Music Therapy
Email: ellisa@pitt.k12.nc.us
What is Music Therapy?
Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. (American Music Therapy Association definition, 2011)
Amanda Ellis is a board certified music therapist and works with our low-incidence populations. Amanda uses music to support, engage and motivate students with disabilities in attaining non-musical goals and skills necessary for their educational program.
Using a group music therapy model, Amanda provides music therapy classroom (group) sessions that are specifically designed to focus on the content each classroom teacher is teaching. Amanda also designs visuals, records songs and creates multimedia presentations for teachers and students to access daily as part of their instruction. Students engage with the multimedia presentations and learn through the repetition of songs.
Music Therapy group sessions allow for various modes of instruction and serve the educational needs and unique learning styles of students in an engaging way. Students receive many opportunities to demonstrate knowledge, mastery and generalization of skills.
Students in the Exceptional Children's classrooms learn many things through music!
Students and teachers have the opportunity to sing along to songs that cover the monthly focus of the academic curriculum as well as an abundance of additional skills (i.e. calendar skills, weather, learning punctuation, money, time, social skills, and core vocabulary).
To see samples of songs used to help students learn, please visit Amanda's YouTube page by clicking here.
Music Therapy Moments
Students love playing instruments during music therapy sessions! Students get the opportunity to work on fine motor skills, following directions and impulse control in a fun way.
