MUSIC AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS: DATA & IMPACT
(pic from love+water Designs)
I took the time to research, to find studies and data that show the benefits and impact of music education on child development. Below are some of my findings which led me to further speculate that engagement with varying genres of music, the music of different cultures in the classroom advances empathy building and cultural awareness; something our children could potentially benefit from in the current and emerging political climate.
Schools that have music programs have an attendance rate of 93.3% compared to 84.9% in schools without music programs.-The National Association for Music Education.
Students in high-quality school music education programs score higher on standardized tests compared to students in schools with deficient music education programs, regardless of the socioeconomic level of community -Nature Neuroscience, April 2007.
83% of teachers and 73% of parents do not see music education as a luxury, and believe that cuts to music programs are detrimental to student success.-”Striking a Chord: The Public’s Hopes and Beliefs for K-12 Music Education in the United States 2015”- NAMM Study
According to Dr. Nina Kraus’s work with the Harmony Project, students who are involved in music are not only more likely to graduate high school, but also to attend college as well.-Auditory learning through active engagement with sound: Biological impact
The world's top academic countries place a high value on music education. Hungary, Netherlands and Japan have required music training at the elementary and middle school levels, both instrumental and vocal, for several decades.-1988 International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IAEEA) Test
U.S. Department of Education data shows that students who report consistently high levels of involvement in instrumental music during the middle- and high-school years show "significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12."-James Catterall, Richard Chapleau, and John Iwanaga, "Involvement in the Arts and Human Development," 1999
The skills gained through sequential music instruction, including discipline and the ability to analyze, solve problems, communicate and work cooperatively, are vital for success in the 21st century workplace.-U.S. House of Representatives, Concurrent Resolution 355, March 6, 2006
As President, Obama's President's Committee on Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) conducted an in-depth review of the current condition of arts education. Their landmark study, Reinvesting in Arts Education, clearly shows the link between arts education and achievement in other subjects. All forms of art - from music to photography to dance - prepare children for success in the workforce not simply as artists, but all professions.
“This research demonstrates that community music programs can literally ‘remodel’ children’s brains in a way that improves sound processing, which could lead to better learning and language skills,” said study lead author Nina Kraus, the Hugh Knowles professor of communication sciences in the School of Communication and of neurobiology and physiology in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern.
Noted Clinical Music Therapist Dr. Clive Robbins once said: "Almost all children respond to music. Music is an open-sesame, and if you can use it carefully and appropriately, you can reach into that child's potential for development." (Nordoff-Robbins clinic, housed at NYU, used music therapy to help 100+ disabled children learn, relate, and communicate with others)
As reported by the Psychiatric Times: “A review of the music therapy literature delineates at least three broad domains of functioning where music therapy has been successfully utilized in the treatment of emotionally disturbed children: affect regulation, communication and social/behavioral dysfunction.
Assessment and intervention in each of these domains requires strong grounding in developmental theory, a key component in the training of music therapists. Early on, music therapy was identified as an intervention to treat impairments in affective functioning, including reducing levels of anxiety (Cooke, 1969), and as a tool to improve emotional responsiveness (Wasserman, 1972). Music therapy has been well-suited to help improve communication deficits and stimulate nonverbal communication. Numerous positive outcomes in improving social functioning, social awareness and cooperation (Werbner, 1966), and decreasing disruptive behaviors (Hong et al., 1998) have been reported. One of the major contemporary applications for music therapy is working with children who have serious emotional disturbances and high degrees of impulsivity and limited ability to self-regulate (Layman et al., 2002).”
Cultural Awareness in schools thru music: Bilingual Birdies here and abroad
