The Power of Music

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Many American schools have been cutting their budgets, and music classes are one of the first classes to be cut. This is because music is not considered part of the core curriculum as are classes such as English and math. Music classes are being cut despite their proven mental benefits in areas such as language and mathematics. Music classes should not be getting cut from public schools and the benefits of playing a musical instrument should be taken more seriously. Music classes are very beneficial for the mental development of children and should play an important part in education.

Music increases intelligence skills and may help children in academic areas not associated with music. Studies published on September 20th 2006 in science daily about how the study of music affects children between ages four and six says that “After one year the musically trained children performed better in a memory test that is correlated with general intelligence skills such as literacy, verbal memory, Visio spatial processing, mathematics and IQ.” This Quote suggests that if children study music they will perform better in school and retain more of the information that they learned. It seems that music may be just as vital as math and English because it will help children excel in these areas by increasing intelligence skills. So with all of these benefits why is the music program one of the first departments to be taken out during budget cuts? Of course I do understand that music is considered an elective and that electives are

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not recognized for having the importance of a core class but the benefits of having music in school curriculum seems obvious.

Another thing that playing music can improve is language skills. In the articl...

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...itive affects on a child’s mental abilities. Schools are not taking into account the fact that music has such beneficial effects on children’s learning abilities outside the musical benefits. In addition Children that are not being able to take music classes may not be reaching the full potential that the study of a musical instrument may help them to achieve. Children should not be missing out on the opportunity to study and learn from playing music. Music may bring a child into a place were they can accomplish school with more ease than otherwise and this should not be ignored. Further more people should be more informed on the positive cognitive affects of music and what it can bring to the academic table.Lastly, If music continues to be cut from public schools more and more children may be missing out on the benefits and joy of playing a musical instrument.

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