The Case for Music in Schools
Imagine your child or children having a life skill which was not part of assessed academics, yet still impacted all their curriculum, school outcomes and family life in a positive way.
Face to Face, online, in groups, or in the home, music can fulfil theses requirements.
“Music is a discipline, and a mistress of order and good manners, she makes the people milder and gentler, more moral and more reasonable.” Martin Luther
Music is seen by many as the sweet spot of education. The icing on the cake. A luxury for those who can afford it. A club for those who are privileged enough to be gifted with a talent. An easy part of life to brush over, ignore and leave out.
Music is often left to be taught one-to-one in a small room for those children who seem ‘patient’ and parents who are willing to keep nagging their treasure to ‘practice now’!
This view often mistakenly creates a 2 tier system, which excludes some before the race has even begun.
Is music important in our school curriculum?
Quite simply, yes! How privileged are we to be in a school which values music as part of the curriculum?
When music is taught in the classroom from Pre- School and Kindergarten, we observe children developing in other areas of the curriculum also.
We realise that music benefits everyone, including the community as a whole, and can be accessed by anyone.
We realise that the more we allow children, parents and teachers a taste of good music education, the more likely every one is to see that music can be learnt by anyone, and practice doesn’t have to be chore!
‘I would teach children music, physics and philosophy; but more importantly music; for in the patterns of music and all the arts, are the keys to learning.
– Plato
A Music Program Tailored for Your Child
Interested in how Charlton Christian College’s music program can benefit your child? Contact us now!
Music lights up the brain
“There are few things that stimulate the brain the way music does,” says one Johns Hopkins otolaryngologist. “If you want to keep your brain engaged throughout the ageing process, listening to or playing music is a great tool. It provides a total brain workout.” [ref]
When a school is able to offer music as part of its entire curriculum, the whole community becomes enriched with a life skill and inner joy that binds teachers, students, parents and the community together.
The school grows and learns with a buzz and purpose, with positive friendships and mission, with a common interest across the years, and with long lasting memories of service.
Through music children (and adults) create, practice, persevere, serve, perform and connect.
Music improves attention, memory and problem solving skills.
International research has identified that music develops student’s well being, and builds self confidence.
Music helps with verbal understanding it influences the ability of learning, speaking and processing new sounds and words.
Teachers and parents get excited about children increasing vocabulary and correctly answering reading comprehension [Link].
Emerging evidence suggests the part of the brain which controls both music and language comprehension are related!.
Some schools have found that music programs reduce truancy, increase retention of students, build school spirit and reputation.
Music also directly impacts memory. In one study, musicians attained higher results than non-musicians in aural, sight, and memory tests.
Music improves hand eye coordination. Playing an instrument, requires focused coordination between the notes on the page, and the sound coming out of the instruments.
Music has a positive impact on good study habits.
In a world of instants – whether it be coffee, food, wifi speed or downloads.
Music instills patience and sticking with a task until you are happy with the final outcome.
Children learn and practice, repeat and apply, perform and bring smiles to those who watch and support them.
They learn that it is not enough to be able to play the notes correctly.
The developing musician learns to patiently internalise and interpret the music in a way they can remember under the strain of being watched or performing.
This discipline is applied across other areas of study.
The work ethic of doing the task until it is done transfers into other skills and subjects, increasing both input and output across the curriculum which in turn raises the level of results across the school.
https://www.theguardian.com/
education/2017/oct/03/school-results-music-bradford.
Music develops a confidence and self esteem in students, teaching that work, time and application are directly related to outcome achievement.
Students are commonly taught that when they know a piece off by heart, this is just the beginning of knowing it.
Now the real work begins.
This transfers to life skills, academic subjects and approaches to life.
Part of the team
As well as teaching self – esteem and building self expression.
Music is powerful team building activity. Whether in a choir, band, ensemble or as part of musical.
Each individual brings their talent into the group, and works to help each other achieve a collaborative performance, where each part is important and working together like body and all its organs, limbs and internal mechanisms.
Students learn that they are a valued member.
Teamwork and cooperation helps children to build tolerance and acceptance of others as well as helping them to cope with life challenges.
“Music is the gift that keeps giving, both to the giver and receiver“
Thinking on the Spot
Music education is the increased ability to problem solve situations and develop solutions mentally.
Those with musical training have been found to have higher levels of grey matter volume in their brains, which are directly connected to auditory processing and comprehension.
Surprisingly, this is fantastic for forming relationships.
Musicians learn to listen to others, sense emotion, and as a result interact with greater depth and understanding.
Music Education for Kids
Music education is an important aspect of providing children with a well-rounded education.
When allowed to work as part of the school framework with other subjects and areas of study, music helps children grow in self-esteem, build essential skills and prepares for life in the work place, whatever the career path.
Skill
Music skill that has been harnessed over the years becomes a great asset for many aspects of children’s lives.
From singing around the campfire, on a long road trip, or earning money through college years.
Music is the skill that keeps giving, both to the musician and to those with whom they share – whether voluntarily or as income.
Higher academic achievement
A study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology compared results of students who had graduated from High school between the years of 2012 and 2015.
“The students who learned to play a musical instrument in primary school and continued playing in high school not only score significantly higher, but were about one academic year ahead of their non-music peers.”
Self-esteem.
Music gives the opportunity to try something new and develop in confidence as they improve in singing or playing an instrument.
With each achievement and musical interaction, personal confidence is boosted, increasing the drive to continue.
Maths
Getting Smart explains, “When a music pupil has spent time learning about rhythm, he has learned to count.
He is not counting numbers, per se, but he is most certainly using logic to count out the rhythms and bars, and working his way methodically through the piece.
Many musical concepts have mathematical counterparts.”
Service
Service to others increases children’s self worth, and helping them to realise that they have something valuable to offer in society.
Relieving stress.
We all know that listening to a favourite song and music can make us feel better, feel listened to and relax us. The same goes for music making.
It gives kids a great release, giving them a safe space and outlet to participate in a calming as well as fulfilling activity.
I know that no matter how stressed I was in school, I would always come out happy and relaxed after choir practice.
Outside the box
It is accepted that ‘normal’ is no longer an acceptable way to describe children or adults, we are all unique and have something to offer the world in which we live.
All children have needs, special needs, social needs, educational needs, communication needs, family needs and the list goes on.
Society is no longer defined by the Victorian Empirical definitions which shut away and hide those who did not fit the required parameters.
Music helps all children to find a way to communicate and open up, which may be a struggle normally.
Music gives all children a voice of expression, an outlet of showing their personality and a means to show and share their hearts with others.
Music gives all children a voice of expression, an outlet of showing their personality and a means to show and share their hearts with others.
Higher graduation rates.
Schools with music programs have higher graduation rates.
https://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/
advocacy/factsandstatistics/
“Schools with music programs have an estimated 90.2 percent graduation rate and 93.9 percent attendance rate compared to schools without music education who average 72.9 percent graduation and 84.9 percent attendance.”
Watch our Vocal Ensemble perform in the 2021 December Review Programme.
By giving success, value and a skill for life, Music also steers the involved learner away from alcohol and substance abuse associated behaviours commonly vying for adolescent attention.
Choose Music today at Charlton Christian College and gift your child with a life skill beyond academics.
Enquire now about enrolment at Charlton Christian College.
Watch our Vocal Ensemble perform in the 2021 December Review Programme.
Involvement, strong friendships, continued service, a sense of family, respect between student and staff, self esteem and a responsible part of the community all contribute to student welfare and the desire to want to be remain a part of the school family for as long as is possible, which in turn leads to school retention to the maximum time.
A Music Program Tailored for Your Child
Interested in how Charlton Christian College’s music program can benefit your child? Contact us now!
