Singing as Resilience: The Missing Link in Education?

Abstract

Abstract Music, particularly singing, has been used as an engaging and effective teaching and learning tool for thousands of years. The introduction of standardised testing and implementation of the national curriculum have seen the education focus narrow on literacy and numeracy. Rather than education putting children first, it seems that we are in now in competition with other schools, states, and countries to determine which is 'the best'. This has seen the study of music, seen as non-essential, marginalised. This appears to be a global phenomenon. Behaviour problems in schools continue to increase, results for standardised test results are not improving, but the education focus continues to narrow. This paper discusses the unique role of singing on the development of resilience, which is an umbrella term that describes the ability to successfully navigate life events. Music fills a unique role in development and needs to stand on equal terms with literacy and numeracy for optimal academic and personal development.