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A student presented with skill deficits, a lack of awareness generally, and low self esteem. His beginning lessons proved difficult for him; practice was not a welcomed activity. The ensuing weeks, he learned to play scales, certain passages in his ensemble literature, and raise his grade one mark. At the moment of dawning success, moderately, the student found a discussion regarding attitude helpful. Today, we know a lot more about music than in years past. For example, music has been a part of our lives for the past 35,000 years, at least. There must be a good reason for this longevity.
There are several. We know that 90% of students who participate in music programs go on to college. Students in music programs score 50 points higher on standardized tests. When we practice anything, the neurons in our brains grow at the rate of 1mm to 5 mm each day. It takes a while for this growth to manifest itself as a map in our brain; that is a recognizable pattern to us represented by neuron growth. Such definitive growth is established only with practice. Should a person practice well, then the maps are of good quality.
Music requires us to perform a coordinated activity. We use 21 areas of the brain to make music, more so than any other activity that we know of. Music requires many skills, and many of those are what we call transferable skills. Some are linguistic, mathematical, social, attitudinal; all of these combine to make us happier, productive and ultimately healthier. The chemicals in the brain excited by musical activity are constructive. They are pleasureful. Dopamine, acetylcholine, and others provide us with the effects of eustress. Contrary to distress, eustress is good stress for us. If you are not having fun, then you are in distress, you are doing something wrong. Change. Learning these good habits through practice guarantees a better life result.
I suggest a student practice along with homework. Treating homework as practice encourages the eustress effect. Practice until you are fatigued, but not worn out. Change the subject and practice another. Return to a subject when ready. Move from one to another until all is accomplished. Do this each day and, like grass grows, trim your efforts. After a while the result is rewarding, with out overwhelming.
I look at work not as hard, but as productive. Hard work does not produce the quality we seek, it produces result only, and the potential of over working, and destructive activity, unhealthy activity is in the long run not good for us. Establishing the right quality of work, the right patterns, for yourself in the long run will achieve a healthier balance, include all the activities you need in your life in the same manner. The effect of a busy life can only remain productive if this balance is achieved. Early habits established through a good attitude and approach, successful practice will create the eustress of harmony.
Where most of us fail is regarding the long term goal as too far in advance to achieve. We give up before we reap the rewards. Music helps here, too, for it is fun. There must be (a) survival skill(s) of great importance in the lesson of music. Otherwise, we would not have continued the activity for so long.
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Wow. I’ve been a music educator for a while and I didn’t know that music requires 21 areas of your brain. That’s intense!
Check out this free e-book that has 5 very important benefits of music lessons at
http://www.lessonsthatrock.com/benefitsofmusic.html
Comment by lessonsthatrock May 18, 2010 @ 10:45 pm