March is Music in Our Schools Month. Music has been a vital part of education, offering more than just the ability to sing a tune or play an instrument. There are scientific benefits of mixing music with education, such as courses and instructional time with music.
Have you ever had a music class? Or had a teacher play music during class?
“Music can promote buy-in to topics of study, opportunities to recognize the power of effort to progress when learning a musical instrument, boost moods, provide memory-enhancing tools, and even expand the brain’s creative potential,” states Judy Willis, edutopia.com
Music offers opportunities for students facing challenges in life and school to enjoy the emotional difficulties of keeping progress. Preparing the production of creative learning right from the start reduces student boredom and stops them from putting in minimal effort. Facts learned with a touch of enthusiasm seem to have a positive effect on students who use music as a study tool.
“I got into music and instruments really young. My sister was in the marching band through high school, and I also joined freshman year because I thought it would be fun. I plan on going to college for music education. I believe that music in the classroom can help students focus and help them through tough times. Music plays a big part when it comes to my mental health,” states senior Millie Ballant.
Studies have indicated that listening to music and playing a musical instrument can stimulate your brain and enhance your memory. An experiment was conducted with twenty-two children, aged 3-to 4 1/2-years old, where they were split into groups to receive either singing or keyboard lessons. Fifteen children in the control group were not given any music lessons. Both groups participated in the same preschool activities. It was revealed through the study that preschoolers who took keyboard lessons every week experienced a 34% greater enhancement in their spatial-temporal skills than their counterparts. Learning an instrument or taking a music class can also create or improve discipline, such a necessary skill to have as an adult.(Source: http://brainconnection.positscience.com/topics/?main=fa/musiceducation2#A1)
Being actively engaged with music can have an impact on the brain’s information processing, improving language and speech recognition, and consequently enhancing communication abilities and reading skills.
In the context of using music as a tool for learning, it is essential to identify the most efficient ways to blend both activities. Consider how music could potentially slow down the brain’s performance in certain complex tasks, while simultaneously enhancing performance in simpler tasks. The type of music also matters; students perform better when listening to music they perceive as calming rather than music that is perceived as more aggressive. By considering these elements, teachers can find intentional and responsive ways to integrate music into their classrooms effectively.
I moved from Brazil about two years ago and am a prime example of music’s impact on the learning experience. When I started to learn English as my second language, one of the best strategies to get a wider vocabulary and a bigger understanding of the language was to listen to music and learn the pronunciation and the translation. I believe for a lot of students music can help through different challenges.
At Carolina Forest High School we are proud to have plenty of music related courses such as music appreciation, piano, instrumental band, music theory, chorus and orchestra. With an educated staff and dedicated students, we strive to be great.
In conclusion, the integration of music into education not only enhances the learning experience but also allows creativity, discipline, and emotional well-being among students.
