More Than We Imagined
In September 2003 the Riverside Family Center opened the Afterschool With the Arts Program based on a model of building resilience in children. Music and art are used as cornerstone activities in the program for the psychological impact that is made by allowing children to develop competence in something valuable. Ongoing research continues to support the value of this strategy for building resilient children. Resiliency, sometimes referred to as inner strength, continues to be seen as the single most powerful factor contributing to the health and well being of children.
The inclusion of art and music in the educational experience of children contributes significantly in additional ways. Though unexpected, the impact of music instruction on children's physiological development is not surprising. The positive contribution of music in the biological development of the brain is getting increasing research attention. Music education contributes to the development of essential neurobiological systems in five crucial area: cognitive, emotional, perceptual-motor, stress response, and memory.
The human brain appears to have highly specialized structures for music. However, the brain is flexible and uses neural connections for more than one purpose. For example, there is an overlap in neural connections in parts of the brain used for music and for other cognitive functions. The most interesting area of overlap is for math and language skills. It appears that music training can produce long-term modification in the right prefrontal and left cortical areas of the brain which suggest that music leads to the higher brain function typical of math. The structured neuronal firing pattern elicited by music strengthens the proportionalities of precise pattern-making structures necessary for the spatial-temporal skills of math.
Several controlled studies have demonstrated that music instruction improves math skills. One such study (Graziano, et.al. 1999) compared three groups of second graders who were given math instruction. The group of second graders who also received piano instruction scored an additional 15 percent higher than the other experimental groups. A Swiss study (Overy 1998) compared one group of students, who were given increased math instruction, with another group of students, who were given increased time in music instruction. The math scores of the music students were as improved as those with increased math instruction but the music students also improved language and reading scores. A California study (Rauscher, et. Al. 1997) showed piano students scoring 30% higher on spatial-temporal reasoning than non-music students.
Although the research is encouraging, more studies are needed to explain the process and to help educators, childcare workers, and mental health professionals to choose the best strategies to promote child development. Fortunately, there continues to be a great deal of interest by the scientific community. The evidence is compelling that music enhances cognitive functioning (Jensen, 2000).
Some educators have relied upon quasi-experimental studies to support the argument in favor of music by assessing medical school admissions and College Board Board results. A Rockefeller Foundation study (Campbell 1998) found that music majors had the highest rate of admissions to medical schools, 66.7%. The next closest major, biochemistry, was a distant second with 59.2%. The College Board (1998) reported SAT scores of students exposed to music education are higher, with an increase for every year of study. Students with a least four years of study in music performance averaged 58 points higher on the verbal portion and 39 points higher on the math portion of the SAT.
Some educators point out that students in countries that require music as a major component in the curriculum consistently rank higher in math and science scores. For example, Japan ranks among the top countries, while the United States ranks near the bottom of Western countries. Japanese students receive a strong music training in grades one through nine and more that half have studied music privately (Stryker 1998). In the United States music is often relegated to an extra curricular activity. Although we need more well designed, longitudinal statistically significant studies, these data suggest a casual and correlative effect that cannot be ignored.
The Riverside Family Center remains strongly committed to the resiliency model incorporated in the Afterschool with the Arts Program. Resilient children are emotionally healthy children, who are capable of setting realistic goals and expectations, as well as, solving problems and making decisions. They recognize their strengths and their talents, as well as their weaknesses and vulnerabilities. They view mistakes and obstacles as challenges not defeats. They view themselves as competent. Music instruction and music performance, which is the program's key component, should contribute significantly to their becoming competent.
References:
Campbell, Don 1998. The Mozart Effect. New York. Avon Books.
College Board. The Profile of College Bound Seniors National Report for 1998, 1999, 2000.
Graziano, Amy; Matthew Peterson and Gordon Shaw. 1999 Enhanced learning of proportional math through music training and spatial-temporal training. Neurological Research, March 21(2).
Jensen, E. 2000 Music With the Brain in Mind. San Diego: The Brain store, Inc.
Overy, K. 1998. Study mentioned in *Discussion Note: Can music really improve the mind?* Psychology of Music. 27: 18-37.
Rauscher, F.; G. Shaw, L. Levine; E. Wright; W. Dennis; and R. Newcomb. 1997 Music training causes long-term development of preschool children*s spatial-temporal reasoning. Neurological Research. 19,2-8.
Stryker, M. 1998. Detroit Symphony Orchestra*s visit underscores the importance that Japanese School place on music education and appreciation. Detroit Free Press. Nov 19; 1A