The Value Of Music In Our Schools Music is the common language of the world. It transcends the cultures. It transcends the ages. It’s the way in which we understand, communicate and share our emotions. As with all subjects; math, science, languages, art, the greater the study, the more profound the understanding. Music connects us and promotes empathy among people of all cultures, genders and ages in our increasingly shrinking world.

IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC EDUCATION Music Education Helps Develop: Hand-Eye Coordination Memory Skills Concentration Problem Solving Skills Teamwork Self-Confidence/Self Esteem Standards of Excellence Time Management Skills

4 Categories of Benefits for Music Education 1. Success in Society 2. Success in School 3. Success in Developing Intelligence 4. Success in Life

What Can Parents Do? Listen to music with your child from little on nursery rhymes, folk songs, children’s songs Sing and play music with your child Go to concerts or watch concerts on television Encourage your child to participate in musical activities at school and home Listen and show enthusiasm for your child’s musical achievements Attend your child’s school music programs Be active in your child’s everyday life Engage in musical activities with your child on the internet. There are many interactive sites.

How Music Connects to the Core Subject Areas Research & Ideas Used in the MusicClassroom

Music and Math  Spatial/temporal relationships in music exist as pitch and rhythm patterns  The cognitive skills used to process music are used in math as well  When singing on pitch: “Do” is less than “re”, and “re” is less than “mi”. As students develop these skills, it can help students understand math concepts such as number lines Gardiner, 1996

Music and Math  2 nd and 3 rd graders were taught fractions using concept of rhythmic notation- relationships between different note values Peers received traditional fraction instruction Students taught fractions using music concept scored 100% higher on fractions tests than those who learned using the traditional method Rauscher, 1999

Music and Math Musical notation-notes and rhythms-are sets of graphs Students use addition and subtraction skills when working with measures and beats: Creating and/or completing measures using quarter, half, eighth notes and their respective number of counts.

Music and Science  Instruments and Science Size and Pitch: Large instruments have low sounds Small instruments have high sounds Using Boomwhackers (plastic tubes that are pitched to certain notes), you can build a pyramid to visually show the students that to support the pyramid, the large tube must be on the bottom (and it makes the lowest sound). The smallest tube must be on the top of the pyramid (it makes the highest sound)

Music and Science  Other interesting ideas: Glasses filled with different amounts of water-have the students put them in order from the lowest to the highest (the lowest will be the one with the least amount of water; the highest will be the one with the most water-the instrument is actually the air column created by the space not filled up with water: smaller air space = more water = higher sound larger air space = less water = lower sound There are numerous songs and movement activities that have a science focus to them. The opportunities to connect music to science are ENDLESS!!!

Music and…..

Music and Social Studies  Happens often when teaching/learning songs about: Countries Continents States Game songs from other cultures Folk dances from around the world  While learning these songs, we also learn: Games Dances Instruments-both American and foreign Rhythms Songs in native languages History of American music and world music

Music and…..

Music and Reading  Both music and reading rely on the discrimination of sounds from each other  When learning to read, we learn how to relate letters to their spoken sounds

Endless Possibilities!!!  Music is constantly connected to the core subjects of education  By it’s nature, music education naturally addresses all subject areas!

In the Music Room Your Child Has the Opportunity to:  Learn how to sing  Learn how to read music  Learn how to play instruments  Learn musical games  Learn dances  Learn important musical terms  Perform for others  Create rhythms, melodies, and dances  Listen to music from many cultures and time periods  Make instruments  Show musical expression  And much, much more!

Music Is…  Science~it is exact, specific, and demands acoustics. Music scores are graphs which indicate frequencies, volume changes, melody, harmony, and intensities all at once with exact control of time  Mathematical~it is rhythmically based on subdivisions of time into fractions  Foreign Language~terms are often in Italian, German, or French. Notation is a set of symbols used to represent ideas that everyone, regardless of language can understand

Music Is… History~ reflects the times, country, and origin of it’s creation Physical Education~ coordination of eyes, hands, fingers, lips, voice, facial, and diaphragm muscles in response to the sounds heard and interpreted Art~ Use all of the technical aspects of music to create emotion and beauty

The Value Of Music In Our Schools The Value Of Music In Our Schools Edited by Yolanda Martinez-Music Specialist Suncoast Elementary Fine Arts Department For more information visit our website at In collaboration with Wendy Schlenker For Plank Road Publishing ©2005 For more information visit our website at In collaboration with Wendy Schlenker For Plank Road Publishing ©2005