Importance Of Music Education - article by Good English Article Sites

Importance of music education

Schools and school districts across the country, from Hawaii to Maine, from Florida to Alaska and all stops in between, have had to severely cut back on funding for "extra-curricular activities." This can mean anything from sports programs, to drama, to music and art and beyond. And it's going to take a long-term toll on the students who are deprived of these activities, deprived of a more well-rounded, complete education.

The importance of music education, in particular, should not be underestimated. Americans lag behind in mathematics more than we do in most other subjects relative to the rest of the western world, and the very basis of music is math. When stressing the importance of music eduction, you're really stressing the importance of math education as well. It's key to understand that from the very first when considering the importance of music education.

Beyond the simple intuitive benefits - such as, a child sitting in his or her room playing the trumpet or guitar is much less likely to go out and get into trouble than a chile restlessly planning a nighttime excursion - there are other, measurable benefits delineated by numerous studies.

There is, of course, a strong correlation between music and academic achievement. Countries thoughout the world - be they in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa or beyond - that produce the most academically advanced teenagers almost uniformly have aggressive, comprehensive music education programs that begin as early as kindergarten. Early music education has been shown to improve not only an understanding of both basic and advanced mathematical concepts, but has also proved to be an emotional stabilizer for children learning to work within a group context. The ability to sing, or play on key at a given moment in concert with those around you develops the neurological pathways necessary for collaboration as seen in the professional environment later in life.

Proof of this are the myriad reports that many of the top executives and engineers at Silicon Valley companies either still are or had been recipients of a music education at some point in their lives. It may not seem to be a straight line from learning the recorder at a second grader to pulling down a six-figure-salary as an adult, but there are enough data points there to show the importance of music education in doing exactly that.

What's more, there are data points simply within the academic corricula that show the importance of music education. Everything from predicted college success to likelihood of emotional stability under the press of exams can show a positive impact from a musical education.

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