By: Pooja Bala
Students are constantly trying to cope with the daily stress that surrounds school work, sports, and extracurricular activities. Many teenagers often use music to escape some of this burden and make their daily workload a little more bearable. Students should have the opportunity to listen to music while completing classwork to create a positive working environment.
Recent studies show that some genres of music, which vary based on the individual, result in an improved mood which increases productivity while completing a task. Whereas blaring lyrics may not be the answer to a productive workplace, softer background music usually improves students rates of productivity.
In a noisy classroom, some students cannot properly focus while completing independent work. Background music has been proven to focus the mind in a loud environment.
According to a recent study conducted by Dr. Lesiuk, associate professor at University of Miami, involving technology specialists in an open office, “ those who listened to music completed their tasks more quickly and came up with better ideas than those who didn’t.”
Music makes for a positive and motivating learning environment. According to research done at John Hopkins University, “Music will help us learn because it will: establish a positive learning state, energize learning activities, change brain wave states, focus concentration, increase attention, improve memory, enhance imagination, and release tension,” along with many other benefits in the classroom.
Classical music “creates an atmosphere of focus that leads students into deep concentration in the alpha brainwave state,” which is highly effective for learning vocabulary or memorizing factual content.
In repetitive assignments or tasks in which knowledge is being applied rather than learned, upbeat music keeps students on track and helps them stay alert, especially on sleepy Monday mornings. Several students attitudes and motivation to learn show improvement while upbeat background music is present. This music is also efficient in maintaining their focus.
Background music in classroom settings have also been shown to enhance creativity and reflection, particularly in a type of English course.
Also according to John Hopkins University, “Playing reflective music, such as solo piano in either classical or contemporary styles, as students are writing or journaling holds attention for longer periods of time than without the music. In one study, students wrote twice as much with music than without!”
Why shouldn’t students have the ability to work in an enhanced learning environment that makes our daily classes a little more enjoyable? We might as well take advantage of this opportunity and make the most of our learning experiences at WHS.
Sources:
Brewer, Chris Boyd. “Music and Learning: Integrating Music in the Classroom.” Http://education.jhu.edu/. Copyright Chris Brewer, n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2015.
Ciotti, Gregory. “How Music Affects Your Productivity.” Sparring Mind RSS. N.p., 20 May 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2015.
