wisconsin advocates for music education
Use the Power of Music to Engage Peggy Hill-Breunig, WAME Committee Member
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In July I was at my mother’s bedside as she was dying from the affects of Alzheimer’s disease. Late one night I felt the need to sing songs to her … songs I remember her singing to me as a child. For a brief time, her labored breathing relaxed and eyes opened up so very slightly then moved in my general direction. The shape of her open mouth changed several times as I sang. I was told later by the Hospice nurse these were responses to the music. I had made one last connection with her.
Music really does last a lifetime. Parents bond with and help support their child’s development through songs they sing to them from birth on; music enables stories and traditions be passed down generations and provides opportunities to learn about and experience other cultures; music bridges cultural differences and has the power to reflect, if not also influence, social change; properties of music help those with disabilities develop skills, cope with symptoms of disease, and for patients like Gabrielle Giffords, recuperate from traumatic injury; active participation in music is “an educational experience of unique value” (J. Dewey, Art as Experi- ence, 1934), helps students do better in school and develops skills vital for success in the workplace; music affects our emo- tions, our behaviors, and has the power to bring back memories and movements that seem to be gone but are really only tucked away in a remote place (ref: This is Your Brain on Music, by D. Levitan and also the Institute for Music & Neurologic Function). Why do we have to work so hard to convince people to keep quality music education in our schools?!
There is no lack of evidence to support music and the role it plays in the lives of people and societies. The downside to having so much is deciding what informa- tion to use and the “right” way to tell our story in a way that captures the attention of and ultimately motivates parents and community members to take active inter- est in what we can do for them and the
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children in our classrooms. I am a strong believer in planning processes (see June 2011 Music Educators Journal, p. 60+, for one approach to developing advocacy and communication plans). I also know too much structure in the beginning, for some, can make it hard to get started and stifle creative thinking and problem solving.
If our goal is to engage more people, let us use the inherent power of music to help make targeted emotional connections with more students, parents and community members. Once these connections are made, the opportunity exists to inform and influence change. There are many ways to find and make these targeted con- nections. Here are ideas to stimulate your own thinking:
Take Time to Reflect
Reflection gets you emotionally engaged with learning and problem solving. We each have our own story of how we be- came actively involved with music. Take time to reflect on your experience(s) then ask yourself how your story would play out today. My example: I would visit my aunt’s house and “explore” her piano. For hours, I was told, I tried to pick out tunes and “read” music. My mother’s sister told my parents they needed to get a piano. A family friend gave us theirs and I started taking lessons at five years old. When I was growing up, many homes in our middle class suburban neighborhood had pianos. This is not the case today. What can we do, today, to ensure more children in our communities have opportunities to experience music at a young age?
“Listen”
“Seek first to understand, then to be under- stood” – Stephen Covey. An entire article could be devoted to the role of effective listening to engage people. “Listen” to your community through observation and dialog to learn who they are (culture, interests, etc.), their experiences with music and what resources already exist. This information will help you “target”
Visit the online version of WSM for interactive links within this article.
your future plans. While statistics from existing school or community surveys are helpful, it is through personal observation, empathetic listening and dialogue where you gain valuable insights such surveys cannot. Thoughtful conversations also build relationships and trust. You’ll be amazed what you will learn and how many people (who may also want to help) have emotional connections with music.
Use the Music to “Reach Out” and “Invite In” Once you’ve listened, learned and built relationships, it’s time for the fun part: writing into your curriculum ways to engage more people through the music by “reaching out” and “inviting them in.” Areas addressed earlier in this article hint at potential ideas but these will vary by community. Examples: diversity creates opportunities to teach, and residents to share, their cultures through music; col- laborate with others to incorporate music in lessons to bring history alive; bring mu- sic to the elderly, preschools, businesses or organizations through service learning; start a hip-hop class or a community band. The possibilities are endless. (I’m proud of what our current and retired teachers do for Waunakee!)
Do not underestimate the power of music to help your advocacy efforts. Look out- side your classroom for ways to demon- strate this power to parents and community members in ways that matter to them. Use the power of music to engage and inform. Then ask for their help.
Peggy Hill-Breunig is in her ninth year on the Waunakee Board of Education and plays oboe in the Waunakee Community Band. Email:
phill@tds.net
September 2011
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