A parent included me on an email this past week, thanking the school for introducing their child to music with such positive messages. He recounted how, on their drive to school that morning, his kindergartener requested that they listen to “I’ll Be Here” by Colbie Caillat, a song that our children are rehearsing in music class. It was only a few moments before the child began to sing along:
If you need something to believe in
If you're lookin' for a light to guide you home
Just look inside, your light is shinin' brighter than you know
You should know
I'm never gonna let you down, always gonna build you up
When you're feelin' lost, I will always find you, love
Never gonna walk away, always gonna have your back
And if nothin' else, you can always count on that
When you need me, I will be here
I'll be here, I'll be here, I'll be here
Embedded in Caillat’s lyrics are a number of LP values, or, what we call here, ‘powers’: Empathy; Grit; Positivity; Kindness; Courage; Cooperation, and more. This instance is a small, yet wonderful example of the power of music to teach goodness and character in an indirect, yet meaningful way. Music has the potential to sink into hearts in a way that direct instruction simply cannot, tethering values not just to voices and minds, but to the being of those who experience it.
When asked about this element of music, The Learning Project’s music teacher, Jordan Oczkowski, expressed that, not only does music have the potential to reinforce values, but it also helps to unlock different shades of values for children. With the right song, “Music has a strong connection to social-emotional learning. I like to choose songs that aren’t too ‘right on the nose.’ At The LP, we sing songs that require some upper level thinking and maturity, and we talk about the messaging.” Jordan hopes that, as children grow up singing these tunes, both the melodies and the lyrics become part of their lives, and part of what they carry with them beyond elementary school. “Long Time Friends,” Jordan says, “which we sing at Graduation each year, is one of those songs that sneaks into you and tends to stay.”
Music is, indeed, a powerful educational and life force. It nurtures students’ creativity; positively impacts brain development and language processing; expands students’ circle of awareness and worldview; enhances joy, pride and self-esteem, and so much more. At The Learning Project, our rich music curriculum consists of three components: performance, aural skills/theory, and culture. All three components are taught regularly, and often hand-in-hand. Students learn songs to sing at school concerts, which occur at least three times each year. They collectively sing at Monday Morning Assemblies, perform rhythm and movement, learn instrumental music and music technology, and much more. And what we’ve found by having a school program where music is so fundamental to our program is that the power of music goes far beyond the individual – it helps to shape our community and develops bonds between children, staff, parents, and alumni of the school.
This aspect of music, its ability to build a sense of connection among those involved, is what inspired our former music teacher, Jan Hill, to remain at The LP for 14 years before retiring. “For me, it was about the community,” Jan says. “Having 150 or 200 people singing in unison is such a powerful experience. The collective effort of learning songs and then singing in harmony really brings people together in a unique way. Plus,” she says, “singing is so accessible. All of our children can do it and experience the joy that comes with it, and bring that joy to others. It’s a gift that they can share, which expands the community even farther during their many performances. It’s a special thing.”
Of course, these school performances require an audience, and that’s where parents, alumni, and friends of the school come in. Learning Project concerts are often described with the phrase, ‘full house,’ and this only helps to solidify that sense of community; all of us coming together to experience the sweet music together, as one. MIT professor, Alex Pentland, states that “Individuals aren’t really individuals. They’re more like musicians in a jazz quartet, forming a web of unconscious actions and reactions to complement others in the group.” I truly couldn’t agree more, and by selecting songs that embody an institution’s foundational values, finding time to join voices in unison, and then by sharing that music with others, the voice of a five year old in the backseat of a car can carry with it echoes of the power to shape a community.
Click on the audio button below to listen to a snippet of LP students rehearsing “I’ll Be Here,” by Colbie Caillat.
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