MORE THAN JUST
FUN
Music Isn ’ t Just Recreation – IT ’ S EDUCATION
By Nancy Miller
When kids are involved in music , they are learning – and not just how to keep a beat . Everything from behaviour to concentration can benefit from exposure to and involvement with music . That ’ s a fact . But you already know this if you ’ ve ever performed for children . You actually witness their minds and memories working as you watch .
So why is it that in Canada and the U . S ., music programs in schools are crumbling ? According to People for Education , an Ontario advocacy group that monitors and lobbies for better education , the number of elementary schools that have full or part-time specialist music teachers has gone down from 58 to 43 per cent in the past nine years , with rural areas suffering more than urban .
According to U . S . News , funding was cut in more than 80 per cent of American school districts between 2008 and 2014 , and when funds are cut , the very first programs to go are usually music and art . But while funding and professional teaching sinks , the benefits of music continue to be discussed and proliferated .
The Royal Conservatory of Music believes in the benefits of early music education , noting that it speeds the development of speech and reading skills . It trains children to focus their attention for longer periods , and it helps children gain a sense of empathy for others .
The conservatory ’ s Smart Start program uses music , supported by other art forms , to teach cognitive skills to young children . Cognitive skills are the basic mental abilities that support us in our everyday activities . As the Royal Conservatory reports on its website , “ Skills such as attention , memory , perception , and cognitive flexibility are crucial both to daily tasks and special projects , and help us in activities as varied as reading , mathematics , planning , games , and socialization .”
Another study by R . Upitis , Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat , offers more evidence . “ Canadian research affirms that spending time in the arts does not come at the expense of achievement in other
QUICK FACTS
From a report by People for Educaiton
· Less than half of Ontario elementary schools have full or part-time music teachers .
· Only 11 % of the province ’ s music teachers are in rural areas .
· Government funds for music programs and other arts are falling .
· Science says music education positively affects reading , concentration & cognition .
26 • CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE