The Value of Music Education in Schools

The school years are a difficult time for students of all ages. There are social and academic pressures, as well as the turmoil caused by the natural physical, emotional and intellectual development of children. Learning the basics such as reading, writing, mathematics, history, etc... are essential to a quality education. What most people do not realize is music education is also a vital necessity to promote appropriate development and heighten academic achievement.

"Music education faces a crisis in America, as budget cuts and a new emphasis on standardized testing threaten to marginalize arts programs... The combination of the bad economy (and) state budget shortfalls...has hurt many public school music and art education programs" (Small 1). Limited funds available for schools is a nationwide problem, and unfortunately when there is not enough money to go around it is school music and art programs that are the first to be cut. This is a tragedy because a well rounded music education program can be the key to what makes students successful in their other academic areas.

There have been some research studies that have shown proof that including a music education program into a child's curriculum helps them to do well in school. There is even some evidence that shows students who partake in musical lessons and activities have higher IQ scores than students that do not. "A report...reveals that the schools that produced the highest academic achievement in the United States today are spending 20-30% of the day on the arts, with a special emphasis on music..." (Dickenson 1).

Different components of music education and music itself actually relate to other academic subject areas. Music can be considered a science of sorts because it deals with sound, acoustics and timbre. Music can be related to math because of beat counts and groupings. "When teaching that values of rhythmic notation, we develop and reinforce the concepts of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division". Music itself can be used as an example of geography, because it exists in all places throughout the world, yet each culture has its own uniquely distinct form of music. Music can be an excellent way to learn about history. Different periods in time have different musical styles; Middle Ages, Renaissance, etc... We can learn much about history as we learn about musical composers and their lives. We also find history in the lyrics of songs. Songs created in slave times are an example of this. They speak of injustice and oppression that existed in that period.

One academic area music education relates to most strongly is the language arts. "When analyzing a musical composition, the performer will note the relationship of the concerto/symphonic form with that of the basic essay format emphasized in writing classes. Although a simple framework, that standard exposition-developmental-recapitulation construction of music has a direct correlation with the author's thesis statement-development-conclusion. The phrasing of the musical line in performance has a direct relationship with the vocal inflections emphasizing portions of the basic sentence" (Yoh 1).

It has even been shown that including music education into a child's school day early on can positively affect brain development. "Studies have shown that early experiences determine which brain cells (neurons) will connect with other brain cells, and which ones will die away. Because neural connections are responsible for all types of intelligence, a child's brain develops to its full potential only with exposure to the necessary enriching experiences in early childhood... There has been a causual relationship between early music training and the development of neural circuitry that governs spacial intelligence" (Royer 1). This is excellent evidence that music programs need to be included in schools even as early as the elementary level.

Ultimately there is a strong reason to advocate for funding to keep music education programs in schools and off the budget cutting boards. It is understandable that the economy we live in today leaves little money to work with both in educationa and elsewhere. This is why schools need to get creative in both spending and fundraising. Students will be happier and smarter if they have access to musical opportunities, and society will benefit from the brighter, better rounded individuals who enter the adult world after graduation. Music education is a vital part of the academic years and should be kept in schools.

Works Cited

Dickenson, Dee. Music and the Mind. Received on April 2005 from http://music-for-all.org

Royer, Randy. Results Reinforce Causal Link Between Music and Intelligence. Retrieved on April 4, 2005 from http://www.amc-music.com

Small, Mark. Bright Spots in Impending National Crisis: Roster Calls Attention to Unprecedented Budget Cuts. Retrieved on April 4, 2005 from http://amc-music.com

Yoh, WIlliam H. Music Education: The Cornerstone to Developing a Well Rounded Individual. Retrieved on April 4, 2005 from http://www.menc.org/publication/articles/academic/academic.htm