February 27, 2018
When it comes to school subjects, most of us probably think of the core four — math, science, English, and social studies. But what about music? While some schools offer an occasional music class during the school week, music is dramatically missing from many school’s curriculums.
Whether you’re encouraging students to listen to, compose, play, or just enjoy music, below are a few reasons why music enriches students’ lives and education.
People who learn an instrument strengthen certain parts of their brain, like the areas related to language and reasoning.
Even when the sheet music is in front of them, student musicians continuously have to rely on memorization to perform a piece. Like a muscle, the more you memorize information at a young age, your ability to retain information in your older years will be much stronger.
Any musician will tell you that hand-eye coordination is an absolute necessity. Similar to sports, learning an instrument will enhance a child’s hand-eye coordination, a skill necessary for good handwriting, reading, and engaged play.
Yup, you read that right. Students who learned an instrument when they were younger or regularly enrolled in a music appreciation class scored an average of 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher in math, according to one study.
Because students have to set aside time to practice, children and young adults who learn an instrument are highly disciplined and determined.
Simply put, learning an instrument or new piece of music makes children feel accomplished, confident, and happy. And when students love what they do, there’s no limit to what they can achieve!
As we enter National Music in Our Schools Month this March, there’s no better time to make music a priority in your school. At Nickerson, we provide auditorium seating and classroom furniture designed to help students develop their passions and find a love for music.