« The Magic Classroom » : a music enrichment extracurricular activities program that promotes positive development among children from a disadvantaged neighbourhood.

• In Event: Poster Session 03
  In Poster Session: PS 03 Topic - Education, Schooling

Abstract

School disengagement is a worrisome phenomenon in Quebec, Canada. In its most severe form, it can lead to dropping out before obtaining a degree, a phenomenon that affects a significant proportion of young people (annual rate of 16.3% in Montreal in 2018) and is associated with various negative individual and societal consequences, such as unemployment and physical and mental health problems (CCMM & RRM, 2019). Certain subgroups are at greater risk of dropping out, including students living in disadvantaged neighborhoods (Janosz & al., 2013). Preventing these students from disengagement is therefore a priority, especially in Montreal where the proportion of elementary school students from the most disadvantaged families is 41% higher than in Quebec as a whole (CGTSIM, 2017). School engagement can be promoted by various means, starting in elementary school, since it is associated with psychosocial and academic adjustment from the beginning of schooling (Archambault & al., 2019). According to several authors, extracurricular activities in general, and musical activities in particular, are a preferred means of mobilizing young people, and thus increase their level of engagement towards school (Vandell & al., 2015). These activities would promote positive development by allowing them to have positive experiences based on learning and cooperating (Lerner & al., 2015). More specifically, active engagement in music activities can increase positive self-perceptions and result in a greater ability to persist in the face of adversity, and thus to be more successful overall (Hallam, 2010). However, the existing literature is limited for two reasons. First, the presumed benefits of extracurricular activities have generally been evaluated in correlation studies (Roth & Brooks-Gunn, 2016). Moreover, existing studies on extracurricular activities focus primarily on socio-economically advantaged youth belonging to majority groups, whereas disadvantaged youth seem to benefit the most from this type of activities (Holochwost & al., 2017; Vandell & al., 2015). The objective of this research is to evaluate, in a quasi-experimental research, the « Enchanted Classroom », a non-selective music extracurricular activity program offered free or at low cost to students in an underprivileged public school from a multiethnic and disadvantaged Montreal neighborhood. The program lasts three years, from grades 4 to 6. More specifically, this research will evaluate the short- and medium-term effects of this program on students’ school engagement. It is expected that compared to non-participating students, the engagement of students participating in the program will stand out positively, particularly at the end of elementary school, after three years of sustained involvement. The sample is composed of two cohorts of students recruited while they were in 4th grade (2017-18 and 2018-19). Data has been collected twice a year until the end of elementary school (6 measurement times in total). Of these students, 32 participated in the « Enchanted Classroom » program. They will be compared to the rest of students (N = 115). Levels of school engagement were assessed according to three sources: students and their regular and music teachers, based on a validated measure, the School Engagement Dimensions Scale (Archambault & Vandenbossche-Makombo, 2014).

Authors

• Marilou Meilleur, Université de Montréal (UdeM)
  Presenting Author

• Véronique Dupéré, Université de Montréal
  Non-Presenting Author

• Isabelle Archambault, University of Montreal
  Non-Presenting Author