rECENT pROFESSIONAL dEVELOPMENT

Humans have been producing art in many capacities since our earliest records.  The arts have a deep impact on our lives and always have.  This book discusses how involvement in the arts (any of them!) can impact our wellbeing, our sense of community, and more using research into the brain.  

The specific neuroscience of making and listening to music is such valuable information for musicians and music teachers so we can apply this information to our practicing and teaching methods.  It allows for deep advocacy when we can describe exactly how music impacts the brain and why engagement in it is so valuable for every brain.  

In teaching, every teacher will encounter a wide variety of students with different learning circumstances.  This book gave great insight into how the brain learns, and went into great depth on how having a gifted brain impacts learning.  

Filled with resources for helping students develop growth mindset, this book is immensely useful when teaching a challenging subject such as music.  The data and research it cited was extremely important for all educators to see--engagement is deeply impacted by student ability to develop and keep a growth mindset regardless of subject. 

This book by Dr. Anita Collins is a direly important read for teachers, parents, and stakeholders in music education, filled with factual information about how valuable music education is for everyone at all stages of life.  The research she presents is accessible, quick and easy to read, with brilliant insights from her own experiences.  

I earned my certification in Drums Alive, Drumtastic, and Golden Beats with the intention of engaging the Spark Music community in active music.  Everyone can participate positively in music without having to engage in daily practice, so this is perfect for busy kids and adults alike.  It also provides healthy exercise for every age and ability.