rodia, facilitates 2-3 hours of therapy each day at home where they've really enjoyed integrating the fun music and fresh concepts from Jennifer's classes.

A recent success during class for Lukas was during a song called, “Rolling Over Rover” which encourages children to roll over during a certain part of the song. At 2 ½ unable to crawl or walk watching his peers roll over motivated him to try it a shot and he did it! What a powerful testimony to the impact of music! Mrs. Rodia observes Jennifer's approach with the children, “Jennifer is enthusiastic and compassionate. She is able to bring the best out in each child automatically without even thinking about it.”

Jennifer Green reflects, “As a parent of two typically developing children, I've realized how much I take their 'typical' development for granted. As I've been involved with my participating families, I've learned to celebrate what some may deem as a slight accomplishment for the miracle it truly is.”

Because of her intense passion for individuals with developmental differences, Jennifer Green has recently taken additional college classes pertaining to human communication disorders and is working towards a degree in Music Therapy. Indeed, Jennifer is dedicated to the cause of “Making Music Matter”!