Music IS fundamental!
I am a senior music education major at Western Illinois University. Throughout my time at this institution, I have taken numerous classes on how to become a good teacher. One thing I have noticed is how frequently music will be cut from school programs. Music has been proven to help students gain academic and critical life skills, like working together and building social skills. Music is also an important part of each country’s culture. Due to the constant immigration, we as a nation are blessed to have many styles and genres of music to appreciate. Students are given an opportunity to explore these genres and become better in tune with their own personal history.
Everyone in the world experiences some form of music, which is why it is so important to have it stay in our schools. By having music in the classrooms as well as outside school, a student can learn at a higher level and develop more in depth relationships with their peers and teachers. As a parent, they can open the door to many opportunities for their child, just by allowing them to listen to music or take private lessons. Students are still able to learn effectively without music, but by immersing them into it, their development will be greatly enhanced.
With the implications of the standardized testing, music educators are left out of the test completely. By NCLB being in use, some schools are convinced to decide how budgeting should occur based on test results. Since the Fine Arts are not included in testing, they are often the first programs to be cut from the schools. Not only are good teachers put out of a job, but students are losing an opportunity to benefit from such a fundamental aspect of the curriculum. As we are looking to find ways to be supportive of our music programs, we should be reminded that music is not an entity unto itself. It is a compilation of math, reading, literature, language, and history. Music also incorporates many different learning styles through movement, visualizing, and listening.
What I’m asking Mr. President, is that we be reminded of how vital music and the arts are to every child’s education. Music IS fundamental.
This post was submitted by Heather Pieper.
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