Many American schools have been cutting their budgets, and music classes are one of the first classes to be cut. This is because music is not considered part of the core curriculum as are classes such as English and math. Music classes are being cut despite their proven mental benefits in areas such as language and mathematics. Music classes should not be getting cut from public schools and the benefits of playing a musical instrument should be taken more seriously. Music classes are very beneficial for the mental development of children and should play an important part in education.
Music increases intelligence skills and may help children in academic areas not associated with music. Studies published on September 20th 2006 in science daily about how the study of music affects children between ages four and six says that “After one year the musically trained children performed better in a memory test that is correlated with general intelligence skills such as literacy, verbal memory, Visio spatial processing, mathematics and IQ.” This Quote suggests that if children study music they will perform better in school and retain more of the information that they learned. It seems that music may be just as vital as math and English because it will help children excel in these areas by increasing intelligence skills. So with all of these benefits why is the music program one of the first departments to be taken out during budget cuts? Of course I do understand that music is considered an elective and that electives are
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not recognized for having the importance of a core class but the benefits of having music in school curriculum seems obvious.
Another thing that playing music can improve is language skills. In the articl...
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...itive affects on a child’s mental abilities. Schools are not taking into account the fact that music has such beneficial effects on children’s learning abilities outside the musical benefits. In addition Children that are not being able to take music classes may not be reaching the full potential that the study of a musical instrument may help them to achieve. Children should not be missing out on the opportunity to study and learn from playing music. Music may bring a child into a place were they can accomplish school with more ease than otherwise and this should not be ignored. Further more people should be more informed on the positive cognitive affects of music and what it can bring to the academic table.Lastly, If music continues to be cut from public schools more and more children may be missing out on the benefits and joy of playing a musical instrument.
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...
Before addressing the need for music instruction in our schools I would like to briefly examine the need for education of any kind. Education is a means of making sure our society has a given set of knowledge. The set of knowledge we perceive ourselves as needing changes based on our surroundings and the issues we are dealing with. In American education's early history we perceived ourselves as needing a set of knowledge that included a common language and common view of history, as well as knowledge of those things with which we would interact every day. In many ways early public education was more a means of social control than an altruistic endeavor. In today's climate we see ourselves as having more diverse needs in our education...
Music education is important for several different reasons. Music is a very valuable resource for students and teachers alike. Research has shown that musical study improves a child's early cognitive development, basic math and reading abilities, SAT scores, ability to work in teams, as well as spatial reasoning skills (VH1, 2003, para4). Music helps students to achieve in areas of intelligence. “Feis, Revecz, the Pannenborgs, Miller, and others are unanimous in finding that musicality and high intelligence go together” (Mursell & Glenn, 1931, p. 20). Studies have shown that preschool children taught with music and songs have an average 10 to 20 points over those without, and by the age of 15 have higher reading and math skills. Another study showed that students that had taken a music appreciation class scored 46 points higher on the math portion of the SAT, and students who had music performance experiences scored 39 points higher than students without any music experience (Harvey, 1997, para13). Music impacts most other areas of learning. “The area holding the greatest prospects for transfer from music appears to be language arts.” (Hoffer, 1983, p. 46) It has been said that music helps concentration during reading. Music is an affective memory aide, because of its use of rhythm, rhyme and melody. Music for young children helps them to learn language because of the rhythms and patterns involved in learning the songs. The involvement of music in education can help to develop oral language skills, listening skills, and an increased vocabulary. Music can help the comprehension of language and basic facts (Dobbs, 1990, 341, 342).
When I was in middle school, I came across Merit School of Music. Attending their tuition free conservatory widened my perspective in music education. Their program is constructed in a way where students learn various aspects of music such as theory, performance, and history while getting the opportunity to meet other young musicians. There, I noticed that some students attending prestigious magnet and private schools of Chicago actually had music programs in their schools. This is where I first noticed education inequality. Not every school has a music program and this means that a lot of students do not get the opportunity to learn music. If music was appointed as a core subject, then every school board would make sure that this requirement is met and everyone would have the chance they deserve.
“Recent studies show that being involved in music classes makes it easier to learn other subjects and improve skills in other classrooms” (Brown, “The Benefits of Music Education”). A lot of people tend to overlook how much music education has an impact on the success of a student. Because of this, schools should be required to offer fine arts and music classes as electives for the students. Not only will this improve the students test scores, but it will also give the students a broader imagination and more creativity in and out of the classroom. In a lot of schools, fine arts and musical classes are the first to go when there are budget cuts. “Seventy-one percent of the nation’s fifteen thousand school districts have cut instructional hours spent on music and other subjects” (“State of the arts: should music and art classes be brushed aside”). Not only is it affecting the teachers who have specialized in the study of fine arts, it is affecting all of the students and parents who are actively involved in these programs. “Johnson, professor of music education and music therapy and associate dean of the School of Fine Arts at KU, found jumps of twenty-two percent in English test scores and twenty percent in math scores at elementary schools with superior music education” (Lynch “Music Boosts Test Scores”). With that being said, schools should be required to offer music and fine arts classes as an elective for their students.
We all believe that extracurricular activities in schools can be beneficial, right? In schools, we currently have optional extracurricular courses such as football, art, music, and more. We also have mandatory health and health science courses such as physical education and health and nutrition. Why is physical education a required course and music only an extra curricular activity? Research clearly shows that learning to play an instrument is greatly benefitting our students in the same way that physical education is having a positive impact on them. Why would we, by not requiring middle school students to take a music course, refrain from even more advancement, and withhold the help we could easily give. I propose that we make music
The position that is being argued is that music should stay in schools. This author is making the claim that music makes children excel in their education. This author uses many different sources. The author relies mainly on studies to back up his argument. The article is recent.
The once formerly instructional and practice time for music performance of 30 minutes per day has been shortened in schools or completely eliminated. The amount of time in which music instructors are present to a class immensely shortens their effectiveness capability to teach music material. Nevertheless, the reductions in their profession to teach, elementary school music instructors are still expected to yield similar results within students and their achievements. The main argument behind budget cuts for fine arts departments in elementary schools has been caused by an ever growing focus on higher test results in core curriculum subjects, such as language arts, social studies, science, and math. This logic is highly mistaken; the correlation between early childhood exposure to music and scholastic excellence have been proved and has been acceptable for a vast amount time. “Music competencies achieved from birth to age five assist students in later school experience ” (Colwell 1721), concluded a research conducted by the Perry Early Childhood Education Program. Amy Graziano has proven music education to enhance intellectual ability in abstract fields such as math when entering into early elementary years. Therefore, ongoing budget cuts and layoffs within the fine arts departments of public school systems is inexcusable and absurd. Hypothetically speaking, if school systems proceeded to hire more
In one school district, administrators needed to make a budget cut of about $150,000. Immediately, they turned to their music programs and cut them, firing five music teachers in the process. They did not realize that there were over 2,000 students involved in the music programs. All of these students were then placed in other classes, increasing the class sizes and forcing the school to add 29 more classrooms and teachers. They ended up spending $192,000 total, instead of cutting the original $150,000 (Dorita, Coen, & Miller, 1994). It has been over two decades and many schools and administration still do not understand or see the importance of music in schools. Music education not only benefits student’s academics, but also helps student’s social life and improves brain function as well.
In today’s society, people are constantly looking for new ways to have students produce more from their public education. Some argue that more funding is the answer, while others say that better learning facilities will help. Studies recently conducted show that a simple change in the curriculum will produce the outcome that people are searching for. The simple change is music education. Music education has been shown to improve general academic skills as well as social skills in children. If music classes are added to a child’s schedule, they will begin to show an increase in learning that educators are looking for. Get rid of the ideas of more funding and better facilities, all the students need is a simple music course in their everyday lives.
Music helps students if it is brought to them at a young age, and it even helps the child learn math, reading, and even other languages. I hope that all the research I have brought forwarded to you helps you understand the reasons why music is important young children.
When teachers are planning their classroom activities they need to include music. Music is a vital part of the learning process. “A music-rich experience for children of singing, listening and moving is really bringing a very serious benefit to children as they progress into more formal learning,” says Mary Luehrisen, executive director of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation, a not-for-profit association that promotes the benefits of making music.
...ls. There is so much that can be gained from arts education. It is imperative that music and art education remains in public schools. Because, even though it has been said many times before, the fact remains that the arts enrich us all.
Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “Without music, life would be a mistake”. Music is almost as old as the human race and is as much a part of it as anything. So why would anyone choose to get rid of it? An Increasing number of schools across the nation are deciding to cut music education programs. This includes band, orchestra, choir, and general music classes. In 1991, 55.4 percent of public school eighth-graders took part in music classes at school. In 2004, this figure was just 49.1 percent. Money plays a huge role in this statistic: “...when funds are scarce, arts courses are usually the first to be dropped from a school’s curriculum” (“Arts Education”). While many argue that music education is an unnecessary cost for schools, it improves student’s overall well being.
Even when children learn music they able to listen, sing, dance, create movement. Listening to music draw out emotions, and playing music can be just like communicating emotions. Some people find this a very powerful experience. “ Music enriches the lives of students and should be considered a necessary part of education.”