Xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels - these are just some of the new additions to the music program at Annie Foote School, but the new instruments are not only making their mark in music class.

Annie Foote has a large population of students who are English Language Learners (ELL), and finding opportunities for these students to connect to their studies and peers in engaging, familiar ways is enormously beneficial to their mastery of a new language.  By introducing aspects of music into both language arts and math classes, Annie Foote's teachers have created a dynamic learning environment for all students, and have seen benefits for the whole school.

By putting popular early reading books to music, students were able to better understand the story: for example, Lucille Colandro's  “There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Clover” provided opportunities for students to link characters, events, and ideas to different musical motifs which were then played at the appropriate times during the story.  The motif's made it easy for students to learn the words and understand the story, as well as making the entire process fun and engaging.  Similarly, music provided an enhancement to math learning through comparing ascending and descending notes to counting, or linking forte and pianissimo to the concepts of volume.

Outside of class, students have been able to showcase their newfound musical talents in assemblies; “we had more excellent performers in our talent show this spring than ever before!” said Susanne Zilkie, the Principal of Annie Foote School.  Through an EducationMatters grant he music program was able to add 19 new instruments to their classrooms, increasing student confidence, knowledge, and opportunities to connect with each other in the process.  As the foundation for the Calgary Board of Education (CBE), EducationMatters is committed to investing in our future leaders to give them the skills that they need to succeed after graduation; your support of these students is making a difference today that will resonate for generations to come.  Thank you!

The impact that music has within CBE schools is immense and continues to transcend traditional school culture. With your support, we can continue to fund programs such as the one in Annie Foote School and the Music Therapy program in West Dover School, and continue to significantly enhance language development and verbal competency for many students!

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Music has the power to transcend communication challenges, elevate mood, and help to build relationships. It has measurable benefits in the general population, but its effects on individuals with cognitive impairments can be life-changing. The staff and families at West Dover School know this all too well and applied for an EducationMatters grant to fund a music therapy program for their special needs students. West Dover’s TASC and SKILL programs are benefitting from working with a music therapist on a weekly basis thanks to the generosity of donors, and the impact on students, staff, and families is incredible.

“Music therapy goes beyond a typical music class. It engages students individually to work on communication goals; it helps students learn about expressing emotions; it provides opportunities for a better quality of life for students that have limited access to music programs because of specialized conditions,” says Lynn Barchuk, the SKILL teacher at West Dover School.

EducationMatters was invited to attend the school’s music therapy sessions, and had the opportunity to participate in two classes. The smiles on the students' faces, their willingness to participate, and their eagerness to demonstrate what they’ve learned was a great indication of how receptive the students are to music therapy.

“I have students that don’t speak, but they can make sounds. One little girl, she doesn’t have a loud voice and she’s always very quiet. When we sing some of these songs, she’ll start putting some of the sounds together and she’ll even sing by herself! This [music therapy] really gives her a voice because she has one, and it gives her that chance to use it,” says Lynn.

Funding for this music therapy grant was provided through the Schools Helping Schools Fund, which was established by a group of Briar Hill School parents and community members. They were passionate about donating to schools that had a harder time raising funds for educational enhancements. Many schools that are situated in less-affluent areas have no parent council representation, which ultimately means fewer people to assist in school fundraising projects. After the establishment of this Fund, other school parent councils within Calgary felt inspired to donate, and because of their generosity schools like West Dover are able to provide their special-need students with powerful resources that can transform their lives for the better!

The post Changing Student Lives with Music Therapy appeared first on EducationMatters.