Why have music education in schools?
Many people do not realize the importance of music
education in schools, including school administrators. For many students, band,
choir, or orchestra is their safe place. Music is a place where they can
express themselves. It is also a way for students who are not athletic to
participate in extracurricular activities. Music has a great effect on students in their social and educational growth.
How music
education affects students
- Students who studied music performance and music
appreciation scored higher on the SAT than students with no arts participation.
- Students who report consistent, high-level involvement in instrumental music over the middle and high school years show significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12.
- Students in high-quality school music programs score higher on standardized tests compared to students in schools with deficient music education programs, regardless of the socioeconomic level of the school or school district.
- Playing an instrument helps youngsters better process speech in noisy classrooms and more accurately interpret the nuances of language that are conveyed by subtle changes in the human voice.
- Music training improves scores in spatial-temporal
reasoning used in higher levels of science and math (Phoenix Symphony).
How music
education affects students outside the classroom
“There is a massive benefit from being musical that we
don’t understand, but it’s individual. Music is for music’s sake,” Rasmussen
says. “The benefit of music education for me is about being musical. It gives
you have a better understanding of yourself. The horizons are higher when you
are involved in music,” he adds. “Your understanding of art and the world, and
how you can think and express yourself, are enhanced.”
Making music involves more than the voice or fingers playing an instrument; a child learning about music has to tap into multiple skill sets, often simultaneously. For instance, people use their ears and eyes, as well as large and small muscles (Brown, PBS).
How to get support for music education
- Have fun!
Students will be more interested in your program if they see their classmates
having a blast in band or music class.
- Use your
students’ voices. Your students can be great promoters. Have your students tell
their classmates and their younger friends how much they love your music
program.
- Have middle
school clinics. Invite local middle schools to come play with your high school
band. This will help you get students from your “feeder schools”.
Sources for Music Education:
