Music and Learning

Tonight I am on duty with the Seventh Form. Sitting in School House, Old Hall, I am supervising some Round House girls and School House boys doing prep, and it is fascinating to see what working habits they have. Obviously, at the age they are independence is not just encouraged, but expected. Whilst I will always give my advice about good ways to work, I would draw the line at now saying "do this in this way" / "don't do it like this". My current musing is about listening to music. As you can see, many of them do like to listen to music whilst completing work.

I have read research that suggests classical music boosts engagement yet anything with lyrics distracts; I have also seen studies that support the thesis that "each to their own" - it simply depends on how your brain is wired.

My thinking tonight is that students here are optionally congregating in Old Hall to work together, and they seem to find benefit in this arrangement - preferable to simply shutting themselves away in their room, However, the music still provides a cut off from being self-conscious or aware of what others are doing in this space. Perhaps the combination of communal working, but with the music acting as a barrier to potential distraction gives the students the best of two worlds.

After being the disruptive influence in the room, and asking them what they are listening to and why they like it, the overwhelming consensus is that they think it enhances focus, removes distraction, and allows them to be more absorbed in a task. The style of music seemed to be "relaxing" types.

I think this is an interesting question for schools to engage with. Should more classrooms involve music when working independently? how do we best advise students about where to work? what age should they take these decisions?

Oh, there was one student who was not listening to music (Kristina), and when I asked her why she preferred not to listen to music, the answer was: "sir, I forgot my headphones"... oh well!