music in education and health :: essays research papers

MUSIC AS A TEACHING AND HEALING TOOL Music is a remarkable tool to be used to dramatically increase learning and healing in the classroom. Its successful role has been documented throughout the academic community, yet, its use has not been widely utilized by teachers. Since Aristotle, music has been considered one of the forces used to teach. Moreover, for more than half a century the psychiatric and the educational communities have studied, analyzed and implemented the use of music as a healing tool and as a way to enhance the mental capacities of their respective group of studies. It has been discovered in controlled settings that certain type of classical music would enhance the student’s concentration time. The specific issues addressed by the study and practice of music has been divided into specific areas of the mental process. For example, learning a musical instrument helps the students the skill of repetition as a method to learn and to recollect information. Creativity and imagination also are improved when the student or the patient is taught basic concepts of musical composition. It is believed that music unleashes creative forces within a human being that are only accessed with artistic endeavors. Even abstract traits like sensibility are retrieved with music studies and the practice of a musical instrument. There is a perceptible connection between learning and music that teachers should exploit in the learning environment, regardless of the age of the student. Music could be used effectively from the time the child is in the womb and right through the formative years. While addressing the healing benefits of music it is noted the array of uses for this art. Every body in all aspects of life, to enhance moods, to depress moods, to pacify, or to reminisce, uses music. Clinicians have experimented with this art for various decades. Psychiatric patience are administered a dose of soothing music to lower the anxiety levels. Office managers utilize it to energize the work place. Learning centers use baroque music to enhance memory skills. Health experts praise the rewards of music in the digestive and central nervous systems, the enhancement of attention spans of patients of HDD and in addition promote interaction in persons who struggle with their self-esteem. Some specialists even use the term music therapy when using it to treat certain cognitive or emotional problems. Music as a therapeutic tool is not only restricted the use of recorded material or the playing of musical instruments.