Music Education: Is it a Luxury?

This was in an email from my daughter's Suzuki piano teacher summarizing a recent lecture about the value of music education. Apart from the grammatical errors I think it is worth thinking about and discussing. The Suzuki method of learning how to play an instrument is based on listening to the music, learning to play from listening first and then learning to read the abstract symbols. Suzuki also emphasizes a nurturing relationship with the teacher who offers positive feedback and encouragement. The parent works closely with the student until they are older. Some Suzuki students begin at 3 years old.

Please share any thoughts or ideas you have about music education and the place for it in our society.



"Music is a Luxury. Isn't it?"

Notes taken from the SAU Parent Lecture by

Cathy Hargrave





Most people think music is a luxury, but it is not. Our past ancestors lived at a time when only the rich could play an instrument. Today we have so much research that shows how music helps us in our society and with our own brain development. When a music program is cut in the school to save money, the grades of the students will go down.

Suzuki music training is character training. Many think that teaching music is just teaching the music and accepting money. Teaching is much more than the music. It is about the character training. We develop mutual respect between child and teacher. We help the children learn the skills needed to build great character.

Parents work hard to get their children ready for college or even just to be an adult. It is hard to know what to do to get them ready. There is a lot of information that we expose ourselves to TV, cell phones, internet, and video games, but it is better time spent to develop character. We as Suzuki teachers are teaching them to be sensitive to music. Teaching children to develop beautiful tone helps them develop more sensitivity. When a child applies this to everyday life, they become more sensitive to others and more sensitive to how violent movies or video games affect them. We are creating world peace.

Neural musicology is a new major at college. It is the study of how music affects the brain. The first graduate from this field was a Suzuki flute teacher. The research from this field shows that music actually trains the brain for higher forms of thinking. Listening to, and participating in music also creates new neural pathways in your brain that stimulate creativity. When babies are exposed to classical music it helps connect all the new neural pathways.

People tend to believe that your IQ is a set number, but it can change. Even the people who created the IQ test will tell you that the number can change. You can increase you intelligence through music.

Dr. Suzuki taught that when people practice their music in repetitions the brain waves work in a certain way that helps you think clearer. We are teaching students how to learn. It is not about teaching piece to piece but how to learn so they can apply it to other fields of study.

Musicians are desired for many careers such as computer tech, architect, and navigations. Almost all navigators are musicians. Musicians develop logic, eye hand coordination, self control, self discipline, patients, seeing things through from start to finish, the ability to can talk in front of people, commitment, great memory, working together in groups, leadership and much more.

Cathy relayed a story about a family she taught and about the effect that the Suzuki method had on them. Natalie had developmental problems with talking and walking. Her older sister was taking piano lessons from Cathy when Natalie started her lessons at three and a half. Even at this young age she enjoyed practicing the piano for 2 hours a day because she wanted to spend the time with her mom. Her mom wanted to put her kids in music lessons because she was wild as a child. She thought that if they were busy practicing they could not be wild. Natalie graduated with top grades and is now at Ithaca College majoring in piano performance. Her older sister, Sarah, is very energetic. Her school teachers thought she was attention deficit and wanted to put her on meds to help her. Her mother was a nurse and said "no way". She grew up and got perfect score on her ACT, and now is in veterinary school. When Sarah was checking out all the top Ivy League schools she found that they have practice rooms for all students not just for the music majors. Every dorm had a grand piano to practice in the lobby. Their youngest sister, Loran, is just graduating from High School and has been given a scholarship at a top university has a rear opportunity with a full ride scholarship and a chance to be part of a group of eight people to work on special projects and live in a special dorm. All these girls over came great challenges and now are reaping the reward for their hard work.

What does it mean to be well rounded? Cathy met the admissions advisor from Louisville University recently. Cathy asked her what it meant to be well rounded. The advisor listed, "good grades, helps in community, and a musician." She told her that some colleges are getting 22,000 freshman applicants each year. Parents tend to think that well round means lots of sports, good grades, AP classes, tutoring, civic duties, and keeping kids so busy that they don't have time to be great at any one area. The problem is that when these kinds of kids get to college they can't think things through. When you develop the skills you learn from mastering an instrument you become an asset and a highly recommended person.

As with Natalie, her music helped connect the things need for her development of her body. Music is not a luxury it is a necessity. In the teenage years kids tend to go crazy and don't practice much, but don't stop. It will help them in the future. Our goal is not to make musicians, but to help them develop the skills needed for their future careers.

(This document is created by Connie McCullough from the teaching of Cathy Hargrave presented at SAU's parent lecture on April 23, 2010.)



Teachers - please forward this message to all your studio parents.



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Are we killing creativity in children?

I have watched this a couple of times and think it deserves 20 minutes of everyone's time.



Are we killing creativity in children?

Finland's high test scores

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/world_news_america/8601207.stm

Is Finland's big secret the high socio-economics, the two teachers in the classroom or the shorter work day? I'd love to hear from you all about what you think!

Why I love the school my children attend.

I love our school for many reasons but one of them is that both children feel at home there. They walk in the door and it is as if they were coming home. Olivia exudes confidence as she greets her friends in the morning and is often very upset if she is too sick to go to school. She is eager to enter the class in the morning to find out what the morning message might ask her to begin the day contemplating. I have seen her struggle to find her voice socially at times (as all of us must do at some point) but then round a corner to find her true self again because adults are there to model competence and guide her through the process. She has been taught that she can handle this complicated world through tools and techniques taught in the peace curriculum, and also through the sense of empowerment she has been given through choosing her own works to complete each day. The adults in the environment have given her the time and opportunity to learn through discovery as well as make adjustments with self-correcting materials rather than from an adult always pointing out her mistakes. She may not be able to recite all of her multiplication tables from rote, but she understands the concept of multiplying deeply from touching, seeing and working with them. She has a sense of wonder about the world that I hope she never loses because of the awesome curriculum she has been exposed to regarding the big ideas in our universe.

My toddler has a similar confidence as he enters the school. He has grown up in this environment where the adults have studied and understand the developmental stages he is traversing. At this time he is experimenting with asserting his independence and autonomy from others. He is given the opportunity to express his thoughts and is listened to when he talks (or yells or screams). I have not experienced this level of reverence and respect for a two year old in any other place. Everyone is there to help nurture this growing being by using positive reinforcement, peace and love. His teachers observe his behaviors closely to determine what his sensitive periods are on a daily(or momentary) basis. They create new works or rearrange the entire classroom not only for him, but for the other young explorers in his class as well. He trusts himself and believes he can do anything all by himself. The adults in his life allow him to try. They also make it possible for him to succeed in his endeavors.

While these are not the only reasons I love their school, they are huge to me. I would love to hear from other people this week about what they love about the school their children attend. Also, feel free to add your thoughts to prior posts. Happy Spring!