Topics about the brain and its various functions in the aspect of our lives from motions to emotions, from intellect to creativeness vary to about hundreds. But this show has a particular inclination on the role of shaping ones 'brain' in the field of music. We know one or two kids, either personally or not, who are brilliant and child prodigies in music. You might be familiar through media about these kids as low as age 3 to 5 playing complex tunes and pieces on the sophisticated instruments such as piano, violin or guitar. My parents started enrolling me in Organ lessons when I was 9, which by standards is a little bit too late. I began self-studying and gained good playing leverage with the guitar when I was in highschool, backed up by self-study in harmonica. These are are purely for musical interest, but I was never near to exhausting my brain like these child prodigies.
In this National Geography show, it specifically tackles how in the world do kids ages 3-5 can learn how to play complex pieces...proficiently. We, being awed and speculative, can immediately count it as work of superior genes, or is it? How early should the child be mentally stimulated and would it be healthy if it's started in much earlier years? How powerful is the brain? And finally, Do Brains Mold Geniuses, or Geniuses mold the brain?
These mental questions that have been boggling science is taken into the light of music. Playing any instrument as we all know requires more than interest or brilliant hearing. It requires dexterity, mind and body coordination and the usual skills of decoding notes and quality checking. All in all it's a multi-tasking event. How can a mere three year old do that when it's supposed to be doodling around and only supposed to enjoy play-doh?
According to the show, kids' brains as early as 1-3 are very crucial and already in need for a mental stimulation. That is why some kids nowadays are being enrolled in a PREPARATORY to PREP School (Preparation to be prepared??), or enrolled in a normal music class. Some traditional parents might see brutality in this concept, but what they might be forgetting is that the brain is scientifically known to be massively powerful. Engaging kids in a form of mental stimulation at this early age will not only give them edge and redefined methods in learning, but it would also mold their future in life. As early as this age, the brain is such a sponge that it has twice more neuro connections than any average adult. Mental stimulation, according to the scientists, allows the brain to properly use these neuro connections well, and at the same time cut the neuro connections that are not needed, which if not done, might hamper growth and personality. A person locked up without mental stimulation in 12 years, may have already passed the window of mental opportunity, and acts like a mere 18th month old child. The mental neuro- connections the person should have developed 10 years ago cannot be easily developed, nor the neuro-connections that should have been cut off, that affect a lot of decision making and personality traits will now be hard to cut off.
Ushering mental stimulation in early years is important. In a case of this young chinese boy, Marc Yu, he has been immersed in musical training at the ripe age of 3. By then he has developed his hearing capabilities and mental capabilities to be able to show off playing complex pieces before the age of 5. Is he a genius to begin with or massive brain work is involved in becoming a genius? Some scientists argue that it takes more than interests or genes in creating geniuses. In fact, it takes a lot, and usually it accounts to the how conducive the environment and how stimulated the child is. They stress the point that a child should be exposed to mental stimulation at an early age. Second, a child must develop its "rage to master" personality, wherein the child does not wait for encouragement to learn or master a specific field. A straight student or a someone who is good with music or ballet, might be the best, but they shouldn't wait for coercion or encouragement to master their fields. They should be in a way "obsessed" to their own mental development. Third, some say genes may play a great part in it. But all in all, genius or not, the brains that develop and stimulated early fair better in life, than the average brains. Since their brains are exercised as early, they have more mental absorption, perception and capacity than their contemporaries who just stuck to watching cartoons and learning simple ABC's.
Just like what the renowned writer, Jessica Zafra, personally noted, that the brain is such a powerful organ that one should not think it is being maximized. In a lifetime, we only use a portion of our brain, thus not using it to its full capacity. So if you think you're having a hard time or an intense headache while solving math problems, concocting solutions and experiments or making proposals are indication that the brain is OVERUSED, well think again. It may grow tired from time to time and needs a little rest, but it is never maximized or overused like any other gadget. In this, I couldn't agre more.
Proper mental stimulation at an early age, might just sound attractive, but in reality it is proven to be a good thing, rather than an unnatural thing. This is just one of the facets of how powerful the brain is. That is why we should use it and learn how to manipulate it. So like you or me, who have passed the crucial stage of child prodigy, it is not an excuse to not exercise our brain. And doing our usual tasks at work is not enough. There are lot of ways to maximize this most brilliant organ. We should learn something out of the ordinary, read news and different articles. It exposes our brain and utilizes its other powers that have been slumbering for quite some time now. We may not be certified geniuses, but it's not a crime for trying to get there in our right. :) And to those modern mothers that might have practiced listening to music, reading, or engaging in mental stimulation as early as pregnancy, might prove them right....now it does not take a genius to know that.
*Source: National Geographic:
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