EDC+102H+F13+-+Importance+of+the+Arts+in+Education

= The Effects of Arts of the Personal Development of Students =

I. Description of Problem or Issue
We noticed that whenever school budgets are running low, the first budget cut made is in the music departments. Many schools no longer have a music department, or have insufficient supplies and resources due to these cuts. As a group of students with artistic backgrounds, we recognize the many effects of music education in relation to academic success. Music positively affects the emotional, physical, lingual, and spacial development of children. Music therapy, which is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship (though it can be used in a schools' music classes, like it was in mine), also significantly helps students with special needs, such as autism, and people who have various other diseases and illnesses. By cutting the budgets to music programs, schools are hindering the success of their students and doing them no academic justice.

II. Relevance of Problem or Issue in Rhode Island Schools
Rhode Island, along with many other states in the country, are being forced to teach to standardized tests. As a result, money is being poured into standardized testing tools such as common core and English, math and science are being stressed. Budgets for schools are shrinking and because of the recent government programs such as Race to the Top, the money for fine arts programs are hanging by a thread. The government 's main objective is to dish out leading international engineers and scientists since it feels that the United States is not as good as many of the leading nations. In order to make up for this, the government creates high stakes tests so that its students will meet an acceptable standard (at least in the government's point of view) compared to the rest of the world. These beliefs are forced upon the states so the schools have to abide. Little thought is given about how other subjects, especially music, are imperative in creating a well balanced mind. Almost all districts in Rhode Island are struggling with budget cuts in their arts programs.

Programs such as Race to the Top and Rhode Island's Strategic Plan do not even mention the fine arts. This is due to the belief that the United States must have the best and most engineers and scientists compared to the rest of the world. There is no concern about the knowledge of any other subjects; history, geography, and the arts. The importance of the arts stretches far beyond the scope of enjoyment. Not only can it be a form of self expression, it is scientifically proven to improve math skills, language and memory. Music has also shown to be beneficial in special needs programs and emotional therapy. Fine arts, especially music, benefits every subject area and kids involved in music, almost always do better in school. The problem is that it is not being addressed by any of the national programs. Some states have made a requirement that students must graduate with one fine arts credit,, but it is not enough. The need is to start musical training in the beginning of schooling so that children's brains can develop will the skills need to excel in every subject (especially since the government wants leading innovators).

III. Relevance of Problem or Issue to the Charter Schools Movement
In schools across the nation music is a program that is typically on the chopping block. Budget cuts or low funding makes it hard for music to thrive in public schools. Charter schools are another matter though. They have more freedom over what programs get emphasis over others. Some charter schools are centered on music and use it as a fundamental building block for other subjects. The Trinity Academy for Performing Arts in Providence, Rhode Island is one such school. Some charter schools incorporate music into the school day to help promote creativity, emotion release, cognitive growth, etc. One such school that does this is the International Charter School in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Other schools focus less on music because they are more focused on math and science. Those subjects are tested while music is not. That influences most schools to overlook the benefits that music can bring to the classroom. Seeing as how music is not a primary topic it does not hold much to the charter school movement. Some of them just seem to express more interest in it than others.

IV. Research Summary
As a group we researched the effects of music education on emotional, physical, lingual, and spacial temporal development. We also researched the benefits of music education on children with special needs. We found this topic to be interesting since we all come from artistic backgrounds. We recognize that music has a great impact on a child's academic growth.

Music education can play a great role in emotional development. Children who have music classes will be more enthusiastic towards their school work. Sitting through more difficult classes becomes more bearable for a student when they can look forward to attending an elective such as music. Furthermore, music an be a great stress relief, it allows a student to release any tension that they gained from a day of course work. They also can make connections with students who have similar interests as their own. Furthermore, a music education can give students discipline and eliminate the need to make bad decisions such as violence and drug use. Overall, music education can help students maintain a emotional stability that is necessary for academic success.

Music education also helps develop language skills. At the beginning of a child's education, nursery rhymes and other forms of music are prevalent. This is because these songs can increase memorization skills, teaching phonological awareness, and release energy. Music education teaches skills such as eye-tracking and comprehension, which are essential for developing successful reading skills. Furthermore, music helps with divergent thinking, which is process of being able to receive information and extrapolate a product. Music education is helpful for helping students develop a stronger grasp on literacy skills in school.

Another aspect of student learning that is effected by music education is spacial temporal reasoning. This is process of reading and being able to mathematically and visually calculate information. In music, students must read notes, translate them into what they mean, physically produce the note, and in the right rhythm. This process is very complex; by mastering this skills, students will have the ability to do many complex mathematical tasks. They will have a better understanding of relationships, which can great increase math scores.

Special education students benefit greatly from music education. Students with autism are especially receptive to music programs in schools. Autistic children have difficulty communicating, however they are able to easily communicate through music. You will often find that autistic children are musically gifted because they understand how to use music as a form of communication. Many autistic students partake in music therapy to help stimulate them and help them release their energy. Music can be extremely beneficial to special education programs.

Music can also help develop children physically. Studies show that music can increase heart rate, this can cause children to feel less stressed and be more productive in school. Furthermore, music can be utilized in physical education to get children excited and moving. These activities can have the children return to the classroom much less stress and more prepared for academic learning.

Overall, music education can tremendously aid in a child's academic success. In a nation where we focus highly on test scores, music education is often the first to be cut. However, it is crucial to consider the positive effects of music education. It helps create well-rounded students, who understand complex relationships between different academic areas. It allows students to develop in many different areas that are crucial for academic success.

V. Group Product Overview
Our group is going to use a power point to emphasize the ideas we are discussing. Katie is first going to lead the class in a drumming activity. This will demonstrate to the class how music can lead to stress relief and positive emotional health. Next Cara, will discuss how music effects children at an early age, and then explain pictures that show how music develops as language develops. Jess will then lead the class in a spacial temporal reasoning game, to demonstrate how people with more music education tend to have better spacial temporal reasoning. Jayne will show videos to illustrate how children with special needs are positively impacted by music programs. Finally, Alyssa will discuss the physical aspects that music can help develop. She will also show videos of music therapy sessions to tie back to the idea that music helping students with special need emotionally.

VII. Research Questions and Reference Summaries

 * || **Research Question** || **Researcher** ||
 * 1. || How does music education affect lingual development? || Cara ||
 * 2. || How does music benefit autistic students? || Jayne ||
 * 3. || How does music and the arts affect students emotional growth? || Kathryn ||
 * 4. || How does music and the arts affect the mathematical/problem solving part of the brain? || Jessica ||
 * 5. || How does music affect people physically? (Focusing on music therapy) || Alyssa ||

VIII. Group Reaction/Opinion(s) about Issue
It is clear that music has many academic benefits as well as mental, physical, and emotional benefits. Music is instrumental to the success of students. However, the majority of people, especially those in charge of school budgets do not see the value of music in the education system. When it comes time to make budget cuts, music programs are the first to be considered. In many schools around the country school music programs have been cut due to budget constraints. People fail to see the long term benefits of music programs. It's ironic that the government and school officials are concerned with test scores and would rather take the money going toward music programs and put it towards increasing test scores. Studies show that test scores are highest amongst students that have a musical background, whether it's private lessons or playing in a band. Instead of cutting the music programs to fund ways to improve test scores, schools should be creating enriching and fulfilling music programs for their students. The test scores will improve if there is a music program in place, something that many fail to see.

All team members participated in a music/arts program during their high school experience: chorus, band and dance. We know the importance of music/arts programs in school. All of us have done extremely well in school and attribute part of our success to our musical experiences. Anyone in a music program will be able to speak of all the benefits and the unseen importance on student life, academically, emotionally, and mentally. Despite having natural stress in our lives, we can confidentially say that music programs helped to relieve some stress. Also, we can say that we are happier and more relaxed than our peers and that we see better test scores when we put more into our music studies. The importance of music programs in education is great, and alums of music programs like ourselves appreciate all that we have gained from such programs. We do not believe that music programs should be cut, and some of us have spoken on behalf of our school music programs when they were under the threat of being cut. Music programs have helped to shape us into the people we are today, and we firmly believe they should be implemented in all schools and a required part of our education system.