It’s really hard for music teachers to explain why music education matters. We try to explain it, but sometimes putting it into words just isn’t easy. In this blog post, I talk a little bit about why music education matters, but today I want to talk about what else students are learning in a music class. Believe it or not, students aren’t just learning music, but are learning so much more. In this podcast episode, I talk about why I’m thankful for music education and how it changes our students lives which we’ll explore even more today.
Creativity comes alive in the music classroom
Opening up the door for kids to learn music is important for so many reasons. You never know which child walking through your door is the next great composer, music producer, pianist, conductor, or performer. Allowing your students to explore creatively lets them discover their musical self. Just like my 1st grade teacher sparked the interest for me to want to learn piano, you may be planting a seed for a lifelong love of music in your students.
In a music class, you’re teaching music using a variety of means. Students will dance, sing, move, play, and so much more. Before coming through your classroom door, they may have only sang music in the car or danced to their favorite song at home. But, now they’re learning new ways to explore using their bodies and voices and their creative self comes alive.
Music class doesn’t just teach music
As music educators, you get this concept, but unfortunately so many others don’t. When a child comes into the music classroom, they’re experiencing cooperative learning, language and social skills, using every learning style, using parts of the brain that will help facilitate learning in other subjects, and moving their bodies creatively.
Music class teaches students how to work together, independently, and with partners. During a 45 minute music class, so much more learning is done than just learning music. Kids are learning life skills that they can use throughout their school day and that will carry them into life.
Every student can learn and feel successful in the music room
EVERY child can learn music no matter their disability (modifications can be made in the music room), age, religious beliefs, home environment, what neighborhood they come from, what they look like, what academic areas they struggle in, or what language they speak. They all hear the same songs, can play the same instruments, learn the same dances, hear the same story, learn the same body percussion activity, write the same class composition, and so on and so forth.
This is why music education matters so very much. Once those kiddos step foot through the music room, every child is part of a team. It doesn’t matter what happened the rest of the day or what child they didn’t get along with, music class helps kids break down walls and to find a comfortable place to be themselves.
In music class, students have to work together
Whether they liked it or not, students need to work together in small groups or as a class to complete the objectives we’re working on in music that day. That’s because in music class, they will have a different partner or be in a different group on any given day. They will learn to work with EVERYONE and that we’re all part of a team. Just like my middle school basketball coach used to say, “there is no I in TEAM.”
Students may be writing raps with a student they wouldn’t normally associate with, then would find out how truly creative that child was they had never had a conversation with before. That means students will trade partners during a folk dance several times throughout the song, eventually being paired up with someone they didn’t want to be and find out they really did work together as a team.
Working as a class means they earn a class reward and that ALL students need to feel included. Over time, you’ll see relationships grow that may only take place during music class because the students feel safe in your classroom being themselves. They feel like they’re all on an equal playing field and aren’t grouped based on their academic ability, but are grouped with different students each time to really emphasize the concept of cooperative learning and helping provide positive self esteem to each child.
Music class introduces students to the world around them
Music class introduces students to the world around them. Without music class, students may have never experienced songs, dances, or instruments from other countries and cultures or even their own culture or country. They may have heard a certain artist on the radio, but never really knew where they came from or what music influences them.
Besides music from around the world, they’re experiencing music from their own country. They may only be familiar with the few songs they’ve heard on the radio or church, or from their parents, but don’t know Patriotic songs, folk songs, or other important music that is part of an elementary music class. It’s so exciting that you get to help students enter the world around them by learning music.
What reasons do you tell others when they ask why music education matters? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments below or share your thoughts on social media as you share this post.
Also, I’d love for you to share this post or any of the resources on my website with a friend or colleague who you know NEEDS to see it.
P.S. Are you feeling frustrated or stuck as an elementary music teacher? Check out these free resources to help you teach elementary music with confidence!
Also…I wrote a book called “Make A Note: What You Really Need To Know About Teaching Elementary Music” to help music teachers move forward in your teaching career. You can get your copy here.
