Our objectives were situated on 3 levels: - on a micro level, we wanted pupils to feel the positive effect from music lessons and projects, cognitively, emotionally and socially. - on the meso level, we aimed for pupils, teachers, school leaders and other stakeholders (parents, local community, other organisations) to cooperate more closely to find innovative solutions to pedagogical and organisational challenges. - on the macro level, we wanted all partners to promote music as an essential part of the education of young people.
Pupils not only learn the intrinsic value of music, but they also learn better thanks to it. They can direct themselves better with music, are better able to focus their attention and learn to be empathetic and social. Moreover, music helps them with basic functions such as sound recognition and timing, which are necessary for learning to read and spell properly. Also, according to research rhythm makes music predictable, and allows groups of people to move with the music. Rhythm allows large groups to synchronise in movement and sing together, allowing individual differences to fade away in the bigger picture. Moving together breaks down social barriers. Music helps to be connected and helps to fight feeling lonely. This is more important now than ever: loneliness is a growing problem in our urbanised society. Loneliness has a major negative effect on people's health. Singing together powerfully pushes the button of feeling connected. In our rapidly changing society, full of temptation and distraction, good self-management is more important than ever. With M4tB, we wanted to address the needs analysed in the school curricula as in all schools, arts and music get little attention, translated in few teaching hours per week.