THE SECRET SCIENCE OF SONGS
Created by All Children, Everywhere!
Most children have experiences with songs as a part of their natural developmental journey. The Secret Science of Songs is a framework that reveals the dynamic world of early perception where music, language, and auditory patterns begin to shape young children’s cognitive lives, internally, and their social lives, externally. Children are welcoming and receptive to this rich, transdisciplinary experience of sound and rhythm flowing through music and language. All who work with our youngest learners know, without a thread of doubt, that CHILDREN LOVE SONGS!
Discovering a new science!
The recognition of the “science” of songs has emerged from 40 years of working directly with small groups of young children, in both preschool programs and elementary classrooms, where the goal of the activity was simply to make music! While it is true that there are various ways to engage children in music, SONGS, with the delightful, often enchanting interaction of LANGUAGE and MUSIC, clearly offer one of the most developmentally powerful ways to do it.
The evidence collected from this long-term action research in the classroom is supported by numerous studies in related areas of early childhood cognitive development. [See References]
As you become familiar with the Principles and Pillars of the Secret Science of Songs, you will see that, by guiding young children’s unique perceptual abilities through creative song experiences, a significant boost is given to their early development.
Expanding Horizons
WHEN IS A SECRET NOT A SECRET?
The science of songs has remained a “secret” only because a true child-centered perception of songs has remained virtually unrecognized within the field of early development and elementary education and therefore not utilized as a tool to foster young children’s early learning and development.
Such a statement might appear to be dismissive of the universal recognition that children do indeed love songs and that most early childhood educators make regular efforts to include song-experiences for the children in their programs. Such a reproach is not the intention. The oversight addressed by the Secret Science of Songs invites us to consider:
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Our failure thus far to recognize and exploit young children’s impressive, natural abilities to perceive and process auditory (sound/rhythm) patterns in songs.
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Our need to value the true AESTHETIC EXPERIENCE that children have when performing songs socially with peers and adults, and to realize that the depth of this aesthetic experience is not dependent on performance proficiency.
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How the use of simple rhythm instruments (drums, maracas, etc.) not only reinforces but also enhances children’s perceptions of auditory song patterns.
The Secret Science of Song helps us to remember that children’s perceptual abilities are not the same as adults. More importantly, it emphasizes that the perceptual difference is not quantitative (interpreted as ‘children experience LESS than adults because they are not fully developed) but rather qualitative, telling us that children go through their own FULL, RICH song-experiences that deliver significant, individualized development that is valuable for them!
PILLARS of
The Secret Science of Songs
Below are some pillars or principles that support the Secret Science of Songs. Each one presents an aspect of young children’s music-making behavior and supports how we can engage with them through an interdisciplinary learning process involving music and language.
PILLAR 1. GOOD CANDY FOR OUR AUDITORY CORTEXT: CHILDREN EXPERIENCING AESTHETIC-BEAUTY
PILLAR 2. THE FOUNDATIONAL PLAY OF PATTERNS: SOUND – RHYTHM – MUSIC – LANGUAGE!
PILLAR 3. MIND BEFORE MOVEMENT: “NO MORE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED!”
PILLAR 4. MUSICALLY UNTRAINED ADULTS CAN ENGAGE THE SECRET SCIENCE OF SONGS
PILLAR 5. INTERDISCIPLINARY: AMPLIFICATION OF LEARNING
PILLAR 6. THE WHOLE ENCHILADA
PILLAR 7. ENGAGE CREATIVITY, CREATIVELY!
Research & Foundation