Community Arts, Part III: Music And Social Skills

Elementary schools and high schools across the U.S. have lately suffered from financial strain. Because of this, budget cuts have to be made and music programs often suffer before sports and academics. Although some people believe that music is not a key component in preparing for employment and higher education, yet several others express otherwise, who say music has been shown to stimulate other parts of a student’s mind that can help them excel. Statistics have shown that the correlation between music class and other academia is not only positive for students, but also can improve future scholastic abilities, and thus should not be cut from schools. Through the evaluation of various sources

Around the country, children of all ages are interacting with music, either through listening or through instruction. Many parents believe that children should learn an instrument or to sing in order to be more cultured and well-rounded, aiding in their future endeavors. However, there is much more to music than culture. Studies have shown that students who are involved in a music program at a school or take private lessons are more likely to achieve higher on standardized tests and have higher IQ scores. They also show that young students who take music classes develop language skills and recall information better than their non-musical counterparts. Music education, therefore, is extremely beneficial to our world’s youth. Music

Introduction: Too many children are struggling in Math, English, science, and Social Studies. They are too busy focusing on extracurricular activities such as band, chorus, and orchestra. They’re focus needs to be on their studies. Everybody loves good music but it isn’t something that needs to be in the school systems.

* “when you speak with great educators, and look behind the test scores, the lessons learned in studying music, learning to play an instrument, playing in a band, learning to read music, all provide a richness to a child's education that will last a lifetime,” (par 1).

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.

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

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.

This research focuses on answering if music education has enough crossover benefit to include it into our mainstream education. Two scholarly articles, a blog, a personal story and an online article were selected and consulted to find the answer to this question. Many authors in many articles had minimal criticism of music education and most were in favor of music education. Findings were that yes, music education does in fact have enough crossover benefit to include it into mainstream education. Music education may be time consuming and sometimes expensive, yet the benefits of self-discipline, deeper conceptual thinking, more developed brain function, and endless creativity of students makes it very worthwhile.

Silence. This is what many people would hear if they walked into just one of the many music halls in a school whom has cut their music program. Many schools across the nation are suffering from severe budget cuts, and sadly music is far too often the first on the list to go. Music in the American public school system is often a way for students to express themselves and develop a sense of pride and devotion by being a musician. Yet, music education has been proven to improve young students’ cognitive capabilities, music programs are still being cut from the curriculum in schools across the nation. Funding, nation testing standards, availability, and participation are major factors whether a program may or may not stay in American classrooms, which demonstrates America’s destructive need for results from students to be tangible at the expense of the enjoyment of students.

Our children are suffering. They are being depleted of their childhood because they are experiencing things that many of us do not experience in our lifetimes. When entire neighborhoods and districts are plagued with this devastating predicament, where can our children turn? They turn to school. A place where they are allowed to be kids and do not have to face reality of their lives for a moment. Rachael Fleischaker is a music specialist in Ohio’s Canton City School District. She understands what these children go through because she teaches them every day. Moreover, she understands that music is a vital part of these children's lives and wants to do everything she can in order to save the musical program at the schools.

In their “Music Matters” pamphlet, the Arts Education Association argues that arts education improves students’ abilities in Core tested areas and brain development. It is vital for every child to be able to better themselves in addition to their mind. A new study from the National Institutes of Health Magnetic Resonance (MRI) Study of Normal Brain Development says that training in music helps children be more mature emotionally and behaviorally, in addition to refined fine motor skills (Nutt). These are the developments that all children need in order to develop healthily. Mathematical skills are learned and reinforced in musical practice, which is why band kids perform better in math than their other nonmusical peers as they age in their educational careers (Arts Education Partnership). This is important because this development is dual-purposed for two subjects and relates them both to academic improvement. Leveling the playing field in the terms of students better understanding an essential subject will also aid in their development because they will be able to understand English more. Music students also have stronger determination, leadership skills, and observation and performance abilities that future universities and employers search for in successful students and employees (Arts Education Partnership). These benefits are multi-purposed and useful in numerous aspects of a person’s academic and employment future. Should these be made available for all students in order to give them equal opportunities to prepare them for the real world, then they will most likely have the opportunity to become

Many factors take part in the elimination of music education courses in public schools, but the main one is budget cuts. In the New York Times article “School Arts Programs Survive Budget Woes”, Javier Hernandez reports, “Three-quarters of principals said that funding remains a major challenge in their ability to maintain lively arts programs,” (Hernandez 2). Without the means to pay for music programs, school officials face the dilemma of whether or not to cancel music education in schools.

The nonprofit organization begins their plan by assembling and discussing the right direction in planning the project of bringing back art program in Detroit schools but also making it a priority among other necessary courses. They will look to their community and government officials for funding. The board leaders will use their knowledge and research when lobbying to local government and the implementations of taking away these programs and the effects it will have on this generations ability to prosper in the future as well-rounded adults. They will work for the next five to ten years to bring back Detroit public schools art programs to all 81 public schools (Americans for the Arts, 2017). American for the Arts will ultimately argue to its political leaders to make Detroit Rock City musically driven again and consequentially lower crime rates and bring back tourism that will stimulate the city’s economy.

At an earlier time, it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to drive through any community without passing one of the gigantic, student-created displays for the local middle school play or attending some parade or festival unaccompanied by the pulsating rhythms of the high school band,” in his article Rhythm and Bruise: How Cuts to Music and the Arts Hurt Kids and Communities. Williams wrote this article about his opinion, but was able to find other resources that gave him the information that he was looking for. The text was significant because it makes you think about how your life would alter without these programs in your children’s, student’s, and fellow classmate’s lives. In some cases, kids will drop out of school just because their art programs were cut. In the article, Budget Cuts Severely Impact US Community College Students written by Niles Williamson, it says, “In the California system course offerings dropped 21 percent between 2007 and 2011. The largest cuts were to fine arts and education programs...Fewer course offerings have contributed to significant increases in class sizes and the growth of course waiting lists.” This evidence