for Developing Brains!
YES, MUSIC IS GOOD
Can music make your child smarter? A few years back, many parents answered with a resounding “Yes,” playing Mozart’s piano sonatas in the background of their babies’ nurseries.This idea of “the Mozart effect” was spawned from a 1993 study by researchers at UC Irvine. It reported that college students gained a boost in their spatial intelligence for around 15 minutes after listening to the wunderkind composer. Since then, the study has been debunked time and time again. New findings suggest that, while listening to the dulcet tones of “Piano Sonata No. 10 in C major” may teach your child to appreciate classical music, it’s not going to magically turn them into a genius. Likely, it may not have much of an effect at all, besides maybe calming them down. Then what do we make of the claim that musical training, early in life, rewires neural pathways that bolster the development of young brains? Well, unlike the imaginary “Mozart effect,” the idea that learning music spurs widespread improvement in academic intelligence has actually been shown to be remarkably true— though it’s not quite that simple. According to an influential 2014 study by Nina Kraus, director of Northwestern University’s auditory neuroscience laboratory, simply sitting in a music class and keeping your ears open isn’t enough. “We don’t see …biological changes in people who are just listening to music, who are not playing an instrument,” she told Time
magazine three years ago.“We like to say that ‘making music matters,’ because it is only through the active generation and manipulation of sound that music can rewire the brain.” As time goes on, more and more studies are finding that, indeed, active engagement with music, especially learning to play an instrument, results in improved neural processing.This is particularly true in students that start in the early stages of their development. Kraus’ own research has shown that musical engagement results in increased ability to process speech and improved reading scores, among many other benefits. Again, it’s worth noting that the greatest improvement is shown in those students who practice a specific instrument.After all, as Kraus puts it,“... you’re not going to become physically fit just by watching sports.”
Laugh Break
BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH SAUSAGE Looking for an easy, delicious Thanksgiving side dish? This gem requires only a few ingredients.
Ingredients
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2 tablespoons olive oil 3 1/3 ounces fresh, hot Italian sausage
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1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
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Salt and pepper
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1/2 cup water
Instructions
1. Trim sprouts and cut in half. 2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, 3–5 minutes. 3. Add sprouts to skillet. Add 1/2 cup water. Add salt and pepper. Cover and cook 10 minutes or until just tender. Check them periodically and add a bit more water, if necessary. 4. When sprouts are just about done, remove cover and raise heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring just once or twice, for a couple more minutes. The liquid should evaporate, and the sprouts should start to brown. 5. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or warm. Serves 4.
(Recipe courtesy of tasteofhome.com
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