Music and the Brain

Welcome Parents!

  • This is a place just for parents of the musicians at Bixby. Here I will share with you up-to-date research, great videos, TED talks or anything that I hope will encourage you to be more musical yourself and to make music with your child at home.

     

    • Before anything else, I strongly encourage you to watch this Ted Talk about the many neural benefits of music. It is both fascinating and evidence of why music is so important in our students' lives.
    • Here is an article talking about the connection between literacy, music, and the brain!
    • "Musicality is a natural ability of the brain" - Koelsch 2011
    • Did you know that there is a specific part of your brain that lights up ONLY when making music? No other time! Everyone is musical!

  • a ATTENTION parents of students in Grades Pre-k through 1st grades!! Has your child sung a song for you, or chanted a rhyme from the music class? I've been encouraging the younger students to make music at home with their families. If they do this and you are ok taking a second to write me a note letting me know that they did this, when your child brings that note to me, they will get a special music sticker!
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  • 5 Easy Things to Do to Support Your Child in Music

    1. Sing to your kids: Really! Any song! This is the #1 best thing to do for your kid’s musical Regardless of your skill level, you are the best model for your child and by doing so, you are modeling an aptitude for music making. Children who have parents who say, “I can’t sing” or “I don’t sing” are likely going to have the same attitude for life! Singing is a part of life. We want our children to sing lullabies to their children, and to be able to sing happy birthday to their grandchildren. You don’t have to be an Adele, Aretha Franklin, or a Luciano Pavarotti. Just sing!

     

    1. ASK: Ask your child what they did in music class! If they say, “nothing” try to dig a little See if your child can explain an activity that they did or teach you something that they learned. This shows that you are interested in what they are doing in music and that it is an important part of their education.

     

    1. Play with Sound: Fill a small bin with small instruments to make a musical toy box for “playing music” at home. If you don’t have any instruments you can make them! Then let the kids make some noise! There is definitely a difference between noise and music, but many kids need to experiment with sound before they can create music with sound.

     

    1. Change the Station: Try listening to a variety of This will broaden your child’s taste in music and help to develop their musical ear. There are hundreds of musical genres, so why listen to the same thing all the time?? Please use your discretion when listening to the radio. Be aware of what your kids are listening to. Unfortunately, most of what is on the radio today is inappropriate for children. Instead, try making a Pandora station, or an iTunes playlist for your kids. Or if you’re old-school like me, go to your local music store and fill a basket with used CDs!

     

    1. Go to Concerts: Turn off the TV and get out there! Whether it’s live music at the coffee house, a school event, or a concert in the park, going to a concert is a very exciting thing for kids of all ages. You don’t have to pay money to see live music, you just need to know where to look! Check your local newspaper for listings.