I love the way Julee Kowalis describes how a child’s brain works, and how music can be such a powerful influence.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLhJHLSkvLA]
Catch this part: As a child participates in a stimulating activity, it establishes new neural connections. Each time they repeat the activity, it strengthens this connection. These neural connections include ALL kinds of development. Musical activities engage multiple senses at once, establishing and strengthening these developmental skills.
As a degreed Music Therapist, and through my further studies I would also at at least one important thing. Music includes a positive emotional element, these positive feelings bond with the learning, strengthening it even more, and making it so the child desires to repeat these learning activities over and over again. Just ask any child who has participated in a “pony ride” lap bounce activity, and the adult who has sore legs due to the amount of repetition required. “Do it again, Do it again!”
While Julee Kowalis’ lecture is informative, she really should give credit to those who wrote the exact phrases that she uses to describe the effect of music on the developing mind. Her lecture makes it sound as though these concepts are hers. In fact, the material she is discussing emanated from a research project reported in “Neurological Research” February 1997 and later summarized in a Time Magazine article. Julee, please give credit where credit is due and provide your audience with a bibliography!!