The Importance Of Music Education

Many schools have stopped funding the arts such as painting, sculpture, and the band. But schools should continue to fund the arts because on average youth who participate in the arts have a higher grade point average, and a lower dropout rate. It is becoming more and more common now a days that schools are not being funded properly so they have to cut the “non-academic” classes. And the arts including band, drawing, sculpture, and photography tend to fall victim to these cuts. And this isn’t just occurring in the United States it is happening all across the world. 1.

Schools across America are cutting Fine Arts programs left and right due to budget cuts and reduced funding, which is preventing students the ability to have an equally standardized arts education. About 95% of schools in America have eliminated or reduced their fine arts program’s funding. According to a report released by the PCCY only 149 out of the 268 public schools in Philadelphia have a choral teacher and 59% of them have an art teacher (Davis). These schools that lack fine arts teachers have felt the need to reduce faculty in order to pay for other expenses. This prevents students from receiving the benefits associated with a fine arts education. In addition, two out of every ten schools don’t have a choral or an art teacher (Davis).

All around the United States, art programs are being cut out of the budget in public schools. The arts include dance, band, chorus, theatre, film, drawing, painting, photography and literary arts. Some school board members feel these art programs are not necessary and do not benefit the students in any way. Elementary, middle, and high school students are forced to quit their passion and feel that their talents are not supported by their schools. Although many are not aware, there is a strong connection between arts education and academic achievement. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts in many public schools, the art classes are first on the list to be cut. It is important that the students, parents and teachers

For years, music classes have been the ugly ducklings of school curriculums, the last courses to be added, the first courses to be cut. They have always taken second place to traditional academic classes. Music, however, has proved itself to be extremely beneficial time and time again, from the undeniable improvement in grades regarding traditional academic classes to the glowing remarks from music students everywhere. In an ever-changing world, the addition of music education in schools needs to be next on the academic agenda. Music education should be a required component in all schools due to the proven academic, social, and personal benefits that it provides.

In today’s society, the value of music education is declining at an alarming speed. Many schools around the United States have been forced to cut spending on music in place of other classes that are viewed as being much more important. This is a travesty for our culture and for our future generations. Little does our society realize that there are many benefits that music education has to offer. The Government should make every kids take a music class of their choice at a young age.

Teaching music comes in all different kinds of methods and views. Music plays a very vital role in our school systems, and is arguably just as important as any other subject. The teacher pays various roles in the classroom, but always keeps the students’ best interest in mind. The student also plays various roles in the classroom, but is always expected to come to class ready to learn. The curriculum allows teachers to create clear and concise lesson plans that fit the students needs. And effective instructional methods will vary from student to student, and effective teachers will try several methods to breakthrough to the student.

(Sheftel 2002) Music does involve a higher level of thinking even though it doesn’t seem like it. Listening to music uses the right hemisphere. When a student starts reading music and learning the rhythm and pattern of notes they are using the left hemisphere, which is also used in math. (Dickinson 1993) In one college class the Professor played a series of notes and then explained to the students that it was a mathematical progression. “Even at a college level, he said music appreciation classes, and instrument instruction would increase student's ability to learn.” (Sheftel 2002)

There once was a time in our society that the arts took a strong role in the lives of our young youth and community, but the stress of regulations and test requirements has put the arts in the hot seat. There is no amount of fine art that students would not benefit from if teachers consistently incorporated it in their classrooms. The importance of arts should not be thrown aside for the sake of achieving test scores. There are 6 critical reasons why communities should not be so quick to cut the arts programs and unintentionally hinder students growth.

Budgets cuts are being made to music and art classes in schools across the country. While they are among the most expensive programs for a school to maintain, parents and communities are finding themselves concerned about the declining exposure to the arts. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of elementary schools offering performing arts has dropped over 60% since 2008. The argument can be made that large amounts of money are saved by terminating art programs, but art programs have been shown to have positive impacts on student learning, with some of the most impressive improvements being made outside of art class. Are the experiences art classes provide worth the money?

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.

Playing an instrument engages both the left and the right brain, builds and strengthens connections between brain cells, and basically makes the brain work harder (Wilcox 2012). Students who play an instrument have higher SAT scores. Research has shown that students in music programs score 63 points higher on the verbal and 44 points higher on the math sections of the SATs than students who do not participate in music programs (Johnson 2006, Catterall UCLA 2006, The College Entrace Examination Board). The most remarkable test score improvements are found in the lower socio-economic groups of kids (Catterall 2012). Research studies in 2005 (Columbia University, Bastian) and 2007 (Barry, Cutietta) both showed improved academic performance, higher IQs, and better scores on standardized tests in students who play one or more musical instruments (U.S. Department of Education, Catterall 2002, Helmrich 2010). Almost all the past winners of the Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science, and Technology for high school students played one or more musical instruments. Data has shown the neurological benefits of musical education in processing foreign languages due to the subject’s brains being able to process sounds, pitches, and frequencies (Northwestern University Auditory Neuroscience 2011). The Neurosciences Institute (Karus

Many schools have started to remove Fine Arts programs from their curriculum, usually for financial reasons. Fine Arts programs are vital because they provide a creative outlet for students. Even though such classes have proven to show important benefits to students who take them, when pay cuts have to be made, fine arts programs are the first to go. Art and music education help students in different ways including, bettering the performance of students in other academics through creativity, improving mental health, and teaching them skills needed in everyday life. For this reason, teachers, parents, and students should fight to help these programs remain in schools.

Most people would agree that music and art programs in schools have a huge impact on students not only academically, but in just about every aspect of their lives. Studies have shown that students who are involved in music and art programs have an overall higher IQ and show signs of many other academic benefits. Participating in such programs also allow students the opportunity to express themselves artistically and show the world their perhaps otherwise hidden potential. We all know how fun it can be to show the world your unexpected abilities, and what better way to show those off than the place where we spend most of our day-to-day lives? Unfortunately, even with all these obvious benefits, when the school budget is short, the first

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.

“Education- should enhance understanding of the world, of oneself, and of one’s own experience” (Kelly 2009). What is important about music education? There are many important aspects in music education like pedagogy and performance. For me, music education is about letting the students express themselves. Having the ability to give an idea or to vent is a vital tool in today’s society. This concept influences music because expression is not only in how to connect a phrase, but also how to tell a story. With my time in college, Dr. Joseph Frye will always tell me to tell a story with music. He will also ask me what I want to feel after playing a piece. This is what I believe is important in music education.