Both Sides Now: Music for Teaching and Learning Is Powerful, Useful, and Effective

Abstract

Modern neuroscience tells us that learning which takes place connected to an emotion or to multiple sensory modes occurs in a deeper, longer lasting, more meaningful way, in the affective domain of the brain. If through high-quality music and/or movement we are able to inspire students to see the rich biological, psychological, spiritual, and cultural value of concepts like biodiversity, carrying capacity, climate change, and the hydrologic cycle, we can reach learners in a way more likely to affect their deep understanding and behavior outside of the classroom. By teaching to both sides of the brain, we increase the chances of all students’ learning foundations of sustainable lifestyles. Most of us learned our ABCs by singing them, and as adults, sometimes we still begin singing them in search of a word in the dictionary. Singing, tapping, and rapping out lines that include examples of “reduce, reuse, recycle,” respect for forests and waterways, and new understanding of renewable energy will create and strengthen neurological pathways for a sustainable future and play on in the brain beyond schooling years to remind learners of concepts and ideas critical to the future of all life on Earth.