Persuasive Speech About Music Education

Throughout the reading this week, the information presented in David Elliott and Bennett Reimer’s texts stressed the importance of music and more specifically, music education. “People everywhere find music rewarding, and everywhere we find people engaged in formal and non-formal efforts to teach and learn music.” (Elliott, 2014, p. 4)

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

What if I told you that there was a way to improve upcoming generations academic achievement and overall quality of life. Would you believe me or think I was crazy? Allow me to explain to how having Music Education is a very important part of a students academic growth. At the same time their are becoming more and more funding cuts for music education in schools. Funding should not be cut from music education in public schools because it is essential to a students full academic growth and development.

Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience that music programs should be kept in public schools.

“Musical is a universal experience. With few exceptions, all humans perceive musical pitch, tone, timbre, and harmony. We listen to music to relax, to help us think, to celebrate, and grieve. Our emotional responses to music have been noted in literature, poetry, and drama. The power of music to evoke an emotional response is used by advertising companies, film directors, and mothers singing their babies to sleep. Early education teachers are familiar with using music and rhythm as tools for learning language and building memory. (Foran, 2009) Several musical melodies are used in grade school to learn information. Music is used in my math classes across the world to enhance the learning process of formulas. English classes use music help children learn prepositional phrases, adjectives, adverbs, noun, and etc. However, after most scholars reached a certain grade level, using music to achieve new heights academically became a technique of the past. Most instructors didn’t bother using music in order to help retain information. It was almost as if it was forgotten about. But, if music is so important why isn’t it allowed in most classrooms today? Many teachers are not fond of music in the classroom. To many, it is seen as a distraction. Is it the type of music a person chooses to listen to? Would it be different if the music chosen by

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

* ““95% percent of Americans believe that music is a key-component in a child’s well-rounded education, 80% percent of respondents agreed that music makes the participants smarter; 78% believe that learning a musical instrument helps students perform better in other subject areas; and 88% believe participation in music helps teach children discipline” (Hurley 3),” (par 1).

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.

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.

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

In light of such positive data, it is tempting to conclude that music must be a consequential variable in elevating student achievement. However, these findings potentially tell us more about our students than about the effects of music. (Demoresi and Morrison, 2000, p. 37)

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.

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.

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.

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