A Well-Tempered Mind: Using Music to Help Children Listen and Learn.A WELL-TEMPERED MIND: Using Music To Help Children Listen and Learn. Peter Perret & Janet Fox; Maya Angelou  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled until (UTC) due to vandalism. (Foreword fore·word n. A preface or an introductory note, as for a book, especially by a person other than the author. foreword Noun an introductory statement to a book Noun 1. ). New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of : Dana Press, 2004. 239 pp. $22.95. With the help of a woodwind quintet, the authors prove that music can improve students' listening, learning, and standardized test A standardized test is a test administered and scored in a standard manner. The tests are designed in such a way that the "questions, conditions for administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are consistent" [1] results. The program described in the book was created by Peter Perret, a music director and conductor who also teaches graduate level neuroscience neu·ro·sci·ence n. Any of the sciences, such as neuroanatomy and neurobiology, that deal with the nervous system. neuroscience the embryology, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology of the nervous system. and music. He joins with Janet Fox, a freelance arts and education writer, to tell the story of how this approach has improved the general academic performance of at-risk, economically disadvantaged children. The musicians plan their lessons to relate to what the children are learning in other subject areas. For example, when the 2nd-graders were learning about fractions in math, the quintet introduced rhythm with whole notes, half notes, and quarter notes. I enjoyed the actual dialogue among the teachers and students throughout the book. It provides the reader with examples and evidence of what the authors were trying to accomplish. The book also contributes to the research and theories of music's relationship to learning and the brain. Almost immediately, the teachers noticed the students demonstrating improved listening skills and longer attention spans. School attendance and parental involvement were higher, as were the children's confidence and self-esteem levels. Results of the program indicate that the children did better on standardized tests that measure reading, writing, and mathematics, than the children who did not have their curriculum integrated with music. Such positive findings should be included in the conversation as institutions struggle to find a balance between the need for accountability and the need for educational experiences that benefit students. The book concludes with tips for classroom and music teachers and parents to improve children's listening skills. I found the glossary at the end of the book to be helpful as it explained some unfamiliar musical and scientific terms. Additionally, there are notes and suggestions for further reading of related topics. This book is a wonderful resource for parents, teachers, and students who recognize music and the arts as essential parts of education. Reviewed by Anita Kreeft, Kindergarten kindergarten [Ger.,=garden of children], system of preschool education. Friedrich Froebel designed (1837) the kindergarten to provide an educational situation less formal than that of the elementary school but one in which children's creative play instincts would be Teacher, Westminster Christian School For Westminster Christian School in Elgin, Illinois, see . Westminster Christian School is a K-12 school in Miami, Florida. WCS is governed by a board of directors- 13 people (mostly current parents, although some have been former faculty) elected by parents of current enrollees. , Miami, FL |
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