The majority of learning done during a music lesson is taught using patterns, allowing the brain to train for higher forms of thinking.  

“Learning music improves maths skills because, at some level, all music is maths. It's about time signatures, beats per minute and formulaic progressions. Performing music, therefore, reinforces parts of the brain used when doing maths.” (Brain Balance Website) At Te Mata School, we have a specialised Music teachers. All students across the school from Year 0 to Year 6 participate in class lessons (throughout the year) with ‘Matua Danny’. In Year 5 and 6 students are given the opportunity to opt into learning a musical instrument with a private provider (if parents opt to fund lessons). Through fun, motivating and creative opportunities, students not only develop their mathematical thinking and reasoning, they also develop our school values of: 

• Tuakiritanga/Belonging - through attempting things they may not have done before, learning about themselves as a learner. 

• Manaakitanga/Respect - Caring for musical instruments and ensuring patterns, beats and melodies are accurate. 

• Whakapuāwai/Personal Excellence -flourishing in settings that ask them to practise and perform to high standards. 

• Auahatanga/Creativity and Innovation - by creating music.

Te Mata School students benefit from the skills of experienced music teachers. 

When you walk into Danny’s music lessons, you will hear students learning to keep the time and keep the beat in music, involved in music games and activities, and singing to songs or repeating chants. Often this involves students dancing or moving to songs and rhymes, practising keeping the beat.  Laughter can be heard alongside ‘mistakes’ in learning or practise; a growth mindset is always encouraged “practise makes perfect”.  

Students benefit from our well resourced supply of musical instruments:  ukuleles, drums, percussion instruments; e.g. xylophones. Often, students are challenged to problem-solve when creating their own pieces of music, working together for a common purpose. The New Zealand Maths Curriculum has recently been updated and strong links can be seen to music via algebra.  Learning a musical pattern allows students to:

• Years 1 to 3 (Phase 1 of the Curriculum), in Algebra students will learn to: “know that patterns are made up of elements, including numeric or spatial elements, in a sequence governed by a rule. Repeating patterns have a unit of repeat; growing patterns can increase or decrease. The equal sign is relational in that it shows that the two sides of an equation represent the same quantity. Students also know that an algorithm is a set of step-by-step instructions for completing a task or solving a problem.”

• Students are also now required to ‘Understand’ maths within contents, for example with Years 4 to 6 they need to understand Patterns and variations “The world is full of patterns and is defined by a multitude of relationships in which change and variation occur. Mathematics and statistics provide structures that are useful for noticing, exploring, and describing different types of patterns and relationships, enabling us to generate insights or make conjectures.”

 

Students are taught to read music, to varying levels based on their age and stage of development.  

What is it like to learn an instrument in Year 5 & 6? 

Magnus & Greta - Guitar

• Guitar lessons with Matua Danny are fun and engaging. He often starts by writing a piece of music on the board, encouraging us to explore its rhythm, time signature, and key. We always get time to practise the piece we're learning, and Matua Danny’s feedback is incredibly helpful. He’s a fantastic teacher. Our small group of three meets every Friday, and Matua Danny introduces us to a variety of music styles, even pieces written in Spanish. He focuses on teaching picking techniques rather than strumming, helping us master detailed fingerwork. Learning with him is truly enjoyable.

Izzy & Ella - Piano 

• Every Thursday, we have piano lessons with Kathy in the Te Mata School music room, working together in small groups. We practise the pieces we’re learning, and Kathy takes time to chat with each of us, giving tips on how to improve. She’s always encouraging, which makes learning the piano enjoyable and motivating. We really enjoy our lessons and look forward to getting better each week.

Meelah - Violin

• Every Wednesday at lunchtime, I head to violin practice at the intermediate school with three other students from Te Mata School. We meet our teacher in her homeroom where we’re learning the basics, like new strings and finger placements. Playing the violin makes me feel unique—like I'm part of something special. It’s the beginning of my musical journey, and I'm loving every step.

Olivia V - Voice

• My voice lessons focus on learning songs and improving vocal techniques. We practise voice projection and control which is exactly what I’m looking to make better. The teachers are kind and understanding, creating a welcoming environment for us. My lesson is at 8:45am every Monday, and I meet up with two other Te Mata students there to sing and grow together.

Julia - Orchestra & Violin

• Being invited to join the orchestra is exciting—four of us from Te Mata School were chosen, and it's a special mix of students from various schools. I’ve been learning the violin for almost two years, and it's like learning a new language. During lessons, we have "violin Olympics," with events that make practising technique fun and challenging. We use both a playbook and sheet music to guide our learning. Every Wednesday at 12:15pm, I walk over with two other students, and it’s a great way to prepare for HNI next year. Knowing the school and having a connection with a teacher I’ve known for two years makes me feel confident about the future.

Charlotte, Blake & Taylor - Drum

• With Cam, our drum teacher, we learn how to read music and play different drum beats. It’s noisy, but it’s a lot of fun! Every Monday, we head to the music room at Te Mata School, where he shows us new rhythms each week. There are two drum sets, and we either practise with a buddy or in a small group. 

At Te Mata we have an optional Ukulele group that anyone can join - this is a lunchtime activity we offer once a week.  

Further links discussing the benefits of learning music linked to maths development:

• New study reveals adding music helps students learn maths (Talk Back ZB, 2023)

• Using music to facilitate academic achievement (Teachers Matters Website)

• Empowering young children with musical play and exploration (The Education Hub, 2022)   

 

Article added: Wednesday 13 November 2024