Listening/Social skills help prepare children to be school ready by showing them what types of expectations there will be of them in a school environment. Being part of a community is something that children should have practice with and thus why music class is one of the safest places for children to experience being part of a community from an early age. Learning how to be part of a community, and more simply how to be a friend, is a process that requires patience, taking turns, listening to others, and feeling empathy. Even the simplest routines during music class have these goals in mind, for instance when instruments are passed out the children are put in the position to wait patiently and share with not only the other children in their class but their grown-ups as well. Also, the simple routine of singing hello songs and listening to/greeting those in the “community” helps children to develop social awareness of other people and understand that they too have their own thoughts, ideas, and feelings; what is at the core of feeling empathy and expressing it. All of these social skills like listening and empathy require the use of working memory, so by giving children the time and place to practice using it they will be able to succeed in school situations that require the use of their working memory such as remembering people’s names and understanding what is helpful to the teacher.