Introduction
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the wind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything”
- Plato
Since the days of Plato, and even before, music has made an impact on many. We find music everywhere we go. It can be playing in stores, elevators, while we are on hold on the phone, and in the television shows we watch each night, just to name a few. Music can affect how we feel and what we feel. Movies for example, have specific soundtracks. Many of us can remember the specific theme songs from our favorite movies: “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” from The Breakfast Club, “Circle of Life” from The Lion King, and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz. The music created for these moments create memories and stick for life. Remembering the event, just by a song is a great feat. Learning about this powerful language called music can be very helpful to children. Understanding how to create sound, specifically, how to create music with purpose, kids learn a new way to express themselves in ways that they would have never done before. By doing so in a school setting, the kids are able to have equal opportunity to learn this specific art. Parents should be in support of music programs in schools to help children express themselves in ways that standardized subjects cannot.
Academic Research
Every year the opportunity for children to participate in visual arts programs dwindle. Throughout the nation, budgets suffer because of the lack of funds for education. This is particularly evident in the arts, whether it is art classes, music classes or drama classes. In New York City, from 2006-2007 and 2010, the arts programs were cut by 68%. In a specific high school, the ...
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...Retrieved Apr. 20, 2014, from http://www.takepart.com/article/2012/08/30/music-education-why-does-not-have-expensive-why-should-stay-schools.
Phifer, M. (2011). Despite White House Report Advocating Art Education, Budgets Face Cuts. Retrieved Apr. 20, 2014, from http://abcnews.go.com/OnCampus/cutbacks-white-house-report-advocates-arts-education/story?id=13582683&singlePage=true.
Pilcher, J. (2010). What not to wear? girls, clothing, and ‘showing’ the body. Children & Society, (24). 416-70.
Public Boardcasting Station. (2014). The Benefits of Music Education. Music & Arts. Education. | PBS Parents. Retrieved Apr. 20, 2014, from http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/the-benefits-of-music-education/
Qi, Y. (2012). The significance of music in early childhood education. Educating Young Children: Learning & Teaching In The Early Childhood Years, 18(2), 40-42.
There have been many studies done to find how music influences a child’s development. The College Entrance Examination Board discovered that students who took music appreciation classes had higher verbal and math scores than those who did not take the classes. (Stephens 2003) The U.S. Department of Education found that in 25,000 secondary schools, students who were highly involved in the music program did much better in math than any other students. (Stephens 2003) These studies and more have found that involvement in music increases chi...
We are all familiar with the way children interact and play together. Through these interactions, it is clear to see their curiosity, energetic attitude, and friendliness. However there is one important part of their interactions that is overlooked. We often do not think much of kids humming a tune or combining small syllables into a little song, but if we paid close attention, we could see how music is so thoroughly integrated into a child’s life. After reading “Songs in Their Heads: Music and its Meaning in Children’s Lives” by Patricia Shehan Campbell, it became clear to me how children have a concept of music from such a young age, and in a lot of cases, their knowledge of music is not taught to them through school.
Since 2001, budget cuts in art education have increased dramatically. In New York from 2006-2011 funding for art education in public schools were cut 68% (Phifer 2).This epidemic is spreading all across America due to the push for better standardized test scores. Reading and math have become the governments highest priority, leaving the arts in the shadows. But what if the arts could also improve test scores? Despite what many government leaders believe, budget cuts in art education are depriving Americas children emotionally, academically and socially.
A recent development in public education has been the decline in arts programs nationwide. Budget cuts to arts programs are responsive to decreases in state funding, especially in states with conservative economic policies. Many states have also enacted legislation disabling local school districts’ abilities to justify employing art and music teachers. Consequently, several problems have manifested themselves, including the loss of arts programs proving detrimental to the overall quality of education for today’s children. First and foremost, arts programs improve overall performance in core school subjects; this is demonstrated clearly through higher test scores amongst students with exposure to arts and positive correlations between arts and core class engagement. Other reasons supporting retaining arts programs include to help foster community development, produce creative minds, develop problem-solving skills, aid in child development and visual-spatial skills, and encourage underprivileged students to remain in school (Metla, 2015). By removing arts programs from some public schools, an alarming issue of public concern arises. Public education, given that it is considered to be a non-rivalrous and non-excludable, is deemed a public good (Clark, 2016). Cutting arts programs in public schools, especially when cuts transpire in schools saturated with heavy minority populations, creates inequitable education and creates a serious issue of public concern.
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Lewis Brown, Laura. "The Benefits of Music Education." PBS.org. PBS, N.D.. Web. 20 Feb. 2014.
All around the United States, art programs are being cut out of the budget in public schools. The arts include dance, band, chorus, theatre, film, drawing, painting, photography and literary arts. Some school board members feel these art programs are not necessary and do not benefit the students in any way. Elementary, middle, and high school students are forced to quit their passion and feel that their talents are not supported by their schools. Although many are not aware, there is a strong connection between arts education and academic achievement. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts in many public schools, the art classes are first on the list to be cut. It is important that the students, parents and teachers fight for their desire to keep the arts in public schools. Art programs in public schools are essential to the development of young minds; therefore the school boards should enhance and improve the programs and should not cut funding or force a class to be discontinued.
Brown, L. L. (2012, May 25). The Benefits of Music Education. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent” (Hugo). During the Romantic era, Victor Hugo became one of the most well known French authors. Victor is typically known for his poetry and novels including Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. Through his inspirational work, Victor told stories of love, loss, and beauty in the world. Victor believes one of these beauties is music because of its ability to create, inspire, and embody someone’s thoughts and emotions. This mentality towards music is why society integrates music into the school systems. While the progress made by each individual is circumstantial, varying music programs in K-12 school systems need to be heavily provided and encouraged.
Much too often in America today, modern music and art programs in schools are perceived to many as extracurricular activities rather than important subjects that are vital to a students learning and skill development. The truth of the matter is that encouraging music and art education in public schools has a much larger impact on student’s grades, academic performance, and the economy than the majority people realize. Within the next year city school budgets will be dropping by twenty five percent, and despite the fact that music and art programs have been showing a dramatic contribution to student’s learning, this substantial drop in funding for the programs will lead to no dedicated money for art or music programs (Mezzacappa). There is no doubt that a cut in funding for art programs will take a huge toll on students overall grades and test scores. Research has found that the studying of music and art facilitates learning in other subjects and enhances children’s skills in other areas (Brown). Furthermore, providing students with a creative outlet can do great justice in reducing the stress from many other classes and even offer insight for students in possible career paths involving the art field. The art industry today currently supports 4.1 million full-time jobs (Dorfman). By increasing the funding of music and art programs for students preschool through twelfth grade we can see a dramatic increase in the education of children across the United States, assist with skill development in young students, and greatly benefit the economy at the same time.
“Every student in the nation should have an education in the arts.” This is the opening statement of “The Value and Quality of Arts Education: A Statement of Principles,” a document from the nation’s ten most important educational organizations. The basic message is that music and art programs in the schools help our kids and communities in real and substantial ways. There is an abundant amount of facts and information that supports this statement. The benefits of arts education can be narrowed down into 4 basic categories: success in developing intelligence, success in ...
Music education plays an enormous role in student’s overall well being, outweighing the costs of it. In 1994, Congress passed the Improving America’s Schools Act, concluding that “...the arts are forms of understanding and ways of knowing that are fundamentally important to education” (Ford, AdamMcMahon, Maureen). Congress recognized the importance of music education. Now the effort must be made to make a difference. If people really do want the best for the future, music education is key. Ramon Cortines, former chancellor of the New York City public schools stated, “We engage in the arts, we ought to teach the arts, because this is part of what it means to be human” (“Arts Education”). When people eventually realize this, the benefits will be vast.
“An art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color” is music defined by Dictionary.com. This definition is for the most part is accurate, from a superficial standpoint, although it does not capture the importance of music as music is vital in the rehabilitation and development of others. For instance, music is a tool that can be very effective if used properly. Take small school children for example. More often than not, they are taught songs that are intended to help them remember important information Even if the child is unable to recount the lyrics of the song, they will most likely be able to hum the tune and recount the information. Music not only assists children, it also adequately aids adults. This is the case with the classical music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as it has been known to entice learning. Most people in our western society predominantly use the left sides of the brain but the music of Mozart causes both sides of the brain to work toge...
Music in school is very important because of how much music can benefit the brain. Taking music classes can improve early cognitive development associated with memory, reasoning and problem solving, all of which are very important in the development of the brain. It is also said that music can expand a child’s imagination which could also entail an increase in creativity.
Music is one of the specials in school that can be implemented in the classroom. In kindergarten through fifth grade, music can be used in the classroom to teach students the daily classroom curriculum. There are several ways that a teacher can implement music into their classroom lessons. Some of those ways are creating songs, or finding creative songs on YouTube or other music websites. As a future educator it is my job to use a variety of teaching methods, and one of those methods should be applying music in my lessons.