Why Music Education Must Be Prioritized In Schools
It's a news headline that we've kind of grown deaf to hearing: Schools cut music programs. When school systems can't balance budgets they fall back on the simple solution: cut programs. It is a sad state of our educational environment that programs that are so beneficial to humanity are viewed as so expendable.
When it comes to arts departments over math departments, the question of where to make the cuts are predictable. Yet, when it comes to test results and student performance, the questions are often, "Why aren't they doing better?" Could it be that the thing that seems to hold the least value in the educational food chain is the one thing that boosts success?
A study of 112,000 students in British Columbia is another study in the growing scientific database of the benefits of the arts in education. This study found that high school students who take music courses score higher on tests than their peers in three core subjects: math, science and English.
Their research compared test scores of musicians and non-musicians on standardized math, science, and English tests that are taken in the 10th or 12th grade. The findings are of note, because poor performance in standardized tests is an ongoing issue in the United States. The researchers on this study concluded, "Participating in instrumental music appears to be particularly beneficial."
Further analysis of their research found that the more music courses a student took, as well as the higher their grades were in their music class, the better they performed on the math, science and English tests. Here is a solid discovery from this study: Those who took the most music classes were, on average, over a year ahead in math, science and English skills, compared with students who were not involved in school music.
Music matters. If schools aren't going to place the value on music as a core piece of a well rounded education, then parents can bridge the gap by enrolling their child in music education outside of the classroom. The scientific proof is adding up!
Piano Lessons Enhance Spatial-Temporal Task Performance in Preschoolers
(What is spatial-temporal reasoning?)
Improves Reading Comprehension
We have to stop viewing arts in education as having lesser importance for students. In fact, we need to start viewing it as having foundational importance for student success and thus, non-negotiable when budgets don’t balance. Regardless of what school administrators decide, parents can give their kids the foundation for success by making music lessons a key part of their childhood experience.