Music education in the United States is in dire need of financial support. All over the country, music programs are being cut, teachers are being laid off, and thousands of children are being robbed of the opportunity to participate in group music making within their schools. Despite countless studies proving the benefits of exposing students to music education, funding for these programs take the backseat to the perceived importance of STEM education. All areas of education are important, but evidenced by government funding, not all officials seem to agree with this premise. All students should be guaranteed the right to music education because it allows for well rounded, capable students to flourish in all areas of study.
Cuts to Funding …show more content…
The list of benefits involved with allowing students access to good music education is nearly endless. Improvements to cognitive function, memory storage and retrieval, understanding how language works, the moderation of our emotional states, problem solving, and mental longevity have all been linked to music education. These findings are exponentially prevalent when those who are tested begin their musical training before the age of seven. In her October 2014 TED Talk, Anita Collins spoke of the importance of music education. She referenced a study in which a group of musicians and non-musicians were administered an IQ test, and there was a 7.5 point average advantage in the musicians’ IQ scores. Literacy and numeracy are both positively affected as …show more content…
Making music is (or at least it should be) fun for students. Speaking on the importance of music education in his May 28, 2011 TED Talk, Richard Gill stressed, “Music is worth teaching for its own sake. It is worth teaching because it is good. It is worth teaching because it is unique. It is worth teaching because it empowers children spectacularly.” Children love to feel the sense of accomplishment that comes with taking steps toward mastering an instrument. Great pride is felt every time they make an advancement in their playing, finish performing in a concert, memorize a piece of music, or play a familiar melody without sheet music. According to Kenneth Gergen, “Precedence is given to the way in which the individual experiences the world for him- or herself.” A world of education with diminished access to music does not provide a fulfilling individual experience to
Cuts to Funding …show more content…
The list of benefits involved with allowing students access to good music education is nearly endless. Improvements to cognitive function, memory storage and retrieval, understanding how language works, the moderation of our emotional states, problem solving, and mental longevity have all been linked to music education. These findings are exponentially prevalent when those who are tested begin their musical training before the age of seven. In her October 2014 TED Talk, Anita Collins spoke of the importance of music education. She referenced a study in which a group of musicians and non-musicians were administered an IQ test, and there was a 7.5 point average advantage in the musicians’ IQ scores. Literacy and numeracy are both positively affected as …show more content…
Making music is (or at least it should be) fun for students. Speaking on the importance of music education in his May 28, 2011 TED Talk, Richard Gill stressed, “Music is worth teaching for its own sake. It is worth teaching because it is good. It is worth teaching because it is unique. It is worth teaching because it empowers children spectacularly.” Children love to feel the sense of accomplishment that comes with taking steps toward mastering an instrument. Great pride is felt every time they make an advancement in their playing, finish performing in a concert, memorize a piece of music, or play a familiar melody without sheet music. According to Kenneth Gergen, “Precedence is given to the way in which the individual experiences the world for him- or herself.” A world of education with diminished access to music does not provide a fulfilling individual experience to