The Several Reasons Why Music Should Be Kept In Schools And Ways It Helps Students Academically

In Children Toys of Advisor (February 9, 2010 7:06 am)

In this difficult recession, cutbacks are being made in every part of our life. One of the areas where important elements have been reduced or eliminated in is our school districts. The first things to be cut out usually are the non-core classes such as art, music and PE. These are all important subjects that young students need in order to be totally stimulated for their minds and their bodies. The issue that results is that only the kids that can afford to take music lessons or to purchase a student violin or an electric violin will be able to experience the many benefits that learning how to play an instrument teaches. Because of this, many groups across the nation have formed to try to support the learning of the arts or to try to bring back the arts to schools and why it is so essential.

Learning how to read music and playing an instrument has been shown to help children academically later on. There has been research that shows that children who are involved in music and learn to play an instrument at an early age, will perform better mathemtically than students that have have not had music lessons or training. This is why it is so important to have this offered to all kids, not just the ones who can afford private lessons.

One example of a group that is advocating music education in schools is known as AMC which stands for American Music Conference and is a national non-profit group that is spreading the word on the importance of music education. Several well known musicians have supported this specific group such as Nick Lachey, Run DMC and several actors and actresses. This group has worked together with Teen people magazine to put on a huge artist of the year event celebrating those in the music industry and brings awareness to how important music education in schools is.

In addition to many different larger groups that are supported by various celebrities, several lesser known grassroot advocacy groups have formed trying to support music in schools as well. One such group is known as MusicFriends and was started by parents and a small community that wished to support music in their local school district. They are supported by MENC which is The National Association for Music Education that was formed in the early 1900’s and promotes the neccessity of music education in schools.

This group advocates that music was mentioned as a core subject in the No child left behind education Act of 2002 and how important it is and should not be cut from school districts trying to save money.

Whether it is a large national group or a small group in your community fighting to keep music in your schools, the same message is being advocated. Music education benefits students, especially the younger ones in elementary school and school systems should think about it as vital as reading or math when considering budget cuts.

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