Why do people break up with music learning?
Bigger Better Brains
The home of brain-based advocacy tools for music educators
BBB is venturing into the world of Instagram and TikTok and the new platforms are making us think differently about how we talk about the value of music learning.
Our highly creative social media coordinator, Roberta Lees , came up with an idea to complement Valentine’s Day and asked two questions - when did you fall in love with music education and why do people break up with music learning?
The answers to the first question were passionate and full of emotion, talking about influential teachers
The answers to the second question were equally as passionate and spoke to the core issues that many music teachers “battle” every year.
We often hear military or war references used when we talk about sustaining a music program
After reading through all the responses, I have taken two to address, as I believe that these answers both raise particularly valid and relevant issues that many music educators face today.
“They see it devalued - low school budgets, poor schedules, limited performance opportunities, double standards compared to athletics, resulting in a situation of high-effort to low-social-value appearance
Benjamin’s comment speaks to that battle, being attacked from all sides while trying to fight the good fight.
It begs the question, why have music learning at a school that takes this approach? I tend to think it is because there is a historical or parental expectation
For these reasons no one has thought about the potential of the music program to improve the school in anything from enrolments to positive behaviour, attendance to academic achievement.
In many cases, schools operate and plan in silos, not consulting early and widely enough to make all aspects of the school function for the students.
It is very human to focus, protect and promote the little patch of the school that you may be in charge of, but who oversees the wholistic experience for the students?
Many schools just “run” and we are not entirely sure how, but the process of running a school is just as vital as the product, just like a rehearsal is just as important as the performance.
Could we, as innovative and practical music teachers, help shift the processes used within a school so that the process supports the product and ultimately improves it?
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Leaders don’t have all the answers, and sometimes they need a problem solver to show them a better way.
“I think a huge reason is because we live in a world of instant gratification. When something is not entertaining all the time or constantly giving us a quick dopamine hit, it can be easy to cast it aside. Maybe we could say teachers aren’t inspiring, but I don’t think that’s it (maybe in some cases, but def not all!). Learning a new skill—like playing an instrument—takes time, discipline, resilience, and commitment.” - Robyn
Robyn’s comment has so much depth and speaks to the students that we teach today. Being comfortable with discomfort, and let’s face it, learning music is a whole lot of discomfort, is in rapid decline in first-world Western countries.
Being comfortable with discomfort is the descriptive version of persistence and resilience
It does astound me sometimes that schools are not aware of the fact that they already have programs that “teach” persistence and resilience in a profound and permanent way. Music learning develops the mechanisms in the brain that support persistence and resilience.
Think of when a student starts to learn a musical instrument, they have to try and try and try again to get a sound out, and then to coordinate their bodies to change notes, and all of this keeps a student in an uncomfortable state for an extended period of time.
When that student has a breakthrough and gets that note they have been aiming for, the intense shot of dopamine that comes from the reward network makes them feel euphoric.
The brain then says “Great, do you like that feeling? Play that note again!” and suddenly the effort and achievement cycle is fuelled by learning music.
Music learning is not just a tool to teach persistence and resilience, it changes the brain so students are not afraid or apprehensive about trying something new. Actually, the opposite, they seek it out and embrace challenges.
Students who learn music also understand that high reward comes from consistent effort
If we as music teachers could help students, parents and especially other teachers and leaders to see music learning in this light, maybe our conversations about music learning would be very different.
The more you know, the stronger your voice!
Written by Dr Anita Collins
Associate Professor at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, the University of Sydney
11 个月Kristen Bergersen did a great honours thesis on attrition from music teaching, especially during early career. It adds weight to Benjamin’s experience. She showed that contrary to popular opinion and research in other subjects, that behaviour management was not key for music teachers to survive school. The biggest challenges were not being part of a community (e.g. being the only music teacher, or in a very small team with not much collegiality), and music not being valued by the school leadership. There were quite simple steps that schools could take to support music teachers to be successful and do a good job. Kristen is a very successful high school music teacher herself, now!
Music Educator | Making Musical Leaders - Listen, Learn, Lead.
1 年Music teaches persistence and resilience. “It does astound me sometimes that schools are not aware of the fact that they already have programs that “teach” persistence and resilience in a profound and permanent way. Music learning develops the mechanisms in the brain that support persistence and resilience.”
PhD - Interdisciplinary Researcher in Music & Language, Sound Designer & Music Composer.
1 年In response to this topic, I would like to share with you a funny incident that also speaks to the tragedy that learners - especially young ones - might experience when they enter the conservatory of music. The story begins with someone complaining to their friend that their son spends too much time hugging his guitar and can't seem to put it down, which distracts him from his studies, and the noise of playing and singing annoys everyone in the house. In response, the friend, in a calm and serious tone, says, "Just enroll him in the city's conservatory." This reminds me, and I am well aware of the teaching within these institutions, the increased lack of ongoing pedagogical training in particular, and teaching in music conservatories is flawed to a large extent. Therefore, it is necessary to reconsider the programs and curricula adopted by these institutes, and it is necessary to connect these institutes and music schools with research laboratories that explore ways to bring music education closer to everyone, making musical learning enjoyable and attractive for them, as it is inherently meant to be. Musically Yours Medy