Music And Theater Education Is Important, If Not More Than Other Subjects

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

To begin with, education and engagement in fine art programs are an essential part within the school curriculum because subjects such as mathematics, science, and language arts all require cognitive and creative capacities which are enhanced with the process of learning art. For instance, in the article, Critical Evidence: How the Arts Benefits Student Achievement, it states that “researchers

Art is around us everywhere we go. Art can be in architecture, landscaping, performances and paintings. The arts can affect the way people think and how they act, like when a young child draws or paints a picture, they have to make small choices that can help them in many aspects of life. BUt sadly the beneficial education tool of The Arts has been in a rapid decline. In her article, School Art Programs: Should They Be Saved?, Valeria Metia says, “During the 1999-2000 school year, 20 percent of schools offered dance and theatre classes, but in the 2009-10 school year, only 3 percent of schools allocated funds for dance classes, and only 4 percent taught theatre.” Since this decrease in art programs students ages 5-18 are missing out on valuable characteristics in their education. Art gives students improved test scores and better thinking skills, significantly higher graduation rates,better performance in schoolwork,development of habits including problem solving, critical and creative thinking, and working with others and a happier and better school day. SInce art is so beneficial to a student's learning we should push harder and get art programs into our public schools again.

“Students who study art are 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement and 3 times more likely to be awarded for school attendance” ("11 Facts about Arts in Education"). Music and art are clearly not two subjects that schools today can afford to cut off funding for based on this evidence. Music and art programs are responsible for increasing school attendance, which can lead to being one of the most important things in a student’s academic success in school. Students have to attend school and be present in order to attain the information from their classes and teachers if they wish to succeed. Better attendance means more students are in class, which means more students are getting the information they need to excel from their teachers, which ultimately means better grades and test scores for schools. As of today, arts are defined as core subjects in only twenty-six states in America (Mandel). If only twenty-six states are treating art education as a core subject, that means that twenty-four states are currently neglecting art programs and not considering them important to their student’s education. If more states are educated on the importance of art programs for young students, and the arts are defined as core subjects nationally, then there will be a

Having arts in school is a way a student express himself or herself in ways they are unable to in any other classroom. It is important for each student to have their own identity and have ways of letting their talents and personalities shine. For some, it may be sports or scholars bowl, for others it is art, music, or theater. “I have several students who don’t care to be on the football field or on the basketball court. These students find their nitch in the practice room, on the stage, or in front of an easel surrounded by paints and brushes. As sports are a release for athletes, music and art are ways to express feelings and emotions. Fine arts has helped many of my students find their identity” (Wildeman). There are many benefits to music education include being disciplined, learning a skill, being part of the music world, managing performance, and being part of something you can be proud

Students that are involved in fine arts may do better on their test scores. Most children that participate in fine arts have a better act And can cooroperate better with others. Many studies show that all this is true.(“10 Studies on the Importance of Art in Education.”)

Many might say that the arts are stereotyped as a pass time or an extracurricular activity; I envision it as a safe haven from stress and anxiety. Throughout the past 8 years, music has played an insurmountable role in my development into the individual I have become today. Through times of disappointment and dissatisfaction, I have always resorted to music as a way to relieve myself, whether it be playing or listening. Music thrives through me, and applies to every day of my life.

Its main goal was to educate parents and school administrators on the importance of the arts to a child’s development and well-rounded education. When schools struggle for funding the first thing to go is always the arts. Visual art, music, theater, and dance are the programs that schools deem “unnecessary” when they do not have the money to support it. However,

Fine arts broaden our perspective and to help promote social tolerance, but also gives students many academic advantages they can use for a lifetime. Students that are exposed to an environment where they are allowed to express themselves freely musically or artistically will guarantee the ability of teamwork skills, confidence, and critical thinking skills. Some school districts fail to recognize the importance of education in the arts. Musical involvement promotes better math skills, students with band and orchestra experience attend college at a rate twice the national average, art teaches critical thinking rather than just getting the right answer, and theater participation helps develop social tolerance. All of these examples show why arts in public education are so important and why is a necessity in a public school and has overall higher academic achievement, critical thinking skills, and other things that are important in living

Lets paint a picture together. Blank walls, silent rooms, and shy students are what is brushed on the canvas. Our picture is a result of the limitations put on the powers of artistry. Staci Maiers validates that “the school play, the marching band, the drama club, the student art show - they’re usually highlights of a student’s education” (1). “. . . [Fine Arts] can connect people more deeply to the world and open them to new ways of seeing, creating the foundation to forge social bonds and community cohesion,” (qtd in Smith 2). Maiers expresses, “Because fine arts education typically is not considered core curriculum or included on high-stakes standardized test mandated by federal requirements, music, art, theater, and dance usually

One reason that schools need the arts is, because it is scientifically proven that the arts can expand your brain. A neuroscientist, Nina Krauss, just released a study that said adults that took music classes when they were younger, versus adults who did not, could respond to sound of speech faster, even if they haven't taken a class in years. Art and Music education which are mandatory in Japan, Hungary, and the Netherlands, are also some of the countries that score highest on math and science test among most other countries. Scientists just released a new study that shows that the arts, not only help in reading and math, but they help develop social

“The arts are an essential element of education, just like reading writing, and arithmetic…music dance, painting, and theatre are all keys that unlock profound human understanding and accomplishment” (William Bennett, Former US Secretary of Education).

Art education has been proven to help with “cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skills” as well as “motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork” (Smith). Having the ability and patience to sit down and paint a masterpiece or work through a song on the piano requires high focus and dedication. Students willing to do this will in turn have stronger skills to focus and be dedicated in other subjects. The mixture of all these abilities gained from participation in art programs lead to higher test scores and overall better performance in school. Still, these are only a few of the assets provided by art education.

Schools that offer fine arts classes have lower dropout rates and raised attendance. The fine arts positively impact students of lower socioeconomic status more those of a higher  status. The fine arts have no barriers for race, religion, and culture when it comes to being involved in the arts. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to be involved (Katy Independent School District). Without the arts these students have no outlet for creative capabilities and no way to express their talents. Students who need this way of expressing themselves are overlooked and they are the ones who need it the most (Dickson). When viewing the participation of arts in the eyes of a ten-year old, “It cools kids down after all the other hard stuff they have to think about” (Arts and Smarts: Test Scores and Cognitive Development).

“People are forgetting that math is taught when a child is playing an instrument. English is taught when a child is reading or writing a script. Critical thinking is taught when a child is analyzing art” (Sabrina Holcomb). There is a significant correlation between participating in the arts, and success in school. Multiple studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between playing an instrument, and an increase in scores in mathematical subject. In these studies, it was also noted that students who were more creative were better problem solvers than students who were not as creative. All of these characteristics are sought after in the work force, meaning that the arts not only help during the school years, but in work and business as well (Ron Whitehorne). Also, it is important to note that “Low-income students who had arts-rich experiences in high schools were more than three times as likely to earn a B.A. as low-income students without those experiences. And the new study from the National Endowment reports that low-income high school students who earned little or no arts credits were five times more likely not to graduate from high school than low-income students who earned many arts credits” (Tyleah Hawkins). The arts have always been used as a form of expression and inspiration for people across the world, the arts have also been shown to improve high-risk student's outlook on their schooling. Research has shown that the arts help improve standardized test scores like the ACT or SAT (Tyleah Hawkins).People who support the arts believe that quality art education can help engage at-risk students in ways that other subjects such as math, science, or reading cannot. This is why it is believed that the arts are a key tool in the prevention of high-school dropout. There are many studies that point to a lower dropout rate for students who participate in