Ludwig van Beethoven: “Listen and learn!”
“Music is the electrical soil in which the spirit lives, thinks, and invents.”
Beethoven pretty much summed up the educational value of music in this quote. It amazes me that people love listening to music when they are relaxing or enjoying free time, but often turn the music off when it is time to work or go to school. By doing this, we enforce the notion that music is merely a form of entertainment, something that can be enjoyed, but not included in some of the most important moments of life.
I have witnessed the intentional use of music in the classroom and other learning settings, and I can confirm Beethoven’s belief that music ignites a spark, a flare of discovery and thought that often does not exist within the grey nothingness of complete silence. Music tends to enhance learning activities, often making the entire educational process more fun, interesting, and effective.
My next few posts will be an attempt to persuade you that you should actively pursue making music a part of whatever learning experience you are facilitating, be it for you, your little ones, or the adult learners among you. I will detail very specific ways in which music can make learning a more enjoyable experience. Music is all around us. Join me this week as I describe the benefits of letting it occupy our learning spaces.
The Music Mom: Eileen Carey 