In 1994 a study was conducted by psychologist Fran Rauscher and physicist Gordon Shaw at the University of California to test the connection between music and math and science skills. The three test groups were comprised of three year olds. The first group participated in adult-led singing time, the second group, in weekly keyboard lessons, and the third (control group) was not exposed to any type of musical activity. The results were astounding! After eight months, “every child who participated in a music-training program increased his or her spatial intelligence by an average of 46 percent over the control group’s 6 percent increase.” (Baney, Cynthia. Wired for Sound: The Essential Connection Between Music and Development.)
Music education should be an essential part of a child’s growth and development. Numerous studies have repeatedly demonstrated how music education will lead to a higher aptitude in math, science, reading, athletics, creativity and problem solving. But the simple fact is that making music brings children joy, and when you as a parent get involved with your child’s musical pursuits, whether it be through direct interaction in a musical playgroup, or by encouraging your child to learn an instrument, you can share in that joy together. education loans with payday loan
Music and arts education are valuable components of academic instruction. And they become even more valuable when they are used towards the resolution of crisis situations that affect and traumatized children around the globe. Creative expression has both educational and psychological significance for children that have suffered natural disasters, wars, and violent acts, serving as a way through which people of diverse cultures can interact and unite in their shared humanity.
Teachers use art and music to cultivate communication, social abilities and cognitive emotions to increase cooperation, self-confidence and self-esteem. Through the creation of singing, moving, and listening stimulus to music, a broad range of emotional, cognitive and physical abilities of children are brought out and help them to learn new skills.
Creative therapy can be expressed in a variety of forms including music and movement therapy, writing techniques and play therapies. Aiming to provide children with a means of expression that can help them express their emotions about their individual experiences while using their imagination and the creativity of the therapist, creative therapy offers a sense of accomplishment.
Music and movement therapies have a therapeutic effect on children. By addressing physical, psychological, cognitive and/or social functioning, music and movement act as a powerful medium that provides support and encouragement to each traumatized child in the effort to acquire new skills and abilities. Movement therapies transform feelings into movement that helps children release their stress and express their emotions. On the other hand, music, because of its ability to touch each person in a different way and often in many different ways, creates the grounds for new learning opportunities and most importantly, for leading a normal life.
Writing techniques have been researched widely regarding their physical and emotional benefits. They can be used as a means for stress relief because children can write down anything they think about or focus on unresolved feelings that have been created as a result of a traumatic experience.
Play therapies use the imagination of children as a means to communicate with them.
Psychologists suggest that children who experience a major traumatic event before the age of 11 are three times more likely to develop psychological symptoms that those children who experience their first traumatic event as teenagers or even at a later age. However, children’s ability to deal with their trauma is highly subject to the reaction of their parents or their care-takers, but also to the method used to overcome the trauma.
Unfortunately, there are numerous examples of children that have suffered traumatic events around the world over the past five years. A typical example of how arts are implemented to help them overcome their feelings of distress and anxiety is a study on the young victims of Hurricane Katrina. Children were gathered under large white tents to feel protected and taken care of and were asked by art therapists to draw their houses. What art therapists saw in almost all their drawings was that the place of safety in the drawing was not the house, but the roof. Besides, the children’s drawings included dead birds, snakes, alligators, helicopters and rescue boats, depicting quite accurate the magnitude of the disaster and their feelings of despair.
Focusing on the long-lasting effects of Hurricane Katrina on those children that included anxiety, learning difficulties or even suicidal impulses, psychologists concluded that only art could improve the children’s psychological and mental condition. Several months later, the art therapists returned to New Orleans to check on the children and their families. Children were asked to draw and express their feelings again. This time, most children drew scary water lines, which made the art therapists conclude that the trauma had not end with the Hurricane Katrina. Children were still afraid of water.
Similar examples are derived from the children of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Iran, and many other areas on the planet. The children’s participation in arts and music strengthens their identity and creates strong bonds within their communities. Using music and performing arts helps refugee children to integrate with the local community, while teachers address the need for social connection. In doing so, children are effectively assimilated into the education system, building relationships and gaining trust, while enhancing their self-esteem, confidence, and language skills.
The use of music and arts to the healing of traumatized children is not an easy task. It requires high competence in the knowledge and skills of teachers who need to be prepared to meet the diverse needs of each child. Besides, to educate children with arts and music and help them overcome their traumas, teachers need to have professional responsibilities and the ability to communicate knowledge and skills.
After having suffered extreme situations of crisis and having experienced severe traumas, children need a positive impact on their life. This motivation can only be driven through teamwork, appreciation for other cultures and community awareness. Interactive performance programs as well as strategic partnerships with arts-based and community-based organizations can offer those children education, personal development and community involvement. And all these attributes can be found in the creativity and self-expression provided in arts and music education.
Music education classes can enrich the life of an adult or child in many ways. Children who learn a musical instrument or sing usually perform better on test scores at school.
Here are a few reasons why music education is beneficial to both adults and children
1) Build self-confidence while having fun.
For those who have music education classes in school, learning an instrument and playing in a band can be lots of fun. Children as young as eight or nine can be taught how to play a variety of instruments. Bands usually have concerts on a regular basis where the children can play for their parents and others in the school. Adults with music background can form their own bands and perform in public places. Performing to a public audience is a great way to build self-confidence for both adults and children alike.
2) Team work and friendship
Learning about the value of notes, time signatures, and exits and entrances will help them to be a member of a team. Each member of a band or ensemble must work together to produce a well-coordinated piece of music. Besides teamwork, they can make friends very easily. This is especially beneficial for children and other adults who want to be more sociable. Together, they can explore many different types of music and learn to play different musical instruments.
3) Better analytical skill
A good music education can help improve the analytical skills of adults and children. For children and students, music plays a significant role in improving their math and thinking skills in many cases. For most people, they use only the left side of the brain to analyze and solve problems. However, a music education can help develop the right side of the brain. The effect is that children or adult are able to solve problems in a shorter time and using better solution.
4) Stress Reduction
Music has widely been regarded as an effective mean to reduce stress. In fact, this is one of the reasons that make music education so popular. Many people actually feel calmer and cheerful when playing music, including children. However, heavy metal or rock music tends to have a reverse effect on many people and it is generally not suitable as a mean for stress reduction.
5) Turn music into a career
For those who have an immense love of music, they can turn it into a full time career. There are many types of jobs that are related to music. They include music teachers, professional singers or bands, conductors and many others.
Today, more and more parents are also encouraging their young children to take up music lessons. If there is no music education program offered at school, they will send their children for private lessons. This can be beneficial but in a different way. Instead of being part of a band, music students will have to learn to rely on themselves when playing their instruments. Many children tend to take piano lessons or guitar lessons because these are instruments that can be played alone or with a group. In fact, these instruments are also very popular with adults. Regardless of the instruments, a good music education will leave a positive effect on both children and adults for many years to come.
Stephen Chua is the webmaster of EducationForLifeNow.com, a popular website that provides tips and resources to music education, online education and education grants. Visit http://EducationForLifeNow.com today and receive a free report ‘Your Guide To Grants and Student Loans’
