Gigi Watson

Mr. Schurtz
English 12 AP Period 3
4 March 2010

The Benefits of Music Education

“Even before birth, we are aware of our mother’s heartbeat
and during infancy are relaxed by the song of a lullaby.”
- Edward Droscher
 Music
Education
PAS S I O N
EXPRESSION
C O M M U N I CAT I O N
Why is it important to learn musical
concepts?
How does progress in music enhance progress in othe
areas?
Is music education valued in our
country?
What does the process of learning an instrumen
entail?
Why should everyone learn an instrument?
“Music enhances the process of learning. The systems it nourishes,
which include our integrated sensory, attention, cognitive, emotional
and motor capacities, are shown to be the driving forces behind all other
learning.”

— From Empathy, Arts and Social Studies, 2000; Konrad, R.R.

• Teamwork


• Communication


• Problem-
solving
• Creative

thinking
• Self-esteem
“The musician is constantly


adjusting decisions on tempo,

tone, style, rhythm, phrasing,
and feeling--training the brain
to become incredibly good at
organizing and conducting
numerous activities at once.
Dedicated practice of this
orchestration can have a great
payoff for lifelong attention
skills, intelligence, and an
ability for self-knowledge and
expression.”
 — Ratey John J., MD. A User’s
Guide to the Brain. New York:
Pantheon Books, 2001.


• Calm attitudes


• Imagination


• Discipline


• Study skills


• Music aids
physical brain
development
–Language
–Memory
– Spatial-temporal
reasoning and
awareness
• Looking for patterns
• Organizing sequences
• Mental manipulation
• Basic math
• Logic
 Music as Motivation

• Gordon’s Study
– Test group
• At least one year behind average reading level
• Received music instruction contingent upon reading
performance
– Control group
• Average or above average reading level
• Received music instruction unconditionally

Music as Motivation
• Florida State University
Study
– Test group
• Received televised
music lessons
for correct math
responses
• Scores increased
– Control group
• Received no music
instruction
• Scores remained
the same
A Cultural Understanding
 ti o n
l i ca
Ap p
 September 2009

–Lies…
• I understand music!
• I can sing anything!
• I have plenty of time to learn
the piano!

• Goals
–By April…
• At least 10 hours in instruction time
• At least 30 hours in practice time
• Play full-length songs
• Sing and play (at the same time :O)
a simple, contemporary piece
–
 November
• Progress
– Quick!
– C Major, chords, short exercises
• Challenges
– Not looking at my hands while I play
– Forcing the right fingers to move at the right
time
• Goals
– Playing faster
– Playing with varied rhythms
 December - January
• Progress
– Not as fast as before…
– G Major and F Major, more chords, short songs,
more speed
• Challenges
– Will I have enough time?
– Forcing myself to practice every day
• Goals
– Playing smoother, more connected
– Creating tone
2009
 December - January
• Progress
– Not as fast as before…
– G Major and F Major, more chords, short songs,
more speed
• Challenges
– Will I have enough time?
– Forcing myself to practice every day
• Goals
– Playing smoother, more connected
– Creating tone
 February
• Progress
– Steady
– Dynamics, staccato, legato, transposition
• Challenges
– Weather!
– Time / method
• Instructional book/CD
• Outside help from friends
• Goals
– Playing full length songs
– Singing and playing in unison
 Works Cited
Abril, Carlos R., and Brent M. Gault. “The State of Music in the Elementary
School: The Principal’s Perspective .” Journal of Research in Music
Education 54.1 (2006): 6-20. JSTOR. Web. 2 Dec. 2009.
<http://www.jstor.org>.
Achen, Paris. “A Harmonious Solution.” The Mail Tribune [Medford, OR] 28 Nov.

2009: n. pag. EBSCOhost Student Research Center. Web. 2 Dec. 2009.

<http://web.ebscohost.com/‌src>.
Degmegcic;, Dunja, Ivan Požgain, and Pavo Filakovic. “Music as Therapy.”

International Review of the Aesthetics and Sociology of Music 36.2 (2005):

287-300. JSTOR. Web. 1 Dec. 2009. <http://www.jstor.org>.
Droscher, Edward. “The Benefits of Music Education to Children.” Real Music

Production (June 2006): n. pag. Education Articles. Web. 2 Dec. 2009.

<http://www.edarticle.com/>.
Gordon, Michael. “Instrumental Music Instruction as a Contingency for

Increased Reading Behavior.” Journal of Research in Music Education 27.2

(1979): 87-102. JSTOR. Web. 2 Dec. 2009. <http://www.jstor.org>.
Hetland, Lois. “Learning to Make Music Enhances Spatial Reasoning .” Journal

of Aesthetic Education 34.3-4 (2000): 179-238. JSTOR. Web. 2 Dec. 2009.

<http://www.jstor.org>.
Madsen, Clifford K., et al. “Effect of Music via Television as Reinforcement for

Correct Mathematics .” Journal of Research in Music Education 24.2 (1976):

51-59. JSTOR. Web. 2 Dec. 2009. <http://www.jstor.org>.
 Works Cited Pictures
 Audience. 4 July 2004. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 10 Mar. 2009. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.
<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


 Band Practice. 30 Nov. 2008. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 1 Dec. 2008. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.
<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


 Calendar year. 30 Dec. 2008. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 25 Feb. 2009. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.
<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


Carnegie Hall. N.d. Encyclopedia Britannica. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Mar. 2010. <http://www.britannica.com/‌EBchecked/‌topic-
art/‌241369/‌112207/‌Country-singer-Little-Jimmy-Dickens-performing-during-a-taping-of>.
Do you find my brain? 10 Sept. 2008. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 10 Sept. 2008. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.

<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


 First recital. 9 Sept. 2008. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 10 Sept. 2008. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.
<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


 Heart of Music. 5 Aug. 2008. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 6 Aug. 2008. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.
<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


 I love my music! 12 June 2003. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 27 Mar. 2008. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.
<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


 Kids at a concert. 30 May 2006. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 30 May 2006. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.
<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


 Lullaby. 2 Apr. 2007. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 2 Apr. 2007. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.
<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.

 Works Cited Pictures Cont.
Music lesson. 21 Apr. 2007. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 21 Apr. 2007. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.


<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


Parkpop 2009 - Background singer Milow . 28 June 2009. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 6 July 2009. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.


<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


The Pianist. 2 Sept. 2007. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 6 Oct. 2007. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.


<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


Piano. 6 May 2006. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 6 May 2006. Web. 2 Mar. 2010. <http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


Piano keys. 21 Mar. 2009. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 10 Mar. 2009. Web. 29 Mar. 2009.


<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


Practice. 20 Feb. 2006. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 10 Mar. 2009. Web. 16 Nov. 2007.


<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


RCA. 15 Aug. 2009. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 15 Aug. 2009. Web. 2 Mar. 2010. <http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


Recording Studio. 22 Apr. 2008. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 24 Apr. 2008. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.


<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


Rocking out! 13 July 2008. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 14 July 2008. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.


<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


Sonata Music. 2 Dec. 2005. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 2 Dec. 2005. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.


<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.


Still practicing? 13 Aug. 2008. Creative Commons. Yahoo! Inc., 13 Aug. 2008. Web. 2 Mar. 2010.


<http://search.creativecommons.org/>.

 Class Activities
• Since no one will want to sing…I will bring in
kazoos for everyone and teach everyone a
line of music with the kazoos.
• Demonstrate the collaborative/ensemble nature
of making music by combining individual
parts - get the class in a jam circle and have
small groups of people produce different
parts/rhythms using clapping, tapping, beat
boxing, etc.
• Teach the class a quick, simple solfedgelesson.
This is a method used by many music
teachers, especially at elementary and
middle school levels. It involves using seven
syllables, each with a designated hand sign,
to represent the notes in the scale. (This is
much like what Maria teaches the children in
The Sound of Music with her “Do, A Deer”