Its time for another issue of Music Teachers’ Q and A. In this episode we cover a very important issue: the importance of music lessons.

Today’s question came from Doug, from the USA, and he said:

“I am a general music teacher who teaches 6,7,8 and high school students. My question is: How can I motivate my students to take my classes seriously? A lot of the kids feel music class is not as important as their core subjects.”

Here is our thoughts on this topic on video:

Music education is fundamental to our work as educators. We must communicate its significance to students, parents, and colleagues.

Research on the importance of music lessons.

There is a lot of research showing there are extra benefits of music education.

We have discussed many of these topics on this website, including:

Music and language share the same pathways in the brain

Interesting research on music and mathematics

and

How Does Music Stimulate Left and Right Brain Function

However it is more that just music being only good for academic intelligence.

In order to become happy, confident people, we have to do a whole spectrum of things in life.

Howard Gardner has a theory of multiple intelligence’s. In his 1892 book called “frames of mind” Gardner identifies that there are several different modalities of intelligence, including:

  • musical-rhythmic
  • visutal-spatial
  • verbal-linguistic
  • logical-mathematical
  • bodily-kinesthetic
  • interpersonal
  • intrapersonal
  • naturalistic

And music is a skill that develops many of these modes of intelligence – all at once!

What makes one skill more important than another?

Why create a hierarchy of importance in school subjects? Sir Ken Robinson addresses this question powerfully in one of the most engaging TED Talks ever recorded. If you haven’t seen it yet, you can watch it here.

Other Resources on this topic: