This year for the first time, we are involving our Nursery children with the main school’s Harvest Celebrations. The children have been learning the songs during a singing session on a Wednesday morning with Hannah Drury and Charlotte Munckton. They have learnt the songs and rhythms very quickly, all eager to have a go and be part of the experience.
All children enjoy music, even though our taste for music is different, we all enjoy the sounds and find joy in listening or taking part. Music remains one of the biggest universal interests. Therefore, regardless if children are amazing singers, love playing the piano or just listen to music in their room, everyone needs music education.
There are many other benefits of music education beyond the fact that we all enjoy it. It is one of the biggest influences on language learning. According to research, children can better decode words and sounds when they are exposed to music because they are actually enhancing the natural abilities to hear. In addition, music is now known to develop the part of the brain that is involved in language processing. The Children’s Music Workshop has reported: “Recent studies have clearly indicated that musical training physically develops the part of the left side of the brain known to be involved with processing language, and can actually wire the brain’s circuits in specific ways.”
It is noted that there is a link between music and spatial intelligence (the ability to perceive the world accurately and to form mental pictures of things). This means that children who understand music from a young age find it easier to visualize what goes in combination in what and are better at solving puzzles or even maths problems.
In fact, a whole science works on researching the effect of music on the brain called cognitive neuroscience of music. This scientific study is concerned with the mechanisms of the brain that are involved in the listening, composing and performing of music. This particular study actually points to the importance of including music education system of every school.
At Springmead from Nursery to Year 6 as well as weekly formal music lessons our music and performance rich curriculum gives every child the opportunity to develop themselves musically, enhancing their own world as well as the world of others.
As Plato said ‘Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.