America’s schools are experiencing a funding crisis. Year after year, public schools across the nation are cutting back on fine arts and music programs to make way for more science and math. The argument presented is that science and math courses are more important than arts and music courses. Why? It’s due to the nature of the subjects. Art and music is more affective and expressive, whereas science and math is considered to be more cognitive and standardized. As schools focus on standardized test scores, the arts are overlooked, and are often the first to go as funds are cut from public schools.
Cutting music and arts programs from public schools is a mistake many schools are making. The belief that science and math is more important than arts and music is faulty. New research has indicated that creative expression through the arts correlated directly with cognitive development in reading, science, and math. Learning the arts also promotes social and personal growth. Students exposed to the arts scored 91 points higher on the SAT’s than students who weren’t; they also had more self-confidence and self-control, and were five times less likely to drop out of high school. These are all factors to consider when eliminating a fine arts or music programs from public schools.
Giving children an outlet for their creativity should be a requirement. As an anecdote, I would like to present my personal experience with the music performance program of Bergenfield public schools. I became involved with Bergenfield public school’s well-known music program in the fourth grade. I started off playing the violin, and eventually switched to the double bass in the sixth grade. For many years, my orchestra professor was Mr. Joseph Dubbiosi. When I...
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... first amendment: when you refuse to publish provocative art because of how it may affect the larger part of the American population, are you protecting American ideals, or are you violating one artist’s freedom of expression? The NEA almost ceased to exist in the late 1990’s, when Republicans voted to eliminate the agency’s funding. Thankfully, it regained momentum during the Clinton administration. In 1998, after the NEA had published two pieces of art deemed offensive ( One was an exhibit done by Robert Mapplethorpe, which portrayed violent images of homosexuality; the other was called “Piss Christ”, which gravely offended Christian groups, as it was a piece depicting a plastic crucifix submerged in Andres Serrano’s [the artist’s] urine), the Supreme court mandated that the agency may only fund projects that adhered to generally acceptable standards of decency.
I have played an intrinsic role in my school’s band and orchestra department through helping organizing performances, teaching classes, and tutoring individuals. On a regular basis, I am responsible for directing and teaching classes including beginning band, with grades ranging from fourth to twelfth, and more advanced ensembles like concert band and marching band. I also play an important role in their performances sometimes by directing and other times by contacting venues to organize dates and times for the shows. I also dedicate time during the week to help beginning players
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.
Many schools consider art, music, and physical education programs ‘fluff’ classes, which is why when schools are looking for a place to save money those are some of the programs that are first to go. Claire Suggs, Senior Education Policy Analysts for the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, found that “about 42 percent of districts are reducing or eliminating art or music programs and 62 percent are eliminating elective courses” (“Cutting Class” #1). Art and music programs should not be cut because they allow students to explore their creativity and improve problem solving skills. On the
The American school system has been put under an immense amount of stress in the past few years. Funding has been moved, held back, and/or taken away from various classes. However, one of the largest fights for funding is found in music education. Without funding, music classes are unable to properly educate children in music. With more and more money being taken away, the youngest generation is growing up with less musical intelligence.
After graduating from high school, I entered Soochow University, whose music department is among the best in Taiwan. During these four years, I had numerous opportunities to perform on stage. Realizing early on that performance is the lifeblood of musicians, I joined as many orchestras, wood bands, and brass quintets as possible to acquire performance experience. Having numerous performing chances, and enjoying each of them, inspired me to become a professional musician in the future. Besides taking part in performing activities, I also used my experiences and knowledge to teach students. Believing that teaching others how to appreciate the beauty of life is fulfilling, I teach both to give knowledge and to enhance my own artistic ability. Because I so enjoyed my conversations with students, I remain committed to teaching and trying to convince others of the limitless joys of music.
How would you feel if your devoted dog was discriminated against based only on what he looked like? Canine breed discrimination is a real problem in today’s society in the United States. There is always an enormous amount of hype when one hears about a dog attack. The first thing people want to know is what kind of dog was involved in the attack. That breed of dog then gets labeled as “dangerous”, quietly forcing people to change their opinion on a certain breed based on an action of only a couple of dogs.
In today’s public education system fine arts and physical education classes are considered to be inferior to the core classes. Because math and English classes are considered more important, not enough money is put aside to fund the arts and PE, or the elective classes. In order to fix the problem of arts and physical education being considered inferior to core classes more emphasis and more money should be given to PE, arts, and humanities so that they are of equal importance as the core subjects.
Creativity is greatly influenced by how acceptable and desirable it is seen by individuals who otherwise may settle for different priorities. Many educational facilities extend students concerns toward certainly important subjects such as math, english, language and social studies. Unfortunately, subjects that assist both individuality and creativity such as music or fine arts courses are often not given the attention they deserve. Readily available, but rarely taken seriously when compared to other subjects or extra curricular activities, fine arts becomes a less important study. Schools should create a good balance between academics and fine arts. Most projects that school boards take on limit themselves to standardized testing and ways of
Sheftel, B. (2002). Music Education Curriculum in Public Schools. PageWise, Inc, Retrieved August 6, 2003
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.
“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.
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.
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 ...
Recent studies on parental involvement in education have found that there are many benefits for both the student and the adult when parents become involved in their children’s education. Without parent support, it is very difficult for a child to be motivated. From what I have seen growing up, only a small percentage of students are self-motivated, so it is absolutely vital that parents assist in the motivation process. I found this table to be particularly interesting and important.