“I’m pretty good at regurgitating information
like vocab quizzes and stuff like that, just memorizing a
word, just looking at what the definition is and kind of going
from there,” Garrett says.

Did Garrett’s music lessons help improve his memory?
A new study, published in the journal Neuropsychology,
suggests it’s possible. In the study, a group of 90
boys with similar backgrounds and grade-point averages were
compared. Those who took music lessons scored 15% higher in
a verbal memory test.

“It could be that studying music improves attention,
concentration, sequencing … there’s any number
of conclusions that could be drawn from the study. But their
data does suggest that there is a correlation between verbal
memory and musical practice,” says Dr. Carol Drummond,
a clinical psychologist.

In fact, a study published in the journal Nature
found the region of the brain behind the left ear is known
to be larger in musicians. That part of the brain is also
responsible for verbal memory.

“Some analogy has been made that it’s like cross-training
in exercising – that by working different parts of your
brain actively, you can improve functioning in many different
areas,” Dr. Drummond says.

Experts say memorizing is a skill that improves with practice.
Music lessons may be one way of getting that practice.

“You get going and then you can kind of look at it
… look at it one time and then play it back,”
Garrett says.

Still, further study is necessary in order to prove conclusively
a connection between music and memory. Either way, that’s
OK with Garret’s mother, Vivian.

“I enjoy listening to him and putting together something,
picking out chords or whatever it is that they do and putting
something together,” she says.

New research from the
Chinese University of Hong Kong indicates that studying music
can improve a child’s memory and boost his or her academic
ability. For their study, researchers evaluated 90 boys aged
6 to 15, half of which were members of the school orchestra
with up to five years of musical training. After administering
verbal recall and visual memory tests, researchers found that
the boys with musical training recalled significantly more
information than the non-musical boys. In fact, those boys
with the most musical training had the best on verbal memory.
In a follow-up study one year later, the boys who gave up
music could not match the verbal memory of those who continued,
yet they did not lose the verbal memory advantage they gained
while they took music lessons.

For years, experts have touted the importance of arts programs
in relation to a child’s development. Now new evidence suggests
that studying the arts in school may help strengthen children’s
academic and social skills in such a way that it makes it
easier for them to achieve in higher-level courses, such as
mathematics. The comprehensive report, titled “Critical
Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social
Development,” also found that arts education is particularly
beneficial for young children along with students who are
economically disadvantaged or struggling academically.

Researchers from the Arts Education Partnership (AEP) reviewed
62 studies of how dance, music, drama, visual arts and other
arts education affected student achievement. They found that
strong arts programs are linked to improving communication
and critical-thinking skills, school climate and student motivation
for learning. The report cites the following relationship
between arts programs and major academic fields:

• Reading and language development:
  Certain forms of arts instruction enhance and complement
  basic reading instruction aimed at helping children “break
  the phonetic code” that unlocks written language by
  associating letters, words and phrases with sounds, sentences
  and meanings. Reading comprehension and speaking and writing
  skills are also improved.
• Mathematics: Certain music
  instruction develops spatial reasoning and spatial-temporal
  reasoning skills, which are fundamental to understanding
  and using mathematical ideas and concepts.
• Fundamental thinking skills and
  capacities: Learning in individual art forms, as
  well as in multiple arts experiences, engages and strengthens
  such fundamental cognitive capacities as spatial reasoning,
  conditional reasoning, problem-solving and creative thinking.
• Motivations to learn: Learning
  in the arts nurtures motivation, including active engagement,
  disciplined and sustained attention, persistence and risk-taking,
  and also increases attendance and educational aspirations.
• Effective social behavior:
  Studies of student learning in certain arts activities show
  student growth in self-confidence, self-control, self-identity,
  conflict resolution, collaboration, empathy and social tolerance.
• School environment: Studies
  show that the arts help to create the kind of learning environment
  that is conducive to teacher and student success by fostering
  teacher innovation, a positive professional culture, community
  engagement, increased student attendance and retention,
  effective instructional practice and school identity.

What are some other reasons why you should encourage your
child to take an active interest in the arts? Americans for
the Arts, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing
the arts in America, cites the following benefits for youth
who participate in the arts at least three hours on three
days each week:

• They are four times more likely to be recognized for academic
  achievement.
• They are three times more likely to be elected to a class
  office within their schools.
• They are four times more likely to participate in a math
  and science fair.
• They are three times more likely to win an award for school
  attendance.
• They are four times more likely to win an award for writing
  an essay or poem.
• They are twice as likely to read for pleasure.
• They are four times more likely to perform community service.

And according to the National Endowment for the Arts, participation
in arts education programs has a positive impact on at-risk
youth by deterring delinquent behavior and truancy problems
while also increasing overall academic performance.

As a parent, what steps can you take to increase
your child’s level of participation in arts programs? The
Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE) suggests these
tips for inspiring a young artist at home:

• Teach your child songs, and enjoy singing them together.
• Play different kinds of music from the radio or your own
  collection, and encourage your child to enjoy singing and
  dancing along with the music.
• A simple paper and pencil or crayon can offer your young
  child the chance to express himself or herself. Even a scribble
  is a good beginning – the important point is for your child
  to feel encouraged and to develop the habit of writing and
  drawing. Your child’s skill will improve as he or she naturally
  compares his or her work to other pictures and words he
  or she sees. Drawing and writing together will help your
  child see that you value those activities as well.
• Provide pictures and books available for your child to
  enjoy and value. Your local library can be a terrific source
  of material at no cost to you.
• Practice photography with adolescents. Buy a disposable
  camera with which your child can practice. Talk to your
  child about composing a photograph – what is included and
  what is cut out through the choice of the photographer.
  Work together on creating family photo albums or other thematic
  collections.
• Make videos together. Try organizing the shots ahead of
  time to tell a story as in filmmaking.
• Read and write poems. Help your adolescent feel the rhythm
  in poems you enjoy reading and enjoy the fun of writing
  together within an organized system of verse. If it is difficult
  to create your own rhythm, practice by borrowing the verse
  and rhythm structure of a poem you enjoy and make up new
  words to fit the poem’s structure.

You can also work with your child’s school in order to encourage
artistic and creative expression. The National PTA suggests
you meet with your child’s principal or teacher to see what
you can do to support an effective arts curriculum in the
school. During your meeting, consider asking the following
questions:

• Does the district have a written, sequential arts curriculum
  that is used in grades K-12?
• Does the curriculum include different aspects of art,
  such as art-making, discussions about the history of art,
  learning how to interpret art and the nature of art?
• Does the curriculum have specific goals? Does it follow
  a sequence? Does it build on what students have learned
  in previous grades and prepare them for the next grade?
• Does the school support its arts program through art textbooks,
  visual reproductions, films and slides?
• Does the arts program draw upon resources in the community?
• Does each student receive arts instruction from a qualified
  teacher for an adequate time period? (The National Art Education
  Association recommends at least 100 minutes per week for
  elementary students.)
• Is the school’s arts program evaluated regularly for effectiveness?
  Are teachers given feedback to help them improve instruction?

Participating in community-wide efforts to promote arts education
is another way to help your child gain an artistic advantage.
CAPE offers these suggestions:

• Most communities have arts festivals, craft fairs and
  even seasonal celebrations that feature music and dancing.
  The more opportunity your child has to see the arts in action,
  the more ideas he or she will get about how he or she can
  participate and contribute.
• Attend presentations at professional venues (theater for
  younger children and adult dramas, comedies and musicals
  for older children; symphonies; jazz ensembles; dance companies
  and art exhibits) to help your child experience excellence
  in art.
• Enroll your child in after-school or summer classes that
  teach drawing, dance, musical instruments, singing or theater
  skills.
• Check out books from the library that tell stories about
  visual artists, dancers, actors and musicians. This will
  introduce your child to the arts and help him or her feel
  like he or she “knows” various artists.
• Help your child understand art forms that were developed
  by people of your own racial or ethic heritage, or talk
  about family members who had a particular talent or interest
  in an art form (maybe your child’s grandfather loved to
  sing or his or her uncle was a good storyteller). Ask your
  child what art form he or she enjoys doing the most and
  encourage him or her to pursue it.

“Pretty much everyone that I know downloads music on
their computer,” 18-year-old Jonathan Morse says.

Millions of teen do it, but some say it’s illegal.

“It’s stealing from the musicians,” says Noah Pine,
18.

Some say it’s OK because it’s so easy.

“For me, it feels like you’re not stealing when you’re
just downloading something off the computer,” 14-year-old
Avi Gelfond says.

Others argue that it’s OK as long as it’s only one song per
album.

“There’s no reason to buy an entire CD for $15 to $17
for one song,” says Tova Gelfond, 18.

And still others say it’s OK because it only amounts to a
few dollars.

“I mean, downloading a song or two of a particular artist
is not going to hurt them that much,” Morse says.

Experts admit that parents may be persuaded by the same arguments:
Everyone’s doing it, it seems harmless and it’s easy.

“[But] if you believe that stealing is wrong and you
allow your children to do this or do it yourself, then certainly
you’re not adhering to the values you’re trying to teach them,”
says Dr. Carol Drummond, Ph.D., a psychologist.

Experts suggest that parents sit down with their children
and talk about the musicians who created that song, the work
the musicians put into it and how getting paid for that work
is how the artists make their living.

“Because that’s how kids develop a conscience. That’s
how they develop empathy for others and the rules and values
under which they’re going to operate,” Dr. Drummond says.

By Suki Shergill-Connolly, M.Ed.
CWK Network, Inc.

The excuses are familiar: “Everyone is doing it.”
“It’s harmless.” “It’s easy.”

Many parents don’t think it’s a big deal when their children
download copyrighted music from the Internet. In fact, more
than 60 million Americans obtain music illegally using “peer-to-peer”
networks like Napster, Inc. But a new ruling from the U.S.
District Court may be enough ammunition to make parents take
a closer look at their children’s online activities.

According to the court’s ruling in The
Recording Industry Association of America v. Verizon Internet
Services, entertainment companies the right to get
an individual’s name, address and phone number if they have
evidence he or she is using the Internet to get or pass on
their copyrighted works. They can then use this information
to pursue legal action against those who download or upload
the illegally obtained music files.

Unfortunately, many parents and teens may not be aware of
copyright infringements when it comes to the music industry.
The Recording Industry Association of America’s (RIAA) definition
of copyright is the protection of the original expression
of an idea, whether it is expressed in the form of music,
a painting or written material. A copyright is infringed when
a song is made available to the public by uploading it to
an Internet site for other people to download, sending it
through an email or chat service or otherwise reproducing
or distributing copies without authorization from the copyright
owner.

Even with the breakup of Napster, Inc., pirating music via
the Internet is still a popular pastime, as evidenced by a
2002 USA WEEKEND magazine
poll of more than 60,000 U.S. teens:

• Of the teens interviewed, 19% frequently download music,
  26% occasionally download music and 55% never or rarely
  download music.
• Of the teens interviewed, 54% “see nothing wrong”
  with downloading music from the Internet. An estimated 10%
  say “it cheats the artists and shouldn’t be done,”
  while 15% agree “it cheats the artists, but I still
  think it’s OK.”
• Of the teens interviewed, 5% don’t understand the issues
  involved in copyright infringement.

As a parent, it is your responsibility to explain to your
child why downloading music without paying for it is an illegal
act. Music United for Strong Internet Copyright, a network
of songwriters, musicians and performers dedicated to preventing
the illegal reproduction of music, suggests discussing with
your child the following reasons why he or she should not
download free music:

• Stealing music is against the law.
  For centuries, civilized societies have granted artists,
  authors and other creative people the right to own and control
  the original work they produce, be it paintings, poems,
  songs or any other form of literary or artistic expression.
  In the United States, copyright protection is guaranteed
  under the Constitution as well as the Copyright Act. Recorded
  music is specifically protected by these laws, which means
  it is against the law to make unauthorized reproductions,
  distributions or digital transmissions of copyrighted sound
  recordings. The penalties for breaking these laws are stiff,
  particularly when digital recordings are involved. Criminal
  penalties for first-time offenders can be as high as five
  years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Civil penalties can
  run into many thousands of dollars in damages and legal
  fees. The minimum penalty is $750 per song.
• Stealing music betrays the songwriters
  and recording artists who create it. A lot of people
  who copy and distribute music illegally try to rationalize
  their behavior by arguing that the people who make recordings
  are all rich anyway, and that music should be free. For
  the artist, the hard work requires not only a major emotional
  and intellectual commitment, but also long hours, intense
  concentration and real financial risk. We like to talk about
  the imagination, soul and courage involved in creative work.
  But making music is also about career and financial well-being.
• Stealing music stifles the careers
  of new artists and up-and-coming bands. Another rationalization
  for stealing music is that illegal copying is a victimless
  crime that really doesn’t hurt anyone. Tell that to the
  struggling young musicians in a garage band who can’t get
  signed because record sales are down. Or tell it to the
  young singer-songwriter whose career dead-ends because people
  would rather download his or her music for free. Making
  records is an expensive undertaking. So is building a career.
  If people aren’t willing to pay for the music they love,
  the record companies will find it increasingly difficult
  to commit the kind of resources it takes to discover and
  develop new talent.
• Stealing music threatens the livelihood
  of the thousands of working people – from recording engineers
  to record-store clerks – who are employed in the music industry.
  Songwriters and artists, whether established or up-and-coming,
  aren’t the only people hurt by illegal copying. In the United
  States alone, the music industry employs some 50,000 people,
  and very few of them are rich rock stars. Stealing music
  also threatens the livelihoods of the thousands of technicians,
  CD-plant workers, warehousemen and other non-musicians who
  are employed in the music business helping to create and
  deliver the music you love.

Prevention on your part is key to ensuring that your child
doesn’t break the law by illegally downloading music. You
can help your child resist the urge to steal by following
these simple strategies cited by Children’s Hospital Medical
Center of Akron:

• Teach your child about ownership
  at a young age. Explain that people have a right
  to their own property and that it is wrong to take something
  that belongs to someone else, whether it’s “shoplifting”
  from a store or downloading music from the Internet.
• Teach your child how he or she
  can go about getting what he or she wants without stealing.
  Suggest that your child ask you for things that he or she
  wants, but remind him or her that you may not always say
  “yes.” Consider offering your child the opportunity
  to earn the money he or she needs to purchase a new CD by
  doing chores around the house.
• Be a good role model. Set
  a good example for your child by asking before you borrow
  things. If you tell your child that downloading music for
  free is wrong, don’t let him or her catch you “borrowing”
  software from work to download on your personal computer.
• Develop an open relationship with
  your child. Make every effort to communicate effectively
  with him or her. Children who are close to their parents
  are more likely to take on their beliefs, morals and values
  than children who don’t have a close relationship with their
  parents.
• Recognize honest behavior.
  Make every attempt to praise your child for being honest.
  The more you praise your child’s honesty, the more likely
  he or she will continue to be honest in the future.

Children’s
Hospital Medical Center of Akron
Music
United for Strong Internet Copyright
Recording Industry
Association of America
USA WEEKEND
magazine