Posted by Guest Contributor |
Filed under benefits, brain, childhood, children, connections, development, early childhood music, kids, kindermusik, music, schools, sing, skills,
Posted November 9, 2009
Posted November 9, 2009
For many years, I've been looking for the words to describe why music is such an important presence in a child's early development. There's the brain research, yes. Compelling and interesting, however it's kind of gross to talk about a child's mind in terms of neural networks and neuron firing.
There's the scientific proof, yes. Studies previously performed on Kindermusik students show positive growth in intellectual and self-control behaviors. Still, some educators and experts can't be swayed by even the most convincing studies. I think it's just the way some people are wired.
For me, though, I finally yawped out a "Eureka!" when I realized what preschool teachers have known all along...
Music is inherent to the methods used in early learning. Repetition, rhyme, exposure to patterns, and a variety of sounds are defining qualities of both music and early learning. That's likely why music and language share the same pathways in the brain.
That's why, to a child, music is the language of learning.
-by Molly McGinn. Molly is a former Kindermusik educator, employee-owner, and musical talent par excellence. Check out her three piece vintage jazz and alt-country band, Amelia's Mechanics.
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