Music Therapy

I have the fortunate opporunity to work in an actual school while attending classes for my Masters in Elementary Education/Special Education. There have been studies that suggest that music can tame the savage beast. There are some contemporary beliefs within a professional therapeutic setting where music is used to ease aggression, fears, and the common headache. But like many contemporary theories, can music really tame the savage beast in all of us?

It would seem yes, but since this is just a theory it does create some speculation until now. I have a student within school that has some hyperactivity as well as aggression. I have recently begin to see with a new Christmas gift, an MP3 player that when he is allowed to use it during indoor recess, he is much more focused and alert during his afternoon subjects. He quietly sits at his desk listening, with the occassional friend approaching him to hear what he is listening too. When recess is over, I quietly stand in front of him to let him know that recess is over, he never fights me to have more time nor is he too excited for me to attempt to calm down. I believe that there maybe some real potential for this within the classroom. Whether it is during recess with a amplified system or a child is allowed to have one during supervised, non class time is the question. Without a ton of research it seems that the child he tends to learn in an auditor capacity may find the music soothing and calming.

Step 2: find out what is on his MP3 player.
To Be Continued...