Dr. Edberg's post Musicking: A Ritual in Social Space by Christopher Small made me think about why I value music and why I want to become a music educator. With that the questions posed in the first paragraph from the excerpt what is the nature of music? and what is its function in society? came up. In order to have music in society we need to pass it on to the next generation, and one of the ways that happens is through music being taught in schools. now the question comes up why have music in schools? The above link has some of the many reasons why music is an important part of a child's education even if they are not going to pursue a musical career.
I went to a tiny private grammar school in Chicago and although we didn't have a strong music program, we still had one. Once a week we'd all gather in the school cafeteria or banquet hall and we'd sit around with our churches pianist and sing a bunch of songs we enjoyed. I honestly don't know anyone who didn't enjoy that hour every week just getting to sit and sing silly songs that we loved.
ReplyDeleteWhen I transferred out of my performing arts high school, I came to a high school that didn't really have a music program at all (besides band, but I'm a vocalist so that didn't really apply to me.) Although my school was very sports oriented, I tried my best to incorporate my art into things because I knew that other people enjoyed it. Needless to say, my senior year we finally had a choir! It wasn't very good, but it was definitely a start.
As a kid, I was constantly moving around, switching schools about every year-and-a-half to two years. As a result, I became much more introverted and didn't really try to reach out to people like I used to. However, one thing that I did always have in school that I could use to connect to other people was music in school. Because in every school that I attended there was a music program, I was able to come out of my shell a bit and make friends. Even after I got situated in a place for a while, music was the time of day where I could just relax and have fun. Through the years, music has always been something that I have used to get settled in a new place and has also been a way for me to open myself up in different ways. I know that if I didn't have the opportunity to have music in my schools, I would not be the same person that I am today.
ReplyDelete"Music is about communication, creativity, and cooperation, and, by studying music in school, students have the opportunity to build on these skills, enrich their lives, and experience the world in a new perspective." Former United States President Bill Clinton had this to say about music education in the public school system. Unfortunately, programs across the country are being cut. Music education helps students in and out of the classroom, and even affects the community as a whole. For these reasons, music programs at the elementary and secondary education levels should be better funded and supported by school systems.
ReplyDeleteStudents who have music education in their lives are given an academic edge. Playing and listening to music uses both the right and left brain. This complete interaction of mind and body doesn't just teach the body how to perform. The brain teaches itself how to learn. A person's sensory integration, attention, critical thinking, emotional maturity, as well as motor capacities are developed through the power of music. There are tangible results that prove this: improved test scores. Take a study done by Kansas University's Music Therapy professor Christopher Johnson for instance. In 2007, Johnson noted that the standardized test scores of elementary students involved in music were significantly higher in the areas of English and Math (22% and 20%, respectively) than those who were not involved.
Involvement in music influences social situations and decisions made by students outside the classroom. One of the biggest misconceptions is that music makes one smarter. Though it may seem like this is the case, the aspect of discipline is overlooked. Being instructed in music creates self motivation in the minds of students. The work ethic that they develop as they progress in their music education then carries over to their other classes. Students begin to take pride in their schoolwork and strive to do everything to the best of their abilities. Along with this pride, children develop a better sense of right and wrong. As a result, social maturity is reached more quickly. This shows that students who receive music instruction tend to stay out of trouble and make better life decisions.
Music brings entire communities together in ways nothing else in public education can. There are many different types of ensembles that perform as part of a school's music program including concert bands, orchestras, jazz bands, pep bands, and the most recognized group: the marching band. These all create a symbol of not only the music program, but the entire school. Just look at Jackson High School in California. Settled in the middle of a community that could be doing better, Jackson's music department thrives with a long history of excellence. Despite the fact that the administration takes their music program for granted, they continue to fund and support the teachers and facilities. With a reputation outside music of a 12% dropout rate and some struggling academic areas, one might wonder why music is not cut to make room for improvements in other aspects. Well, the school board recognizes that this fantastic music program is a symbol for this community. This program and its history is something they can be proud of. When music is allowed to grow in school communities, the overall quality of living improves in some way or another.
Music education is vital to the continuance of public education. If school boards really want students to be able to reach or even exceed the increasing standards of the government, music programs should be kept in the systems. The academic advantages they create, as well as their influences on the community, weigh heavily in the success of students across the nation. People need to understand the passion it creates in the lives of students at any age; passion that knows no bounds. In the words of Kenneth Guilmatin: "Music learning supports all learning."
I wrote two versions of the same paper as part of my senior project. The above is an excerpt from my shortened "editorial" version that went in my school's paper. If anyone is interested in the full paper, let me know and I'll post it in a new, separate article.
DeletePlease, do, Caleb!
DeleteI absolutely believe that music should be taught in all schools. The facts in this article clearly show a number of the benefits of teaching music in schools, but I think the number of advantages is unlimited. Of course, I was extremely influenced by my musical study throughout my schooling, considering that I am pursuing music as a career, but there are a number of people who were involved in music and the arts that I knew throughout my schooling that are now going to be engineers, psychologists, and a number of other non-music-related things. I know for a fact that these people loved being involved in the arts and got a lot out of it as well. I believe in people being well rounded, and music education is a big part of a well rounded education.
ReplyDeleteI 100% believe that schools need to be teaching music. It stimulates out brains in a certain way and I feel like everyone needs that musical/artistic stimulation. All my life music classes were my favorite because I felt inspired and like I belonged. I know it isn't that way for everyone but I still think that people need to be exposed to music and to people who are passionate about music.
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