Viva La Musica! (essay, g), for school
Sorry if you're getting this now, but I accidentally deleted the previous one.
I had to write a protest to one of the proposed cuts to my school. I choose the cut to music.
Viva La Musica!
Someone once said that "Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul." Most people believe this to be a true statement. Yet, recently there has been a threat to music: The elementary music program could be eliminated, doubtless hurting the production of music in the future. The elementary music program should be kept for numerous reasons, varying from higher scores on the SATs to building self-confidence.
Music can be used for relaxation or leisure activities, but it can also help children learn. Most parents know that children should be "read to at a young age"(Read With Me) in order to get a good education. In addition to being read to, "[r]esearch is showing that music education increases ability in reading, thinking and learning," as said in Working Mother. This is because "[m]usic and language are closely intertwined. Hence, music may be used to teach children language and language development" (Childhood Education). Not only would it mature children’s language, but it would also help in mathematic areas, during elementary school and later in life. "It was found that high school students who participate in music appreciation or music performance classes receive Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores higher than the national average of students who take no music course work. Students who took music appreciation or participated in musical performance had math scores which were consistently 14 to 23 points above the national average and 19 to 37 points above students with no arts experience of any kind." If the elementary music program was not removed, music students in the Santa Clara School District could get into college easier, passing the SATs with a higher score than those not taking a music class.
But academics aren't the only thing that parents are concerned with. Their children need to learn proper life skills at school, too. Dr. Caron Goode, a parenting expert who speaks and writes about how parents can nurture their children's gift, says that "During the first years of our child's life, musical skills build self-esteem and enhance _expression." In addition to self-esteem, music also "builds coordination and assists in growing social skills," says Kindermusik, a program that teaches children how to play instruments in order to further enhance a child's early years. "Music therapy can enable children … to express emotions they otherwise could not, and helps build confidence by showing students they can succeed" (Occupational Outlook Quarterly).
Some might stop here and say that children can learn to express emotions on their own. And of course, there are many ways to express emotions. But are all the ways of _expression safe? Music allows students to express sadness, anxiety, stress, angst and joy through a non-violent way. "[M]usic education ranks among those experiences that develop the more complex areas of the brain--areas that govern language, abstract thinking, concentration, empathy, compassion, and regulation of behavior. Thus, music educators are already providing the kinds of sensor motor experiences that help control and prevent violence” says the Early Childhood Connection. Music education in schools would help prevent violence, another positive that parents want in their children.
Cutting the elementary music program would be devastating to high school students too. [insert quote and more information here]
If the elementary music program was kept, children would learn important skills - coping skills, academic skills, life skills. If the elementary music program was kept, violence in schools could be prevented, making everyone’s life safer. If the elementary music program was kept, high school students who have enjoyed band can watch their younger siblings enjoy it too.
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It's not done, so I'll edit this when it is.
I had to write a protest to one of the proposed cuts to my school. I choose the cut to music.
Viva La Musica!
Someone once said that "Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul." Most people believe this to be a true statement. Yet, recently there has been a threat to music: The elementary music program could be eliminated, doubtless hurting the production of music in the future. The elementary music program should be kept for numerous reasons, varying from higher scores on the SATs to building self-confidence.
Music can be used for relaxation or leisure activities, but it can also help children learn. Most parents know that children should be "read to at a young age"(Read With Me) in order to get a good education. In addition to being read to, "[r]esearch is showing that music education increases ability in reading, thinking and learning," as said in Working Mother. This is because "[m]usic and language are closely intertwined. Hence, music may be used to teach children language and language development" (Childhood Education). Not only would it mature children’s language, but it would also help in mathematic areas, during elementary school and later in life. "It was found that high school students who participate in music appreciation or music performance classes receive Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores higher than the national average of students who take no music course work. Students who took music appreciation or participated in musical performance had math scores which were consistently 14 to 23 points above the national average and 19 to 37 points above students with no arts experience of any kind." If the elementary music program was not removed, music students in the Santa Clara School District could get into college easier, passing the SATs with a higher score than those not taking a music class.
But academics aren't the only thing that parents are concerned with. Their children need to learn proper life skills at school, too. Dr. Caron Goode, a parenting expert who speaks and writes about how parents can nurture their children's gift, says that "During the first years of our child's life, musical skills build self-esteem and enhance _expression." In addition to self-esteem, music also "builds coordination and assists in growing social skills," says Kindermusik, a program that teaches children how to play instruments in order to further enhance a child's early years. "Music therapy can enable children … to express emotions they otherwise could not, and helps build confidence by showing students they can succeed" (Occupational Outlook Quarterly).
Some might stop here and say that children can learn to express emotions on their own. And of course, there are many ways to express emotions. But are all the ways of _expression safe? Music allows students to express sadness, anxiety, stress, angst and joy through a non-violent way. "[M]usic education ranks among those experiences that develop the more complex areas of the brain--areas that govern language, abstract thinking, concentration, empathy, compassion, and regulation of behavior. Thus, music educators are already providing the kinds of sensor motor experiences that help control and prevent violence” says the Early Childhood Connection. Music education in schools would help prevent violence, another positive that parents want in their children.
Cutting the elementary music program would be devastating to high school students too. [insert quote and more information here]
If the elementary music program was kept, children would learn important skills - coping skills, academic skills, life skills. If the elementary music program was kept, violence in schools could be prevented, making everyone’s life safer. If the elementary music program was kept, high school students who have enjoyed band can watch their younger siblings enjoy it too.
****
It's not done, so I'll edit this when it is.