Music education in our schools has been under attack for a while now, and with new political leaders, it is being threatened again. It seems as if many people don’t understand the benefits that music education has on both young and older minds.
As a musician, you know and feel the effects that music can have on people, as it happens to you on a daily basis — however, others may not know or are ignoring the significance that music can have on a person’s mental and physical well-being. This dangerous thought process is cheating our younger generations.
It is a near impossibility that if you are reading The Blogging Musician, you are not an advocate of music education. But, if we take a look at the arguments against music education in our schools, we might be better equipped to lead effective counter-arguments in favour of it. This article will explain the arguments against music education, the advantages of teaching music in schools, and will insist that the benefits can overcome these arguments.
Arguments Against Music Education
In many cases, it seems that reasons to cut music out of educational programming are outdated and motivated by saving money. However, it is worth the examination to see if these arguments hold any water, and if they do, what we can do to bridge the gap to save music education. Many of these arguments, as we will see, should not be reasonable grounds to eliminate music from educational curriculum.
Common Core and STEM Programs
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and the common core curriculum are meant to prepare students to better compete in the global marketplace. Additionally, to show competence and advance in education, students are just memorizing information and regurgitating it due to our common core methods of standardized testing. Recently, our educational leaders have placed value on this type of educational programming that may hinder students ability for cognitive thinking and creativity.
Although these educational methods may work for some, they do not work for all. In fact, we may be in dire need for a systemic change in education. Specifically, Carl Hermanns of ASU, who started an after-school music program after seeing cuts to inner-city schools, states that: “we have an opportunity to provide our aspiring school leaders with the knowledge and skills to transform their schools in ways that support all kids in being successful.” By “all kids,” we know he’s referring to those who may not thrive in STEM-related fields, and how they too desperately need support in other means of learning.
Hermanns knows of the importance of music, while also understanding that not all students will respond to STEM subjects. If we are to see a system in which every student has a chance to be successful, school leaders need to rethink the importance they place on the current measurements of what they find intelligence to be.
If we do not see this transformation soon, we may see music — and all arts — eliminated from education altogether. STEM and common core could be easily supplemented by music and arts if we shift the common view of intelligence and budget for an all-encompassing education.
Budgeting For Music Programs
It is no secret that school funding in America is a disaster. Recession and tax-cuts — not to mention the economic disparities of inner-city schools — have made for very tight budgeting for public schools. You can’t cut subjects such as math, science, or English, so in many cases, music programs are the first to go when freeing up money for public schools. Why pay for music teachers and instruments if you are focusing on STEM subjects?
Music professors may be seen as ineffective because there isn’t a definitive way to test how they are making an impact on students. There isn’t necessarily a test to the satisfaction of a student who has found a new creative outlet, and a student can’t take a scantron test for happiness and reduced anxiety — both of which music has been proven to help. By the current standards in which we measure intelligence, the intangible effects of music cannot be measured by a percentage and therefore aren’t perceived as “knowledge,” or at least aren’t looked upon as valuable knowledge to compete in the global workforce. However, the intangible effects of music on an individual show in many other ways.
The Benefits of Music Education
Many of the benefits of music may not show up on standardized testing as attributed strictly to music, but they show up as boosting many academic performance metrics that common core does test for. The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) has compiled statistical evidence from studies of how children benefit from music education in schools. Among various studies, it has been concluded that:
- Children who study music tend to have larger vocabularies and more advanced reading skills than their peers who do not participate in music lessons.
- Regardless of socioeconomic status or school district, students (3rd graders) who participate in high-quality music programs score higher on reading and spelling tests.
- Schools that have music programs have an attendance rate of 93.3% compared to 84.9% in schools without music programs.
- 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 community.
- On average, both teachers and parents would be more willing to cut spending in 12 of 15 other programs before they’d cut funding for music and arts education.
As we can see above, the benefits of music education are very evident, and they even show up in the form of testing academic performance. Among many other advantages, music education facilitates better engagement, critical and creative thinking, and emotional intelligence in students. Many of these benefits show as boosting other forms of measured intelligence. It could be the case that STEM and common core programs are not enough for students and that the main factor of lifting knowledge is being eliminated from schools due to outdated educational models and funding.
Can Music Education Coincide With Modern Educational Models?
Music is far too beneficial to cut from public funding. As a result, it must remain in school. Overall, music and arts complement and even enhance the academic performance of STEM subjects. STEAM, the A standing for Arts (including music), is an educational model being adopted by institutions meant to instil many of the advantages that arts can give to students. Being met with the same pushback, there is a strong movement to take the A out of STEAM. Although parents, teachers, and legislation are wanting to adopt STEAM, they are not getting the resources they need to put it into action.
STEM education does have its role in education. However, this article argues that it is not enough. We are seeing the benefits of what music and arts can do to supplement STEM education, and funding should be allocated for STEAM for an all-encompassing, well-rounded education. After all, doesn’t it make sense to supply our youth with the best education possible, allowing them to compete in any aspect of the global marketplace?
Cutting music and arts out of educational programs is a quick solution to a much larger problem — like putting a lipstick on a pig. If music and art are eliminated from educational programming, we will likely see a decrease in academic performance, while facing the same educational funding issues that began in the first place. The music education debate is nothing new, however with new legislation and political leaders, it is coming under fire yet again. It will be up to the musicians, students, teachers, and future legislative leaders to fight to keep music in our schools.
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