The Whole Brain at WMEA

It's been a long weekend. It began in Yakima, where I was attending the Washington Music Educators Association annual conference. What a fabulous event! Puyallup was well represented:

Two performances by special invitation
FERRUCCI JUNIOR HIGH CONCERT BAND
EMERALD RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
Hall of Fame induction
TODD GILTNER, ORCHESTRA TEACHER
Educator of the year
KATHY GUSTAFSON, ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHER
All-State Elementary Honors Choir Manager
NANCY NOLE, ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHER
Six presentators, numerous presiders
We were EVERYWHERE! among hundreds of attendees!

The Puyallup School District has a strong reputation for its Fine and Performing Arts programs. This weekend was a wonderful celebration of music education and student achievement. It was a wonderful celebration of people using their WHOLE brain!

Musicians are perfect examples of effective use of both sides of the brain. To study the lyrics of a song and "read" the music on the staff is clearly a "left-brain" function. To "add" all the fractions of quarter notes, eighth notes, whole rests, etc and form "measures" combined to form phrases, all working within a determined "time signature" requires excellent mathematical (left brain) thinking. Language skills, math skills, simply moving from left to right across the page - these are all left brain activities. However, to apply emotion, dynamics, interpretation and improvisation is right brain activity at its finest. Music educators serve the whole brain of each student, and should consciously teach with this in mind.

"Music researchers are finding correlations between music making and some of the deepest workings of the human brain. Research has linked active music making with increased language discrimination and development, math ability, improved school grades, better-adjusted social behavior, and improvements in 'spatial-temporal reasoning,' - a cornerstone for problem solving." This message, taken from the American Music Conference website, introduces readers to a collection of research you can read for yourself. Take a look, click here.

Congratulations PSD music teachers! You continue to serve the "whole child" by activating the "whole brain."