New research on music that boosts social and emotional skills

Hi everyone-

I'm new here but just wanted to share the following:

A research and intervention project has taken place in the Santa Barbara, CA schools to help children boost their social and emotional skills. Using the award-winning songs and activities of Ready to Rock Kids, 320 first and second grade children from sixteen classrooms in the Santa Barbara schools were involved. The children each received a CD of the songs, and in a subsequent condition, college students were trained to provide forty-minute lessons using the songs and activities on nine Friday afternoons.

The lessons included the following themes:

1. Friendship and Reaching Out
2. Respect and Caring
3. Celebrating Differences
4. Expressing and Managing Feelings
5. Communication and Conflict
6. Positive Thinking
7. Dealing with Fears
8. Best Effort
9. Manners and Review

Some of the most significant improvements found for both first and second graders were in “encouraging others to do their best,” as well as following rules in the group. There were also positive changes with confidence. First graders showed more dramatic changes than second graders, learning skills in approaching peers, using effective tools with teasing and bullying, understanding and using the Golden Rule, resolving conflicts by talking out feelings, staying on task, having a positive attitude, and applying concepts learned from Ready to Rock to every day situations. Parents were also enthusiastic about the project, loved the messages of the songs, reported that the kids listened frequently to the CDs, and that the project prompted meaningful and helpful family discussions.