Turn Up the Music: The Benefits of Music in Classrooms

When you learned the alphabet, chances are it was through this well-known tune: “Now I know my ABCs. Next time won’t you sing with me?” Music has a way of sticking with us. Whether it’s your all-time favorite ballad or a song for learning, the melodies can help us find the words from the depths of our memories and invoke our emotions. And for this reason, music is a powerful teaching tool that more schools are implementing to help students learn a variety of topics—far beyond their ABCs.

Studies have shown that using music in a school environment comes with a long list of benefits including improving learning; building reading skills; reducing feelings of anxiety and stress; teaching emotional management; and boosting positivity within a classroom environment. A research team from Stanford University School of Medicine found that music also engages part of the brain that is involved with paying attention. That’s why schools such as K12-powered schools are finding creative and meaningful ways to weave music into the academic journey.

K12 recently partnered with Snoop Dogg’s Doggyland to empower students’ learning through video content, interactive lessons, and activities, all featuring educational music. This 3D animated series—created by world-renowned superstar, songwriter, producer, and rapper Snoop Dogg—is set in a vibrant world where a colorful and diverse cast of dogs sing, rap, and dance to songs that foster learning, cognitive development, and social-emotional skills.

Each character has its own unique personality—from the shy, apprehensive pup Chow Wow to the confident, spirited Woofee—allowing students to feel connected to the cast on screen. Through their songs, students engage in topics such as letter and number recognition, sharing, colors, the importance of accepting others, diversity, and practicing good habits to name a few.

K12-powered teachers can select the best musical options and content from the Doggyland collection for their students based on their own individual needs, giving them a highly personalized, interactive learning experience. This means parents of K12-powered students can feel confident that their children are not only receiving the benefits of learning through music, but also are being supported in reaching their learning objectives—all while having fun.If you’re seeking ways to help your child refine their love for learning, K12-powered schools can help. To learn more about their award-winning, standards-aligned curriculum and engaging, research-based content, go to K12.com.