By James Groth

Do you remember doing calisthenics in your high school phy ed class? They seemed rather pointless, but the concept was that through stretches and cardiovascular exercises, you would prepare your body for the physical rigors of the class. Your brain needs calisthenics too. Preparing your brain for learning  is just one of the many special abilities music exhibits. Because music education provides a host of benefits for students, Lutheran educators should maintain a special and cherished place for God’s gift of music and its many unique qualities.

What are the benefits of music education? Howard Gardner, in his landmark work Frames of Mind (1983), suggested that musical intelligence was a primary learning style and one of the basic intelligences of human understanding. Music also has the ability to prepare our minds to comprehend the complexities of reading and mathematics. Bonnot & Albertson (2011) stated, “Music education equips students with the foundational abilities to learn, to achieve in other core academic subjects, and to develop the capacities, skills and knowledge essential for lifelong success” (p. 2). They go on to enumerate three categories of musical benefits, including preparing students for learning, facilitating academic achievement, and developing creative capacities for lifelong success (2011, p. 3-5). Additionally, Schellenberg found that students involved in music lessons, either keyboard or vocal, demonstrated increased IQ over those with no musical background. Interestingly enough, those involved in other meaningful non-musical activities (like drama performers, debate team members, etc.) could not replicate the increased IQ results (2004, p. 513).

Beyond music’s purely educational benefits are the many uses music has in the furthering of Lutheran traditions and the preaching of the gospel. Loewe (2013) stated that Martin Luther was not only “a competent singer, hymn writer, and composer, but also strongly believed that music was an ideal means to come to know and proclaim the mystery of God” (p. 69). Music has the unique ability to speak to the heart in a way the spoken word cannot. This makes music an ideal tool for sharing the gospel with others. Buszin (1958) quoted Martin Luther as saying, “I truly desire that all Christians would love and regard as worthy the lovely gift of music, which is a precious, worthy and costly treasure given mankind by God” (p. 5). Martin Luther put his words into practice by bringing singing back to the worship of the church. Tiefel (2008) added that our Lutheran heritiage consists of the Lutheran hymns, music, and confessions through which we convey God’s Word.

Finally, music is an art form that allows the musician to convey personal emotions directly to the hearts of the hearers. What better way could music be used than to tell all who can hear that they are children of God through faith in Christ Jesus?

So where does this leave the typical overworked WELS classroom teacher? The benefits of music education cannot be denied, and therefore we must strive for excellence in music education. With a little planning, teachers can integrate music into social studies, science, religion, or math lessons. Look for the assistance of gifted musicians in your school, congregation, or community. Use them as resource specialists or special class presenters, allowing them to bring their love of music to your students. Work together with your area Lutheran high school if there is one nearby. I speak from experience when I say their music teachers will be happy to assist in whatever way they can. Utilize technology to unlock the mysteries of music for your students. Unleashed to compose their own music, students can amaze you with their creativity.

Music is a wonderful gift from God, and Scripture clearly states that we ought to use all gifts to the best of our abilities. Therefore, I encourage Lutheran teachers to teach music well—not only for the educational benefits of their students, but also for the proclamation of the gospel and the continuation of our great Lutheran musical heritage. Finally, I provide a quote for those who may not cherish God’s gift of music quite so much, said as only Luther could say it: “A person who . . . does not regard music as a marvelous creation of God must be a clodhopper indeed and does not deserve to be called a human being; he should be permitted to hear nothing but the braying of asses and the grunting of hogs” (Praying the Gospels, n.d.). Marty, I couldn’t have said it better myself!

James Groth (MLC ’99) is a teacher at Shoreland Lutheran High School in Somers, Wisconsin, and an MLC graduate student.

References

Bonnot, M., & Albertson, M. (September, 2011). Music Matters: How Music Education Helps Students Learn, Achieve, and Succeed [Brochure]. Washington, D.C.: Arts Education Partnership.

Buszin, W. (1958). Luther on Music. St. Paul: North Central Publishing, 5.

Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Books.

Loewe, J. (2013). Why Do Lutherans Sing? Lutherans, Music, and the Gospel in the First Century of the Reformation. Church History, 82(1), 69-89. doi:10.1017/S0009640712002521.

Praying the Gospels. (n.d.) Short Quotes of Martin Luther. Retrieved from Praying the Gospels: http://www.prayingthegospels.com/martin-luther-quotes-2/short-quotes-martin-luther/.

Schellenberg, E. (2004). Music Lessons Enhance IQ. Psychological Science (Wiley-Blackwell), 15(8), 511-514. doi:10.1111/j.0956-7976.2004.00711.x.

Tiefel, J. (2008). Treasures Old and New [PDF Document]. Presentation text retrieved from: http://wlsessays.net/files/TiefelOldTreasures.pdf.