Why Does Music Education
Hold So Much Importance?
 Even
if You Don't Read Sheet Music You Should Appreciate
It
All through history, music and playing
musical instruments have been recorded. Even David in
the Bible played an instrument. So, why shouldn't you
further your education by reading sheet music or at least
becoming more knowledgeable. When you think of school and
education, you think of things like reading, writing, math,
science, and history. These are important, of course, but
some things in schools that can help enhance those subjects
are being cut.
Schools and school districts across
the country, from Hawaii to Maine, from Florida to Alaska
and all stops in between, have had to severely cut back on
funding for "extra-curricular activities." This can mean
anything from sports programs, to drama, to music and art
and beyond. And it's going to take a long-term toll on the
students who are deprived of these activities, deprived of a
more well-rounded, complete education.
What's so important about music
education? You might not imagine how essential until you
read this story. In today's world, with economies failing
everywhere, when men and women are being startled out of
their comfort zones and awakened to a world fraught with
peril, the importance of music education would seem
diminished, even a foolish indulgence to some.
Some schools have forgotten about the
importance of music education and what it really does for
students. Those that have musical programs in some form or
another do better in all subjects as it is good for the
mind, body, and soul. If your school is thinking about
cutting programs to save money, you may want to stand up and
ask if there is another way to save or raise the needed
money to keep those programs alive.
One very small thing to consider in
the education game is the break music gives students from
the grind of academic courses. A day filled with nothing but
intense study is enough to cause anyone to crack. Those that
have music education each day have a break from this and can
unwind, relax and allow the creativity to flow. This is
helpful in keeping grades up and student from feeling that
school is nothing but a huge stress tool. If they have
something to look forward to, it makes sense that they are
going to do better in other areas of study.
Kids can learn how the mind processes
notes or even learn to read sheet music. This works the same
parts of the brain that works on math, patterns, and rhythm.
These are all essential for better learning in all areas.
Music is a great way to work out the brain in ways that help
it with all academic endeavors. A music class that helps
with this falls in with appreciation, chorus, band, marching
band, and other extracurricular activites that include
making and enjoying music.
If you agree with the important
aspects of keeping the arts alive, there are a few things
you can do. For one, have your children take advantage of
whatever programs the school offers so they can enhance
their education and spread their artistic wings.
Not all students want to take part in
music programs or learning how to read notes, and that is
okay, but if they are interested at all, encourage them to
sign up and participate. They are going to love the programs
and they are also going to benefit in ways that they do not
see. You will know though, and that is all that counts. You
will see it in their grades and stress levels.
Go to meetings and talk to the school
and PTA about the importance of music education and programs
if you know that some of these may be up for getting cut to
meet a school budget. Do more research about what music does
for educational pursuits and give the best arguments that
you can come up with to save the programs.
How can we justify spending money on
music teachers for improving the singing voice and music
supplies when we barely have enough to pay for books on
practical subjects, on supplies to teach our children to
build, fix, compute, to give them skills by which they may
keep themselves and their own children alive?
Vocational training, work training and
practical arts have taken center stage. In the face of
economic crisis, the importance of music education in the
minds of many is nil.
It has been said that man (people for
pc) does not live by bread alone. Indeed, man, to be man,
requires more than bread and water to be a man. Humans have
been created, not only with a stomach and a thirst, but with
a heart and mind, both of which need nourishment of their
own.
Fail to nourish these, and man stands
to lose what is just as precious as the life of the body:
man without music stands to lose the life of the soul. Music
is food for the heart of man.
Music, art, literature: all the
humanities train and instruct the hearts of men. The
importance of music education is equivalent to the
importance of moral education.
Both teach us how to feel, what to
feel, about ourselves and the world around us. Music teaches
us melody, rhythm, harmony, the plots of love and of hate.
Music rationalizes the emotions, gives form to the notes
that the human heart sings with every beat.
The importance of music education
extends not only to what benefits the individual may derive.
It unites the children of a culture to the feelings, the
soul of their forefathers, yes, even more than constitutions
and industries. It is the same as the need for education in
history, civics and government.
Music education integrates the
children of the present with the people of the past, with
their feelings, concerns, their visions of love, beauty and
God. Should we dismiss these because they do not usually
make us money?
We need to give our children the
spirit of hope. Even as we work beneath a scorching sun, the
music we hear in our minds or the tune we are humming under
our breaths may carry us off to snowy mountaintops or lakes
of cool, blue waters, where the imagination cools our brows
and soothes the anger of the heart.
Music plays in our memories when we
see a mass of humanity lined up at soup kitchens, when we
see hospital waiting rooms filled with the sick and injured,
bravely muffling their suffering.
Children are born and old folks die.
In the midst of an embattled land, music may carry us up to
the stars, to rest in angel's arms.
In short, the importance of music
education comes down to the importance of the human soul.
Without a melody to soothe our hearts, to inspire them, to
carry us courageously into the future, without singing and
musical knowledge in our classrooms, education is the
training of circus animals, but not the refinement of the
human heart.
Seek help from other parents that
understand the benefits for children and who feel the same
way you do about saving these great classes, events, and
programs. With enough people backing you and enough support
from the community, these programs can be saved and other
funding can be found in some cases.
The educational process of music
should not be underestimated. Americans lag behind in
mathematics more than we do in most other subjects relative
to the rest of the western world, and the very basis of
music is math. When stressing the importance of music
eduction, you're really stressing the importance of math
education as well. It's key to understand that from the very
first when considering the importance of music
education.
Beyond the simple intuitive benefits -
such as, a child sitting in his or her room playing the
trumpet or guitar is much less likely to go out and get into
trouble than a chile restlessly planning a nighttime
excursion - there are other, measurable benefits delineated
by numerous studies.
Are Kids Who Listen to Music
Smarter?
There is, of course, a strong
correlation between music and academic achievement.
Countries thoughout the world - be they in the Americas,
Europe, Asia, Africa or beyond - that produce the most
academically advanced teenagers almost uniformly have
aggressive, comprehensive music education programs that
begin as early as kindergarten.
Early music education has been shown
to improve not only an understanding of both basic and
advanced mathematical concepts, but has also proved to be an
emotional stabilizer for children learning to work within a
group context. The ability to sing, or play on key at a
given moment in concert with those around you develops the
neurological pathways necessary for collaboration as seen in
the professional environment later in life.
Proof of this are the myriad reports
that many of the top executives and engineers at Silicon
Valley companies either still are or had been recipients of
a music education at some point in their lives.
It may not seem to be a straight line
from learning the recorder at a second grader to pulling
down a six-figure-salary as an adult, but there are enough
data points there to show the importance of music education
in doing exactly that.
What's more, there are data points
simply within the academic corricula that show the
importance of music education. Everything from predicted
college success to likelihood of emotional stability under
the press of exams can show a positive impact from a musical
education. Bring the history and enrichment of music back to
school -- and back to our kids.
|
