March 2025

Jam Session Tips & Tricks

Continuing from my previous post on Jam Sessions, I wanted to share a few of the many tips and tricks I have learned over the course of my 30 Jam Sessions. Before every session, we have a brief volunteer meeting where we welcome newbies, share tips and advice for a successful  Jam. Here are some of my go-to tips for new volunteers!

1. Always assume competence over incompetence
   1. It is always good to remember that participants are in the age range of high school to older adult seniors. Treat them with respect, and always assume that they understand your directions or communication. 
2. Give binary choices-not yes or no questions
   1. Asking yes or no questions gives the clients the opportunity to say ‘no’ and close them off from participating. I find that both participants and volunteers are more successful when framing questions with binary choices (e.g.‘Do you want a green drum or a red drum?’)
3. Refer back to the prompting hierarchy
   1. When interacting with and assisting clients, it can be helpful to refer back to the Banding Together prompting hierarchy.
      1. Say it
         1. Provide a verbal instruction, e.g. ‘Let’s grab a drum’
      2. Show it
         1. Model the desired action, show what you want them to do, e.g. getting up and walking towards a drum
      3. Tap it
         1. Providing a gentle physical tap on the arm while giving verbal direction
      4. Assist it
         1. Using gentle hand over hand assistance to complete a direction

Guy, J., Neve, A. (2016). Teaching Social Skills Through Song: A Music Therapy Learning Hierarchy for Children with ASD. Infographic. Imagine Childhood Magazine. Vol 7, no 1 p 96-97. https://issuu.com/ecmt_imagine/docs/imagine_7_1__2016 

4. Read participant profiles
   1. Every participant has a profile sheet, filled out by caregivers or parents, that detail their likes, interests as well as  potential triggers. Reading this information helps connect volunteers with participants and can help avoid unintentionally triggering them during the session. 
5. Dance like no one is watching-participants won’t judge you, so don’t judge yourself!
   1. Match the participants’ energy whenever possible!
6. The more you give-the more you get
   1. When leading Jam Sessions, it is imperative that you are engaging, positive and a little bit silly at times. The more intention, energy and musicality you put into your words and actions, the more the participants will engage with you and respond positively. 

All in all, Jam sessions are a great way to gain experience working with individuals with disabilities, make meaningful connections, and make great music! Jam Sessions would not be possible without the help of dedicated volunteers. If you or someone you know wants to volunteer, below is a link to the Banding Together website to sign up and learn more about Jam Sessions! 

Happy Jamming!

Mia Falcon