Categories: Blog Post

Music Is A Fundamental Part of STEAM

The connection between music and academic success goes beyond what we see on the surface. Numerous studies have shown that being involved with music can improve cognitive abilities and boost overall academic performance. In this article, we will explore the crucial role of music in education, highlighting why funding for music programs is not just about enrichment but also an integral part of a well-rounded education, especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math.

Key Takeaway: Music is not an optional extra; it is a powerful tool in the educational arsenal that boosts learning across disciplines. In this post, you will discover compelling information to champion the inclusion of music within the school curriculum and through out-of-school programs, as well as practical ways to support such initiatives.

By exploring how music relates to math, science, and technology, we aim to show how it contributes to a holistic intellectual development. The idea of integrating arts into STEM subjects (creating STEAM) represents a forward-thinking approach to education that prepares students with a wide range of skills needed in today’s world. Therefore, investing in music education is more than just being generous; it’s about nurturing the next generation of innovators and critical thinkers.

Music as an Extra-Curricular Activity

Traditionally, music and arts in elementary education are often sidelined, seen as enriching yet non-essential components. Despite mounting evidence to the contrary, this perception persists, with significant implications for funding music programs. The categorization of these disciplines as “extra-curricular activities” implies a secondary status, which directly impacts the support they receive from educational budgets and community resources.

The challenges that music programs face are varied:

Budgetary Constraints: Music departments often deal with financial obstacles due to their perceived optional status within schools.
Community Support: Getting support from local stakeholders can be difficult when music is not prioritized.
Holistic Development: There is a widespread misunderstanding about the wide-ranging benefits of music education on student growth.

Music education goes beyond just entertainment or artistic expression; it is a way to develop critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and cognitive skills. But without enough funding and community support, these programs struggle to exist in schools, let alone succeed. Dealing with these challenges requires a change in mindset to recognize the important role of music in nurturing well-rounded individuals right from the beginning of their education.

The Positive Impact of Music on Cognitive Development and Education

Music is not just a form of entertainment. It has been proven through numerous neuroscience studies to play a pivotal role in cognitive development. These studies reveal that music engages the brain in unique ways, contributing to an array of cognitive benefits.

Some major findings include:

Enhanced Memory and Attention: Regular engagement with music exercises the brain, improving memory and attention span. Music training helps students become more attentive to details and retain information better.
Improved Language Skills: Music stimulates the same areas of the brain responsible for processing language. This overlap can lead to enhanced language skills including reading, writing, and verbal communication.
Augmented Mathematical Abilities: Patterns in music closely relate to mathematical concepts. As such, understanding musical rhythms and sequences can reinforce math skills.
Boosted IQ: Several studies have found a correlation between early music training and higher IQ scores.

Beyond cognitive abilities, music also plays a critical role in social development among students. Participating in a school or community band or orchestra fosters teamwork, cooperation, and empathy among peers – crucial life skills that extend beyond the classroom.

The application of neuroscience research into education practices reaffirms the importance of music training. As such, it becomes evident that music doesn’t merely serve as an extra-curricular activity but provides tangible benefits towards academic performance and overall development of students.

Enhancing STEM Education Through the Inclusion of Arts Like Music (STEAM)

STEM curriculums focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. While these subjects are undoubtedly important, the integration of arts like music into these curriculums can greatly enhance the learning experience.

Why is STEAM important?

Holistic Development

STEAM promotes a more balanced, comprehensive educational approach that cultivates both logical and creative thinking abilities.

Engagement

The inclusion of music and arts can make learning more enjoyable, thereby increasing student engagement.

Music plays a crucial role in this educational model. It has been observed that music enhances mathematical understanding. For instance:

Music helps students identify patterns and sequences, which are vital components of mathematical problem solving.
Learning to play an instrument can improve spatial-temporal skills, which are essential for understanding mathematical concepts.
Music provides an ideal form for teaching youth about serious science concepts such as sound pitch and frequency waves, sound volume and amplitude waves, sound duration and rhythms and sound character and timbre.

Music also parallels scientific experimentation in many ways. Here’s how:

When composing or playing music, students often make predictions and test them out – much like forming and testing a hypothesis in science.
Music encourages creativity and imagination, which is key in scientific innovation.

By supporting music programs and promoting STEAM education, we pave the way for our children to be proficient not just in STEM fields but in all aspects of life.

Emotional Engagement and Cultivation of Intellectually Curious Minds

Where does the undeniable power of music meet STEM subjects? The answer lies in emotional and social engagement. Music is known to evoke strong emotional responses, and its integration in STEM subjects can significantly help students form deep, emotional connections with these typically “hard-to-grasp” subjects.

Remember the last time a piece of music moved you? Now imagine this profound impact being used to foster a genuine passion for learning. This is precisely what music education can accomplish.

Through creating, performing, and responding to music, students learn to express themselves creatively, building social and emotional intelligence.
In turn, this nurtures a vested interest in their learning processes.

Music education does more than just stir emotions. It helps cultivate intellectually curious minds, capable of tackling complex ideas. Consider how learning musical concepts such as rhythm and pitch requires abstract thinking and problem-solving skills. These are precisely the types of cognitive capabilities needed to excel in STEM fields.

Music training teaches students to see patterns, anticipate outcomes, and strategize – all vital skills in STEM domains.
When students engage with music, they’re not just learning about beats or notes; they’re developing a mindset that finds joy in solving puzzles and overcoming challenges.

Music’s unique ability to engage both hemispheres of the brain makes it a potent tool for creating an intelligent society. Harnessing this potential is essential for nurturing future leaders who can navigate the complexities of our ever-evolving world.

Redefining the Educational Paradigm: Inclusion of Music in the Core Curriculum

Redefining education, specifically the core curriculum, is a necessity in today’s evolving academic landscape. The need to equip students with a wide range of skills and knowledge is increasingly obvious, highlighting the importance of music as an integral part of a successful core curriculum.

Traditional notions of education have often sidelined music, relegating it to the status of an ‘extra’, rather than recognizing its value in facilitating cognitive development and nurturing creativity. This outdated perspective needs to change if we are to truly prepare our students for the demands of the 21st century.

Why Music Should Be a Part of Every Student’s Education

Holistic Development

When we start viewing music as a vital part of education:

Students benefit from a more holistic development that includes cognitive, emotional, and creative growth
Academic outcomes can potentially improve as students learn to apply the creative problem-solving skills fostered by music education in other subjects.

Enhanced Learning Abilities

The integration of music into a core curriculum is not just about learning notes and rhythms. It’s about using music as a springboard for wider learning experiences. The application of musical concepts can aid in understanding complex mathematical problems or interpreting scientific data.

The Importance of Music Education

To ensure our future generations are well-equipped for success, we must give equal importance to every aspect of their development. Music education deserves that recognition and should be seen not as an optional extra, but as an essential part of a comprehensive educational experience.

Conclusion

Recognizing the importance of music education is crucial in advancing not only individual academic achievement but also the overall intelligence of future generations. Supporting and funding music programs are vital to promoting a well-rounded STEAM education, which combines the analytical strengths of STEM with the creative insights offered by the arts.

You play a critical role in this effort – by supporting music education, you contribute to a society that values both Einstein’s equations and Mozart’s symphonies.
Students equipped with musical skills are better prepared to excel academically, think creatively, and approach scientific challenges with innovative solutions.
This isn’t just about learning notes and rhythms; it’s about creating the framework for deeper educational experiences and career paths.

Your voice, advocacy, and contributions can ensure that music takes its rightful place alongside science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. By doing so, you help cultivate a well-rounded, critically thinking workforce ready to lead with both precision and imagination.

DONATE TO UNIT FOUR OF THE UNIVERSE WITHIN: MAKING MUSIC

Paula Schaper

Paula is a brand strategist, researcher, instructional designer and community builder, who has led the Mat Bevel Company effort to create a science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) curriculum called The Universe Within. The world-building experience is designed to help disadvantaged youth in Southern Arizona near the U.S.-Mexico border develop the skills to become makers, creators, inventors and problem-solvers. Having run her own media and marketing company for the last 25 years, Paula has translated her brother Ned’s body of work, a kinetic junk theater set in the magical world of Beveldom, into a multimedia curriculum to help young people learn science, math and engineering in an artful, engaging format using emerging technologies. Paula stirs the hearts and minds of elementary students with her passion for developing and teaching STEAM curriculum! She has a knack for finding the key learning takeaways that will inspire confidence in students and prepare them to excel in lesson activities. Students who have taken the course reported greater confidence in creative problem-solving skills, increased knowledge of math, science, and engineering well beyond their grade level, greater empathy for community-wide challenges and improved presentation skills. She has built an impressive team to develop over 80 hours of hands-on educational programming to date. A new 40-hour module is in the making. In the late 1980s, she and her business partner created the largest paid fan club in history.