Studies have proved that music education is immensely beneficial to students. It grows a student as a performer by positively impacting his academic performance, social skills, and mental development.
Music education helps to slingshot the height of student learning and creativity to a new benchmark. That’s why it plays a vital role in the overall education system.
The US was the first to make music education part of the educational system. Still, with time, the trend is fading away, so I have decided to state some facts to show the role of music education in the United States and how it is beneficial to students. You can check upside down jenny in the US for Music performance and other music activities.
History of Music Education in the United States
The Colonial time is the basis for the emergence of music education. Because the first singing school was created in 1717 in Boston, Massachusetts, to improve singing in church, after that, there was no way back, and the number of singing schools drastically increased.
The following significant change occurred in 1832 when Mason and George started an academy together named Boston academy of music. They teach singing and harmony in their academy.
In 1838 The school Committee of Boston officially allowed music as curriculum and allocated Mason the post of elementary music supervisor. Boston school model got so popular that in mid 19th century, the whole of the US started to shape their school education on Boston’s model.
As soon as it became the norm in schools, the college started a four-year music education degree program. Significant developments had happened in the 20th century, like the School band and orchestra movement’s rise in the publication regarding music and its methodologies. Frances Elliot Clark develops phonographic libraries for school use.
From 1950 to 2000 there were some noticeable events had happened.
- The passing of the child’s bill of rights in music. 1950
- Formation of American school band directors association 1953
- Contemporary Music Project creates relevant music in children by providing a learning environment and quality composers.
- National Endowment for the art 1963
- Go Project for producing quality music education programs in public schools, in 1969
- Officials set the National standards for music education in 1980; many more events from the past.
- Renaming of Music Supervisor’s National Conference to National Association for Music Education in 1994
Impact of Music Education on Students Grooming
Music is something that everyone loves to hear and enjoys. Not just listening, singing and playing and the instrument is also given pleasure to people.
While we have proven that music is good in each sense, US schools are intentionally fading away from this subject and missing an enjoyable subject.
It’s intentionally bout losing a course subject and losing a subject that pleases students’ lives and education.
Here we are explaining some proven benefits of music in school systems.
- Develop Language and Reasoning
It is now proven that students who have learned music in their early stage of life develop better brain areas related to language and reasoning.
The young mind could help imprint information better on the left side of the brain by developing it rapidly.
- Memorization
Reading music sheets seems easy, but practically, it requires constant memory usage to perform these sheets. This memorization skill is then used to improve their other subjects and education.
- Desire to Improvement
A good music learner doesn’t stay or rely on mediocre music and always tries to improve, making him a craftsman and a good student.
- Coronation Enhancement
Hand-eye coordination improves drastically for the students who practice with musical instruments.
- Engagement
Students tend to enjoy a more practical subject and have an entertainment element. That increases their interest in school and other subjects.
- Standout in Society
Music is a form of art, and art makes a humble man calm and helps portray his positive image and intellectual development. Students who are part of a band or orchestra are likely to be less abusive.
- Emotional Development
Music students are more emotionally developed and smooth towards other cultures. Its to be noted that music students are good at coping with anxiety.
- Pattern Recognition
Music learning improves math and pattern recognition skills among students.
- Improved Auditory Skills
Musicians students are good at detecting behavior just by listening to sound. They pick out predictable patterns from noises.
- Build Imagination and Intellectual Curiosity
If music is introduced to a child at an early age, it can help him foster a positive attitude to learning something new. Artistic education develops the whole brain and develops a child’s imagination.
- Lower Anger
Music can prove to help cope with stress. Playing music incredibly soothing kinds of instruments will make kids relax.
- Creative Development
Kids who learn art and music have more tendency to do creative things than others. It polishes their mind to think out of the box and be innovative.
- Spatial Intelligence
Spatial intelligence is helpful in advanced maths. A student who studies music in early life improves spatial intelligence and perceives the world more accurately.
- Teamwork
Musical education eager kids to work in the form of a group. Running a band and learning music requires a team. So they develop good coordination and play better.
- Responsible Risk-Taking
It is found that kids who learn music are more risk-taking than other average students because their fear has been wiped out by trying new tunes and rhythms.
- Self Confidence
Music students have better confidence levels due to encouragement from teachers and parents. Playing musical instruments can build pride and confidence in them.
The Emergence of Music Education Today in the USA
Education stats say that 94% of secondary and elementary schools offer music courses. Every student who wants to pursue this course can avail of it.
Our suggestion
Though 94% of schools offer music as an optional subject, our concern is why it is treated as an optional subject in the United States; music education should be part of integral and fundamental course design.
Final Words
It’s not just an opinion, but studies have proved that music education is necessary to build up a student’s mind and be more creative.
This formal and informal type of education should not be treated as an optional subject but an essential course subject from junior classes.
Courtesy of Amelia Mia