The Inner-Workings of Music Education

To some people, music has no place in schools--it is simply an extra-curricular activity that takes valuable classroom time away from math, science, and literature.  To others, it is seen as a form of enrichment vital to the success of every student.

Image courtesy of NAfME

The National Association for Music Education, or NAfME, is the premier advocate for music education in public schools (you can find NAfME's mission statement here).  For over one hundred years, NAfME has expanded to include a force of over 130,000 members consisting of music teachers, college students, and concerned citizens, all bound together through a common passion for music education and a drive to raise awareness for the many benefits of music for students.

In addition to social benefits and sheer enjoyment, science supports countless arguments for keeping music and arts in public schools.  According to the Broader Minded blog, powered by NAfME, music has been scientifically proven to improve cognition, reading skills, grade point averages, attendance and graduation rates, spatial reasoning abilities, standardized test scores, and the ability to focus.  It allows students to stay engaged and interested in all their coursework, and helps students who may be lagging behind to catch up with their peers.  Additionally, music develops valuable life skills such as grit and determination, creativity, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, emotional awareness, and self-reflection.

According to Wendy McMurdo, an author for "The Scientific American" online journal, "assiduous instrument training from an early age can help the brain to process sounds better, making it easier to stay focused when absorbing other subjects, from literature to calculus."

In this way, students with musical backgrounds develop stronger working memories, which becomes an essential tool for multitasking--a skill required in any field in today's fast-paced, technology-filled world.  All companies expect their employees to be able to perform multiple tasks at once, process and remember instructions, and produce a high-quality result.  The skills learned in music class, like counting rhythms while playing notes and watching a conductor, become stepping stones into writing reports while answering calls and addressing clients' needs, for instance.

Still, many school boards still insist on cutting music programs.  Administrators place so much value in preparing students for standardized tests that music and art programs get overlooked.  Since the sections of the SAT are Reading, Math, and Writing & Language, the classes directly pertaining to these subjects have priority (they are core classes, after all).  Yet, some high schools are adding mandatory SAT preparation classes that hinder a student's ability to take a music class elective.  On occasion, the addition of these preparation classes is the tipping point in the budget that makes it impossible for schools to fund a music program.

What some school boards don't consider is the way that a student's musical background can vastly increase achievement on standardized tests.  For example, the College Board score report for the 2012 SAT shows that students who participated in music scored an average of 31 points above average in reading, 23 points above average in math, and 31 points above average in writing.

Image courtesy of The College Board

Because colleges look for high SAT and ACT scores for acceptance, students who have a musical background appear to have a leg-up in college admissions.

In addition to helping students, keeping music programs greatly helps schools achieve higher ratings, higher attendance, and higher graduation rates.  According to NAfME, "schools that have music programs have significantly higher graduation rates than do those without music programs (90.2 percent as compared to 72.9 percent)."  Because schools with higher ratings generally receive more funding, keeping music education could result in a higher income and a better reputation for a school.

While the arguments for keeping the arts are vast and compelling, many administrators remain unconvinced.  Some argue that no studies completed can prove causation and that other factors, like family life and socioeconomic status, are more responsible for higher achievement.  Additionally, other studies claim that music class electives simply attract students with higher test scores and the content learned in those classes has no impact on a student's achievement.  And, many point out that while studies list the countless benefits of music education, music is not a cure-all for low achievement in the classroom.

Yet, even if music enrichment helps just a handful of students to reach their full potential and experience success in their schooling and careers, it is well-worth the fight.

Side-note: Check out the story behind the youth orchestra that performed with Coldplay for the Superbowl halftime show last Sunday--music is a powerful thing!

Image courtesy of the Los Angeles Times