Back Door Man Analysis

Living in a world surrounded by noises and sounds, one cannot deny that music lives all around them. Schools, street corners, sporting events, there is one thing you will always find: music. Music education is quickly becoming defunct in schools, as many try to decry its many benefits. A growing emphasis on the concrete subjects of math and science, whose benefits are more immediate, are pushing the creativity and imagination of music classes to the back of the budget. Music education is no longer described as stimulating and exciting, but rather unnecessary and distracting. But the benefits of having an education in music is undeniable. Simply being around music can have a positive impact on life. Music enables the human race to discover emotions that they have never uncovered before. The human mind is refreshed by music; “our imagination and memories are stimulated by the sounds, and summon feelings and memories associated with the musical sound” (Wingell 15). Without music, the world would be silent. Lifeless. No matter what language one speaks or what culture one is from, music is a universal language, connecting the hearts of people around the entire world. In schools throughout the nation, that connection is being severed because of budget cuts and lack of funding, but the benefits of music education are clear. The benefits of having an education in music are not only present in the classroom; a lasting impact is also left on the social and emotional growth of a person, though the gains may not be evinced immediately. Participating in musical education programs in schools can give students the opportunity to form lasting friendships and to gain skills that will last them their entire lives. Music education can be beneficial to students because it enhances students’ performance in the classroom, aids in improving student’s interest and engagement in school, and advances students’ social and emotional growth.

According to Laurence O’Donnell, “Music is thought to link all of the emotional, spiritual, and physical elements of the universe.” This proves that music is more than a simple class teaching random notes. It is a common denominator

Across the United States many elementary school music classrooms are filled with simple and popular tunes such as Hot Cross Buns and The Ode to Joy, played on the recorder, while high school students may be playing collegiate or professional pieces of music such as Armenian Dances and Carmen Suites. I have been very fortunate to have gone on the journey of progressing through different music education programs within Fairfax County Public Schools. If I was never exposed to music while in elementary school I might not have ever found one of my greatest passions or been able to create such fond and unforgettable memories. While music education programs across the country appear large and strong, many schools are beginning to experience budget reductions. As a result, music is often the very first component of a school 's curriculum or programs to be cut or significantly reduced, but I believe this is not the right course of action. It is important to preserve and promote music education in public schools because of the proven cognitive, character,and academic benefits for students.

While active music making is the primary goal of music education, as children mature, they will use their known experience and performance to draw from and move to a focus on music literacy and critical response to music. The abilities to read, discuss, evaluate and create music become key components in the development of future independent musicians. With a focus on active music making, student inquiry, and essential questions, I aim to engage the whole child and optimize learning.

“Students in elementary schools with superior music education programs scored around 22 percent higher in English and 20 percent higher in math scores on standardized tests.” (Brown) It is also proven that people that play a musical instrument have a larger growth of “neural processing” than those who do not and only listen to music (Locker). In a study conducted by Northwestern University, student who took weekly music lessons over the course of two years were found to be able to “process sounds more easily,” directly contributing to “improved reading and speech skills.” (Edghill) These obvious benefits towards those who are not merely listening to music but involved in it gives some weight to keeping music and

Music programs play several roles within a school. To maximize the benefits of any educational experience it is critical that students are able to transfer their content knowledge between subjects. The study of music is no exception. Peterson and Madsen (2010) explain that when students are able to apply knowledge they have learned in one subject to another subject they are much more likely to maintain that knowledge, and this is magnified when the content is applied in creative ways. It is also the educator’s responsibility to help their students see where and how content can be applied to other areas. Peterson and Madsen (2010) state that, “The teacher must practice making connections himself or herself before demonstrating this skill for the class” (Effective Transfer section, para. 23).

There is a psychological benefit of having music incorporated in school. The brain expands the time in which the attention of a student is engaged in the lesson. Neurophysiiological distinction is also developed during the course of a child’s learning journey, after having music instilled in the education process.

The population of high school musicians in the US is shrinking. This is due to both schools putting music programs on the chopping block to save money and focus on core subjects, and students who today seem to have lost more interest in musical activities. Now more than ever, kids are less exposed to music activities in school, thus there is a smaller chance of one becoming involved in the music program. Even so, purchasing new instruments for the student and school is now difficult. Furthermore, the reduction of music educators leads to an overall poorer teaching of musicality. School music

When you provide a child with new worlds to explore and challenges to tackle, the possibilities are endless. Music education should not be a privilege for a lucky few, it should be a part of every child’s world of possibility.” (Clinton). Every child should be provided with a music education because of the many valuable life lessons it teaches. Being in a music class or band will give students life long friendships and memories that will last a lifetime, and that is something that every child deserves to

“A well taught consecutive music educational programs not just results in music discovering that has inborn quality; it additionally allows understudies to tune in, respond, see, touch, and move. Direction in music aptitudes, thankfulness, and hypothesis additionally gives an abundance of learning systems that improve youngsters' dissecting, combining, and assessing abilities. Understudies figure out how to process data and exchange information through these solid, active, and subjective encounters.”

After decades of research that support the positive effects of music on cognition and academic success, debates involving which purpose of teaching music is more important have risen. While one music

Historically, there has been a debate among educators and researchers whether music education plays a significant role in a child’s brain development, intelligence quotient, social development and overall success in life. Many believe the data has been unreliable because there is little to prove with absolute certainty that those who participate in music education were not just born smarter. On the other hand, substantial data has been collected in recent years that seems to clear up those questions of doubt. As America’s children continue to show a significant drop in their annual test scores, while simultaneously demonstrating worsened behavior in school, answers are being sought from many angles. “Suggested reasons for the deteriorating behavior include a lack of boundaries at home, attention-seeking, an absence of positive role models at home, low self-esteem and family breakdown.” (Townsend, 2013) While there are many contributing factors to these heart-breaking realities, I will present how simply providing regular music lessons can be pivotal for a child. The diminishing importance our culture is placing on the benefits of music education is impacting our nation’s children by limiting their potential in academic achievement, social development, and overall well-being, but we can resolve this problem in part by raising awareness about this vital issue.

How Should We Teach? : A Comprehensive Outlook on Why We Should Teach Elementary Music Education According to Students’ Abilities and Backgrounds.

Many people believe that the arts, specifically music programs, hold no beneficial value to students other than for an extracurricular activity. Others believe that having these programs within our schools, only takes away from instructional time. However, research has shown that music education, and exposure to music in general, provides great benefits and values to the adolescents that are involved in said programs (“Music Matters”). Participation in music programs promotes the advancement of academic scores and sets students on the path to success later in life. Furthermore, these programs, be it instrumental or vocal, provide an outlet for adolescents to express themselves and have truly lasting implications on their global development. Notwithstanding all of the pleasure and self-confidence gained through participation in music programs, music education may provide important benefits towards students’ academics by improving their concentration levels and cultivating higher order thinking skills that may increase academic achievement.

Think back to your primary and secondary school years. Do you remember going to music classes? Learning how to pluck out simple songs on the piano, a xylophone, or a recorder; or learning how to sing out a catchy tune? Did you have as much fun as I remember having? This fun is about to come to an end for the coming generations. Public schools are beginning to cut music programs from their budgets altogether, so our children may never know the sweet solace of scratching out a simple song. Generally, music programs-- as well as fine arts as a whole-- at the primary and secondary levels are depicted as mere extracurricular activities that are only found appealing to specific types of students and, thus, hold no real purpose or benefit. It has