Skill #4 – Making Connections: The Arts and the Brain. Learning about how the Arts affects cognitive life:
1. Through an increase in focused attention
2. Promotes an increase in motivation (p.184)
3. “When children have training in the arts, they learn to pay attention, to stay focused and to resist distraction, noting that these skills lead to improvements in “fluid intelligence” and in IQ.” (Michael Posner, University of Oregon) (p.185)
Action 2: Acknowledge that making mistakes is not only okay, it is part of learning. Rather than being judgmental or critical if your child makes a mistake, talk to your children the way you would like to be talked to when you make a mistake. “That was really close” or “That is hard and you are really working at it.” Galinsky (p.188)
A piece from the Peninsula Daily News about music:
Did You Know?
Students who learn an instrument improve reading and math skills, and musical training helps develop language and reasoning.
Students who practice with musical instruments can improve hand-eye coordination.
Learning to play pieces of music with an instrument gives a sense of achievement.
Music builds imagination and intellectual curiosity.
Kids who study music can learn to think creatively.
From: National Association for Music Education
This is a Mini-Message by Dr. Darlene Clemens, summarizing one topic from Mind in the Making, by Ellen Galinksy. With permission of Ms. Galinsky to Dr. Clemens, and of Dr. Clemens to Mark Baumann.