Learning Through Music

Ever since the early 90’s, the rumors of the “Mozart Effect” have circulated like a quick-fix solution to our country’s mathematical woes. All of a sudden parents believed that if they played classical music to their kids when they were young they would naturally grow up and succeed in math. While many studies have found a positive correlation between music and learning, it is not as simple as listening to a little Beethoven. 

Studies out of the University of California, Irvine by field leader Dr. Gordon Shaw in the mid to late 90’s looked into the “Mozart effect” in depth. Multiple studies were done on different age groups to see how much of an effect that music could have on the brain. The results of these studies showed that the preschoolers and grade school students who were given piano or keyboard lessons in addition to their math problems improved by 34% over their peers in the control group. They proved to be especially strong in their temporal-spatial reasoning skills.

Shaw’s studies, as well as several others, point to increased temporal-spatial reasoning as the key connection between music and learning. Temporal-spatial reason is the ability to visualize spatial patterns and mentally manipulate them over a time-ordered sequence of spatial transformations. Or more simply, it’s is the ability to see patterns in both time and space. This skill is stronger in many children who study music because it is indirectly taught as they learn different scales and types of notes. Rather than simply seeing a fraction on paper they are able to see, hear, and experience it on another level through half and quarter notes. 

Playing an instrument can also be instrumental in fostering good habits for the future. The practice and dedication it takes to play a musical instrument is a skill that can be learned at a very early age. Far earlier than a child is able to comprehend most mathematical concepts. These skills can become invaluable to a student trying to learn a difficult subject. 

What the studies generally don’t emphasize is that students gain a great deal of enjoyment from their music studies. Music brings enthusiasm, creativity, and group participation into the classroom. Music is foundational to the goal of producing well-rounded and balanced young adults.

While many studies show that playing music helps develop certain parts of the brain, the good study habits will be far more valuable to a student as they grow and tackle problems for their rest of their lives.