I was seven years old when my Mom took to me to a homeschool fair. I was a picture of an innocent kid with big eyes and no idea for the future, except for the fact that I enjoyed being taught at home.
The fair had every resource you could need to teach your child! Different curriculums for all grade levels, workshops for new homeschoolers, a chess club, books about princes, you name it.
But there was one booth that stood out for me.
In a corner of the walkway, an elegant harp stood, along with your brass instruments. In the middle, however, was a tall stand, holding assorted stringed instruments. Out of all the beautiful instruments on that stand, all I saw was a little pink ukulele, up high, almost as if it was calling my name.
Little did I know that the same ukulele caught my mom’s attention. Then, she thought, it is time for me to learn something new. I don’t recall begging my Mom for buying the instrument, but I went home with that it, marking the start of a new found learning opportunity through musical instrument.
I learned a few songs using ukulele and then added voice and piano into my musical learning journey.
Seven Years After…
As a teenager who has been homeschooled almost my whole existence, I’ve realized that the flexibility and freedom that home learning offers is insane.
This is one of the many unique and unfair advantages that my parents have given to me. Another shining convenience is an opportunity for me to customize my learning path that suits my learning style, interests, and pace.
Since I started playing instruments I have learned how to express myself and figure out who I am. It is one of the tools that helped me learned about other interests and the world around me. It allowed me to connect to other people and gave me opportunities to speak without opening my mouth.
Let’s dive into how my homeschool coach and mentor (a.k.a.Mom) and I have integrated music into my learning and how it became game changer into my learning.
Enhance my Thinking Abilities
Did you know that learning music can actually make you smarter and think better? When I first looked at the sheet music for Für Elise, it seemed impossible! All the winding notes and symbols were overwhelming. Then, there is this part wherein my left and right hand would switch position! But over time, as I kept practicing, I got better, more comfortable, until I could eventually play parts of the piece with my eyes closed.
I felt like my brain has created new learning pathways that opened up other avenues of learning like memorizing notes, understanding why the scale starts on C instead of A, and coordinating between reading music and playing it with my hands. Talk about hand and eye coordination.
Little did I know that these efforts have strengthened areas of the brain related to math, language, and problem-solving.
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Memory Improvement
Playing music requires memorizing notes, chords, and patterns. This mental exercise has strengthened my memorizing skills and helped a lot with my quizzing skills and can help with subjects like math or science or simply remembering a name of a place you have been to.
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Multitasking Abilities:
Reading music while playing develops a high level of concentration and the ability to do multiple things at once. This can enhance your children’s ability to react to certain moments while maintaining presence of mind.
Enhances Emotional Well-Being
Whenever I’m feeling upset or frustrated or happy and thankful, music is one of my favorite go-to’s. Sure, I have been teased for singing to lyrics while wearing headphones but music in general can really have a positive impact on your kids mentality. Whether they’re composing their own songs, playing an instrument or screaming the lyrics to their favorite songs, music is a fantastic outlet for letting out emotions.
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Stress Relief
Feeling overwhelmed with schoolwork or personal life? Playing or listening to music can reduce stress and anxiety, making it easier to focus on other subjects and aspects of their lives.
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Emotional Expression
Music can be a way to express feelings, even when words fail. Whether they’re feeling joyful, sad, or something in between, playing an instrument can help your kids process emotions in a healthy way.
Builds Social Skills
A tough change to adapt to in homeschooling is that it limits your social interactions. Having more than one kid helps, but your children might get tired of constantly interacting with the people they share a house and bathroom with. However, you can fix that by finding other opportunities for social interactions. Music in particular offers a creative way to engage with others.
One of the best decisions I’ve ever made was joining my church’s youth band. That was more than a year ago now, and in that year, I have sang beside so many cool people that I am proud to call my friends.
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Collaborative Opportunities
Using the flexibility you have as homeschoolers, you can join online music groups, participate in local band or orchestra events, collaborate with fellow homeschoolers on musical projects or take lessons on a specific instrument like piano, guitar, violin or voice. Just be ready to hear a lot more excitement when you chat at the dinner table about their day.
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Performance Skills
Deciding to share your music through performances—whether in front of family or at large gatherings— will help your children develop confidence in public speaking and presenting their work to others.
Develops Discipline and Patience
Like many hobbies, learning music requires dedication. It’s not something your children typically master overnight (if they do, that’s impressive). The process of practicing daily, setting goals, and gradually improving builds a strong sense of discipline and patience—skills that will benefit in all areas of life.
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Setting and Achieving Goals
Whether they’re aiming to learn a new song or perfect a challenging piece, music can encourage your kids to set goals and work towards achieving them.
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Delayed Gratification
Mastering a piece of music or instrument takes time. The ability to stick with something difficult, even when progress is slow, teaches the value of patience and persistence.
Deepen Cultural Understanding
Music is a universal language, and the study of it is an eyeopener to different cultures and histories. Try listening to classical music from Europe, dancing to traditional African rhythms, or finding new favorite songs from contemporary pop from around the world. Tuning in on other beats from around the globe help you and your kids gain access to the cultural and historical lenses of the world.
I have friends who are into k-pop(Korean pop) and c-pop(Chinese pop). I personally can’t tell the difference, but I do have a few different language songs in my playlist that I vibe to sometimes.
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Cultural Awareness
Exploring different genres of music gives you and your children a global perspective, enhancing their understanding of various countries and traditions.
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Creativity and Innovation
Learning different styles of music can be inspiring to create your own compositions; blending elements from different genres to create something this world has never seen or heard before!
Fun and Engaging Learning
Unfortunately, not every homeschool subject is fun. But music? Music is something your family can enjoy every day. Practicing an instrument or composing a song to remember their division tables can be a fun change of pace, adding an experience they’ll look forward to in your homeschool routine.
How to Get Started
Ready to add music to your homeschool day? Here are a few tips to get you going:
- Start Small: If you’re new to music, you don’t need to invest in expensive instruments. An app like GarageBand or free online tutorials can help your kids get started on piano, guitar, or even singing.
- Make It Routine: Incorporate music practice into your daily or weekly schedule. It doesn’t have to be hours long—15-30 minutes a day can make a difference.
- Explore Different Genres: Don’t limit your range to one style of music. Explore classical, jazz, pop, rock, or even electronic music to discover what resonates with you and your family.
- Collaborate: Sign up for an online music class, jam with friends and family, or participate in local music events. Social interaction can make music even more enjoyable.
- Share: Find members to make a band or go solo creating your own tracks, melodies, covers, and songs! Create a YouTube channel and share your creations with the world as a confidence booster.
Takeways
Music is more than a subject your kids might look forward to—it’s a powerful tool for cognitive, emotional, and social development. Amazing for improving memory, reducing stress, or connecting with others, music can offer countless benefits that will help you and your family, grow in every area of life. So why not give it a try? The rhythm of success may be just one note away!