Integrating American Jazz Music with Math

Integrating American Jazz Music with Math

Introduction

            Different teaching methods are used by instructors to ensure their students are constantly engaged in the learning process. However, at times it becomes difficult for teachers to guarantee that students will grasp all the needed concepts of a subject. In addition, when students do not feel engaged in the learning process, they are less likely to understand what has been taught, which is frustrating for teachers and students. It is crucial that students learn, understand and are able to recall and apply what they learn. As a result, teachers are coming up with more interesting and engaging ways of teaching. A perfect example is the integration of music in teaching. Music is interesting and has the ability to engage all the senses. Hence, this leads to higher success rates with students. Math is one of the main subjects taught in schools and requires students to grasp different concepts. The concepts can be difficult to recall and apply in everyday life, which makes it significant for teachers to use teaching approaches that enhance understanding of the different math concepts. The following discussion aims at explaining why teachers should consider integrating music in their teaching methods. In specific, the paper focuses on integrating American jazz music with math.

Relevant Research

American Jazz Music

            Although there are different types of music genre that can be used to achieve integrated teaching, American jazz music is the best alternative. Milligan and Rogers (2017) explain that this is because jazz can be easily accessed by the teachers and children. It is not necessary for one to be a trained jazz musician, or for teachers to take time and study jazz music, in order to use the music. Additionally, jazz is playful, interesting, creative, interactive, improvisational and fun. It acts as a play-centered musical approach, which makes it ideal for teaching children because they learn best through play. The music creates a developmentally suitable manner of infusing the classroom with the joy created by music. Hence, this ensures that children are able to learn while having fun.

            Gould (n.d.) further explains that while teachers have the option of choosing different types of music, jazz is exceptionally equipped to teach everything. It acts as an art, language, science and math combined into one aspect that exercises the entire brain to teach significant skills. Thus, jazz can be integrated in teaching all the subjects that students are expected to learn in school. The music requires emotional as well as logical thinking as one listens to the tones and rhythms, in the process learning how to apply jazz in different aspects of life. As a result, teachers have a better possibility of success in teaching students to be cooperative, interested and engaged during the learning process. They are able to achieve this by integrating the diverse jazz music learning skills into teaching different subjects.   

Connecting Music to Learning

            According to DiDomenico (2017, p.2), “the human brain is built for sound. Hearing is the first sense to develop in the womb, establishing brain structure for processing sound.” Music is intimately connected to sound because the brain processes both using similar structures. The brain region that is meant for differentiating sound patterns becomes activated while listening to music. As a result, the idea of utilizing music activities is a great manner of reducing the habituation in a classroom setting. Habituation refers to the involuntary tuning off, of a recurrent sound. A perfect example would be students tuning off the repeated voice of their teacher. However, music makes it possible to create a variety of sounds and greatly reduce the habituation effect. In the process, this leads to enhanced brain activity, as well as ensuring that students are able to listen to what is being taught by the teacher.

            DiDomenico (2017) continues to explain that learning is more effective when students have high interest and emotional connections to the content being taught. The melody contained in music acts as a medium for words and emotions. This makes it possible for students to remember and retrieve information better by linking what they learn to music. Music creates the interest needed in students to learn because it focuses on engagement activities. Engagement is significant to learning by activating the brain’s pleasure structures and triggers enhanced understanding instead of memorizing. In addition, as people listen to music, the body sends out dopamine and norepinephrine hormones, which are responsible for increasing long-term memory. Hence, integrating music to learning increases the release of the hormones in students and enhances their ability to remember what they learn.

            In a study conducted by Guhn, Emerson and Gouzouasis (2019) on whether music students perform better than non-music students, the authors concluded that students who take music courses scored better. The scores were observed in math, science as well as English exams. Guhn et al. (2019) explain that a common misperception in many schools is that students who take music courses are highly likely to underperform in other disciplines. Contrary, the research proved that as students continue to engage in music, they have a higher likelihood of performing better in all disciplines. In addition, students that learnt to play musical instruments while in elementary and progressed to play in high school, did not only have better grades, but seemed to be an academic year ahead. This is because compared to their peers, such students had better mathematics, English and science skills based on their exam grades.

            Guhn et al. (2019) acknowledge that musical skills are easily transferred to learning other subjects. The process of learning how to play musical instruments is demanding. Students learning music are supposed to acquire knowledge on how to read musical notations, improve on their eye-hand-mind coordination, improve their listening and team skills, as well as develop the discipline needed to practice music. The learning experiences play a crucial role in improving the learner’s cognitive abilities, self-efficacy as well as the motivation needed to learn in school. It implies that music has a positive relationship with improving all-round academic achievement. At the same time, integrating music with learning other subjects is a perfect way of guaranteeing that students are exposed to a holistic learning experience. In the process, it becomes possible for students to improve on all subjects taught in school.

Integrating American Jazz Music with Math

            Estrella (2018) notes that teaching methods, which include more than a single sense have greater chances of success with students. As human beings, we depend strongly on all senses to process information during the learning process. Hence, engaging more senses while teaching results in improved cognitive connections, as well as associations needed to be made with acquiring a new concept. In most cases, teachers require students to listen to content that is being taught. Hence, they fail to engage other important senses that the students may use to enhance understanding of what is taught. Munroe (2015) further notes people have a higher likelihood of learning when content is taught through integrated approaches. Yet, the American education system appears to be divided, whereby teachers are only expected to teach in a specific way. Such a teaching approach makes it difficult for students to grasp all the concepts needed to improve their learning process.

It also creates a need to memorize content and recall it when necessary, for instance during exams. As a result, it is not possible for students to apply what they have learnt in school in life. Munroe (2015) informs that integrated teaching provides learners with more opportunities of making connections, which result in enhanced comprehension. When instructors and their students start to discover connections between music and other subjects, the motivation to learn improves. The integration experience results in more inherent as well as self-regulating learning that is aimed at understanding instead of memorizing. There is also a higher possibility that learning barriers and challenges can be solved through the use of music, as students have an opportunity to explore more ways of learning using music. Eventually, students will have an improved wide-ranging comprehension of differing disciplines.

            American jazz music is an example of how music can be integrated with math to enhance students learning abilities. Estrella (2018) notes that playing a musical instrument depends on comprehending fractions and ratios, in addition to determining manners in which the concepts can relate to time, beats and rhythm. Thus, patterns are an important part of musical melodies created in jazz music. Likewise, it is crucial for students to learn different patterns in mathematics, which they begin learning from preschool. For example, simple songs that include counting are very effective in ensuring that students are able to count numbers. Such songs can be used in plays and in the process make it interesting for students to learn how to count numbers as supposed. This is an activity that young children can continue practicing on their own and increase the numbers counted.

            DiDomenico (2017) acknowledges that mathematics is a subject that can be improved using music. This can be achieved through the use of “musical activities that focus on patterns, rhythms, tempo and beats helps to foster mathematical thinking in elementary-aged children (DiDomenico, 2017, p.3).” The relationship between math and music is very great and comprises of scales, temperaments, melody, intervals, tuning, rhythm and harmony. Such musical concepts are linked to mathematical concepts, which include numerical relations, proportions, arithmetical operations, integers and logarithms. In addition, musical concepts are also related to mathematical content areas in geometry, probability, algebra and trigonometry. For example, the percussion instrument might be used to teach children how to add numbers and count. When teachers integrate music with math, there is a greater possibility of enhancing the attitudes of the students to learn math. In the process, teachers also succeed in improving the achievement level of their students in mathematics.

            According to Viladot et al. (2017), numerous studies have endeavored to determine if there is a positive impact of integrating music with math. An example of such studies included research on how the visual depiction of music appears to assist children in the development of their sensory memory as well as integration. Additionally, the research also found that when music is played from notation, it assists in the development of visual-motor coordination. Considering the fact that there exists a positive relationship between children’s visual-spatial skills to attainment of mathematical knowledge, it definitely leads to the argument that music enhances student’s ability to understand math. Hence, when students play or notate music, it contributes towards the improvement of their competence in mathematics. In addition, when exploring mathematical thinking, it is apparent that it depends on specific patterns. These are repetition, pattern recognition and iteration. Such patterns are also important in music, which makes it ideal to integrate music with math.

            Viladot et al. (2017) further explain that research points to the fact that children are in a better position to learn mathematic when taught using an engaging approach. When the teacher instructs students, they are expected to listen and understand what the teacher is saying. It may be difficult for students to concentrate for long hours, especially young students who have a short concentration time. As a result, the teacher may have to constantly shift from teaching to ensuring that all students are listening attentively. This creates disruptions and fails to engage the students in the learning process. However, by using music, children become entertained and are interested in repeating in song form what the teacher is says. It is a very effective way of improving concentration in students and engaging them to what is being taught.

Discussion

            The research findings on integrating jazz music with math indicate that integrative teaching techniques are an effective way of ensuring that students’ understanding of a subject improves. This is because the student is fully engaged in the learning process. Non-integrative teaching methods fail to engage the teacher and students in the learning process due to the emphasis placed on the need to recall and memorize what has been taught. As a result, students are likely to lose interest in learning and may fail to benefit from the knowledge acquired. Memorizing has temporary benefits on learning because it assists the students to pass in their exams. However, later in life or as they progress to other grades, it becomes difficult for the students to use the mathematical concepts learned in earlier classes.

            As May (2018) notes that integration provides students with learning opportunities that are relevant and meaningful, music makes learning math meaningful and relevant to their daily lives. For example, when children are taught to count using simple songs that have pattern and rhythm, they can apply the songs to their everyday activities. As a result, the children are able to improve on their counting skills as they continuously sing the songs learned. Jazz music creates an opportunity for teachers to be creative and interactive with their students. Teachers can create songs using the jazz musical elements, which are appealing to students. In the process, the students become interested in the songs they hear and grasp the information being communicated in the music as well.

            In addition, when playing and listening to music such as jazz, all the human senses are engaged. This means that an individual becomes more attentive to what is being said. However, when all the senses are not involved, it is possible for someone to be withdrawn due to habituation. Habituation is a challenge for teachers because their students unknowingly stop concentrating to their recurrent sound. Integrating music with math solves the problem of habituation for many teachers. Jazz music can be integrated by teachers to change the recurrent sound that they use when teaching. It ensures that their students’ concentration does not drift away from the content that is being taught in the classroom.

Implications and Conclusions

            Integrating American jazz music with math is relevant to the educator. It ensures that teachers are able to engage the students in the learning process. As a result, students are more interested in learning and have a higher possibility of applying what is taught in class in real-life experiences. For example, a teacher may use different jazz music patterns and rhythms to deal with the problem of habituation. This can be achieved by creating a song that is used to teach students how to count or remember different shapes applicable in math. When teaching children how to count one to ten, a simple song that included the numbers can effectively ensure students are able to remember the numbers. In conclusion, music creates an array of opportunities for teachers to ensure that their students are interested and benefit from the learning process. Learning becomes creative, playful and interesting to students. As a result, they do not merely memorize what is taught but have an improved understanding.

References

DiDomenico, J. (2017). Effective integration of music in the elementary school classroom. Inquiry in Education, 9(2), 1-18.

Estrella, E. (2018). Exciting and innovative lesson plans that pair music and math. Live About. Retrieved from https://www.liveabout.com/music-education-lesson-plans-p4-2456493

Gould, J. R. (n.d.). leading by example: Jazz in 21st century education. Jazzednet.org. Retrieved from http://jazzednet.org/resources/leading-by-example-jazz-in-21st-century-education/

Guhn, M., Emerson, S. D., & Gouzouasis, P. (2019). A population-level analysis of associations between school music participation and academic achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 112(2), 308-328.

May, B. N. (2018). Meaningful music learning through integration. General Music Today, 32(1), 23-25.

Milligan, S., & Rogers, L. (2017). Using jazz to teach children literacy, math, history and more. Alfred Music. Retrieved from https://alfredledgerlines.wordpress.com/2017/04/10/using-jazz-to-teach-children-literacy-math-history-and-more/

Munroe, A. (2015). Curriculum integration in the general music classroom. General Music Today, 29(1), 12-18.

Viladot, L., Hilton, C., Casals, A., Saunders, J., Carrillo, C., Henley, J.,…Welch, G. (2017). The integration of music and mathematics education in Catalonia and England: Perspectives on theory and practice. Music Education Research, 1-27.