The Significance of the Environment in Music Education Programs

The environment in which a student is taught impacts the overall learning experience in
different ways. When it comes to music education programs, an enriching environment acts as an
important factor of a childs learning abilities. In order for music education to greatly impact a
childs education, certain environmental characteristics need to be put in place. A music
education program, which includes, but is not limited to, choir, band, and orchestra, should adopt
an environment that promotes physical and mental health, appreciates global diversity, and takes
advantage of modern technology.
The use of modern technology within a primary school classroom provides students with
opportunities that could lead to educational benefits. Elementary school educators should utilize
music technology due to the fact that it has the potential to enable pupils at any level of interest
or ability to participate in creative and imaginative activities, and to work with a much wider
range of sounds and resources for recording and sound processing (Comber). Bilinda Soto, who
is the music educator at Colony Meadows Elementary School located in Houston, Texas, utilizes
modern technology to teach her students music. Soto has been teaching primary school music
education for many years and continually works with the same students every school year. Due
to the fact that she integrates technology into her curriculum, she determined that her students
retain more information taught. This is due to the fact that music interactive sites are designed to
engage students

more. San Francisco

Kids and Incredibox are a couple of interactive sites that

elementary school educators can use to enhance the classroom environments. This positive
correlation between technological use and attainment suggests that students who participate in
music education do better than their peers on many measures of academic achievement

(Hallam). A study focused on 4739 elementary and middle-school students in four regions of
the USA and revealed a strong relationship between elementary (3rd and 4th grade) students
academic achievement as measured by test scores and their participation in high-quality music
programmes (Hallam). These high quality music programs positively impact a childs capability
of understanding material because of the great amount of engaging activities. If all primary
school music educators took advantage of todays modern technology, all students would be
provided with the benefits of interactive technology.
When elementary students are introduced to a wide array of music, there is a greater
possibility that they will value global diversity. Multicultural music studies can impact children
in the sense that an early exposure to a large array of musical sounds can result in students
becoming receptive to all types of musical expression (Anderson). This is due to the fact that
children become aware of the extraordinary differences in culture and how all characteristics
contribute to every individual culture. Doug Goodkin, an educator at The San Francisco School,
stated that his students participate in a wide variety of activities that reflect various cultures.
Some of the activities that the students enjoy include dances from Israel, Japan, Bulgaria,
Appalachia, and Brazil, songs (in the indigenous languages) from India, Ghana, Chile,
Trinidad, and Scotland and games from Mexico, the Georgia Sea Islands, and the British Isles
(Goodkin). These activities allow a child to develop deeper understandings in a way that is more
hands-on and interactive. A multicultural approach to music education is especially significant in
the United States because of the fact that the country is extremely diverse. As a matter of fact,
the United States has a population of approximately 258 million people, which includes 50
million Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians (Anderson). More and more Americans are becoming

aware of the cultural diversity residing in the United States. As a result of this increased
awareness, more teachers, which includes music educators, are aiming to incorporate
multicultural perspectives in all curriculum. Students become more aware of diversity between
different cultures when teachers take the initiative to teach music from a multicultural approach
(Anderson). Students can benefit in the long-term from being globally aware because they would
be more knowledgeable and appreciative of cultures that arent their own. Music can also teach a
child more about their own culture which can result in them recognizing their true identities
(Dillon). Elementary school students who are part of a multicultural music education have the
benefit of being more globally aware.
Music education enhances physical and mental health within children, thus positively
impacting their well-being. A study was conducted on choir boys aged 1014 singing in a major
city centre parish church (Hallam). Continuous observations showed that the boys showed
deep appreciation of and engagement with music and exhibited many features of personal
well-being (Hallam). Their experiences with the choir resulted in them showcasing more
happiness and comfort. Studies conducted on young adults concluded that there are a range of
health and well-being benefits from participating in a choir and the same researchers assert that
there is no reason to suppose that these benefits would not apply to children (Hallam). Some of
the health benefits include, but is not limited to, physical relaxation and release of physical
tension; emotional release and reduction of feelings of stress; a sense of happiness, positive
mood, joy, elation, and feeling high; a sense of greater personal etc. (Hallam). Music
education should be considered by parents of young children due to the fact that it enhances a
childs health while simultaneously teaching them the fundamentals of music. Musical activities

have the potential to positively impact a childs well-being if the educator works to promote a
healthy environment. Students from the Toronto Childrens Chorus spoke on the physical
benefits they acquired as a result of their involvement in the choir. Former student Hilary
Cameron stated that her participation in the chorus program taught her the importance of healthy
habits which included healthy eating and sleeping (Bartle). Hilary also mentioned how she will
carry these skills to her time at college because she learned the significance of a healthy lifestyle
as a result of the healthy environment that was promoted by her choir teachers.
With an enriching environment, music education can lead to multiple benefits for
elementary school children. In order for a musical extracurricular to result in an enhanced
learning experience, healthy habits need to be promoted, modern technology needs to be
embraced, and global awareness must be addressed. In order for all elementary school children to
experience effective environments, these factors need to be enforced by elementary school
educators.