Music and Learning

Music enriches the lives of children and adults in many ways. The fine arts are proven to help children learn faster and easier. Musical training can stimulate different areas of the brain, such as the occipital lobes, which are located at the back of your head on the left side of the brain. Music can enhance a child’s sensorimotor capabilities, which is the function of both sensory and motor aspects working together as one. Scientists have studied the brains of children that are musicians and the brains of non-musicians. Many of the conclusions made result with “Music does not make children smarter, it simply stimulates areas of the brain that would otherwise be unused.” (ParentingScience) Some people claim music is able to help children learn. “By noticing and studying musical patterns and rhythms, they are learning how to organize information quantitatively” (Artsedge), which is a common thing in any math class. Music improves the social skills of a child by helping them to communicate with others and be more social as they perform. People can express themselves through music, and it is shown when they perform. Music helps prepare students for standardized tests because students are learning how to solve problems with the senses of vision, audio, and physicality, which serves as an advantage for those taking standardized tests.
Music promotes motor capabilities and reasoning skills in a number of ways. For example, when watching a person perform, or by watching their own movements (motor), people can determine what is going to be played next (reasoning). When using motor skills for driving, listening to the music of the driver’s choice can have negative affects and distract the driver. But if the music is unfamiliar or uninteresting, the skills of the driver increase as they are focusing on driving instead of focusing on the music. Music can help drivers focus, or it can distract them.
Music can also be a big distraction to drivers as well. If a driver is

Cited: "The Benefits of Music Education." PBS. PBS. 13 Apr. 2014 . Elias, Maurice. "Use Music to Develop Kids ' Skills and Character." Edutopia. 19 Mar. 2009. 14 Apr Music and intelligence. Rep. Parenting Science. 14 Apr. 2014 .