Music And Education : The Benefits Of Music Education

The study found that when developing students are learning to play and instrument that they develop the ability to not just hear and appreciate the sounds of music differently but also process the sounds in a different way compared to kids of the same age not learning an instrument. This is due to learn to play an instrument help develop neurophysiological distinction which has been linked to aid and boost literacy and this which possibly improve success in academics. A quote that I believe is really great in driving home this point is by Nina Kraus in her book “Frontiers in Psychology” and that quote is, “We like to say that making music matters, Because it is only through the active generation and manipulation of sound that music can rewire the brain.” And she was saying this after hosting a study at Northwestern’s Auditory Neuroscience Lab. And the experiment was to see if a music appreciation class had the same effect as actually learning and participating in band class. And they found that the kids that were in the process of learning an instrument has better of improved neural processing skills than the students who were only in music appreciation group.

Perhaps the most tangible benefit of music education for students is the increase in their performance in the classroom. People often say, “Music makes you smarter,” but where is the evidence? As South Dakota State University’s Professor Kevin Kessler eloquently stated via email, “How were you

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

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.

Web. 21 Feb. 2016. This article’s author argues that it is important for music classes to remain available to children in school due to their mental benefits. The author explains that many school boards tirelessly attempt to eliminate music programs, however, there is abundant evidence that supports keeping the programs since learning music can dramatically improve children’s ability to read and comprehend math. The author backs their argument with a plethora of statistics from various sources showing the sharp contrast between the scores of music and non-music students. This article adds to the proof that education can be aided by a student’s understanding of

It is understood why this has been stressed against music in schools. However, it is faulty. Other beliefs are that it does more harm than good because “it affects grades negatively”. In the words of John McDaniel, “They claim that students will spend too much time on practicing, trips and performances, which will affect

Researchers have also established that music-playing children academically outperform other students. These children tend to be more socially active and

At the same time, a specific report titled “School Art Programs: Should They Be Saved?” by Valeriya Metla, argues that music classes jeopardize students’ futures by distracting them from “important” core classes. However, as other research proves, music generally leaves a positive impact on students’ learning and school experience. First off, recent research shows that music education actually improves test scores. Ellen Judson wrote that according to a 10 year study tracking about 25,000 high school and middle school students, “Students in music programs scored 63 points higher on the verbal and 44 points higher on the math sections of the SATs than students with no music participation.” This shows that music helped these students learn and also helped them display their learning on tests. This, then, raises the question “What is it about music that improves learning?” Significant research has also been completed on the effects of music on children’s brains and neurological development. The National Association for Music Education explained that music helps develop language and reasoning, builds memorization skills, helps develop spatial thinking skills, and helps creative thinking.

First things first, the study of music develops necessary skills in the future of children’s careers. Many celebrities and accomplished entrepreneurs have stated that their music education has helped them develop useful skills for their career. Joanne Lipman quotes Chuck Todd in her article “Is Music the Key to Success?”, he says, “I’ve always believed the reason I’ve gotten ahead is by outworking other people”. Todd has realized that practicing his french horn

Students who participate in music classes tend to be smarter than students who don't. Studies show that students in gang-ridden neighborhoods who learn to play instruments are more successful in the long run (Edghill). In fact, many music students were heading on to UCLA, Tulane, and other notable universities. They were regularly beating the odds compared to their neighborhood peers (Edghill). Studies show that 73% of CEOs from Fortune 1000 companies were involved in music programs in high school (Ray). There obviously must be some correlation between music and their success in business!

There are copious amounts of schools across the U.S who have dropped their music programs because of funding and academic issues. School districts that are losing funding find themselves desperately searching for alternatives to save money. (Bryant) They discover that the easiest and possibly best area to cut funding in is music because of the enormous amount of money that goes into the program for various essentials. The additional funds that aren’t being spent on instrument repairs or sheet music will be spent on areas that school districts believe require more monetary attention, such as mathematics and reading. (Fang) The idea at play is that cutting the music program will kill two birds with one stone. Other departments in the school that need more funding will gain

Cesario et al. (2013) points out that, “music is one of the few activities that exercise both sides of the brain” (p.142). That statement shows that music integration in a school setting allows students to acquire skills that positively affects their memory, teamwork, and many qualities that benefit their academic performance. Students put in effort to perform well and improve within this class since they eventually perform during events, such as, the school’s Christmas concert. With that said, Cesario et al. (2013) states, “music performance experience also stimulates the area of the brain responsible for memory, enhancing the student’s ability to retain information in all academic settings” (p.142). Which are also beneficial towards a student's

"The earlier a child ... comes to grips with music, the more the brain growth will be influenced. It sets them up for life." (Dr Richard Letts)

Music strengthens a student’s memorization and comprehension skills as much, if not more, than any core subject they participles in at school. Playing an instrument is cognitively taxing. Notes and fret patterns not only requires memorization to be played in a song, but also promote hand eye coordination. Math is analogous to music. In math class a student learns how to problem solve by memorizing a sequential order. Musicians use the same method for learning a new song. According to a study published in the journal Psychology of Music “Children exposed to a multi-year program of music tuition involving training in increasingly complex rhythmic, tonal, and practical skills display superior cognitive performance in reading skills compared with their non-musically trained peers.” As this research indicates student’s cognitive abilities are positively impacted by their participation in music training.

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.