Music plays a vital role in education, offering both creative and academic benefits for students. Music can be a great tool for self-expression, as it lets students express their feelings and find comfort in music. Working while listening to music provides discipline, teamwork, and problem-solving skills in addition to engaging students in activities that will help them in the future. Besides entertainment, music can help relieve stress; that allows students to boost their ability to focus.
The pressure of school can often lead to stress and anxiety for students. Music also offers a therapeutic outlet. Sophomore Dylan Elise stated, “I love music, sometimes it’s so nice to just listen and let myself feel my emotions after a hard day.” Many schools, according to the Childcare Education Institute, incorporate music into their curriculum or extracurricular activities to help students keep a calm peace of mind.
School social worker Skylar Gardener expressed, “[Music] can help soothe people, beats can help soothe people– anything rhythmic can help soothe people.” Gardener explained that music is a large part of calming the human brain, stating that it often has a positive effect on people’s emotions. Studies from the National Library of Medicine have shown that engaging with music can improve cognitive abilities, including memory and problem-solving. When used correctly, they can be used for other academic or extracurricular activities.
According to the University of Maryland Global Campus(umgc.edu), people who interact with music have a high rate of success in working in all fields. Students who listen to music while doing schoolwork are more likely to develop higher success. Senior Ellie Martin expressed, “It’s nice to multitask…it’s nice to like to have something going on in the background…” Martin stated that music often helps her review and study for tests better, “Sometimes I’ll be studying and they’ll be a song that’s going on at the same time or I’ll associate a genre of music with what I’m studying.” Senior Brielle Gorman agreed, she stated that music, “[It] helps me not wander off as much as if [I were] to do it with no music.” Gorman stated she is more likely to be distracted when studying in silence than if she had music playing in the background.
Music is more than just an art form; it is a key component to having an adaptable education. By allowing creativity to flourish, relieving stress, and supporting academic growth, music reinforces students thriving in school. Schools continuing to invest in music programs and allow students to listen to music, helping students have access to all of these benefits.
