Why teach music in American schools?

Music fosters qualities such as self-discipline

and teamwork, and in some cases it can even raise test scores. However, these qualities can be
replicated in various ways, from sports teams to academic clubs. Because of this, some school
districts have cut all Fine Arts activities either due to budget cuts or because it is deemed
unnecessary. I find this tragic because the schools are depriving students of a new perspective.
Music is imperative to a students development not only because it can improve a students
performance in academic classes, but also because it provides a constructive break from
traditional classrooms unlike study halls. Music allows students to connect with themselves and
others in ways that other classrooms and teaching methods do not allow.
People who have never been involved in school music programs may find it difficult to
understand why so many people would want to sit and play some boring classical piece.
However, they can still enjoy the performances and the academic benefits. Studies have shown
that Students in high school music programs have higher test scores and cognitive
development (The Importance of Music Education in Schools, CNN Entertainment).
Researchers do not know exactly what part of music making increases student performance, but
playing an instrument and refining the musical practice in some students increases academic
achievement. Additionally, students who learn to play an instrument develop a greater language
capacity and a greater ability to learn a new language (The Importance of Music Education in
Schools, CNN Entertainment). Because music is a language in and of itself, learning how to
speak it increases the brains ability to learn other languages. Music also fosters good time
management and organization skills. As a high school student, I was already very busy taking
difficult classes, doing homework, and trying to figure out how to get into college. Then, add
after school musical rehearsals, practicing my instrument, and attending non-curricular music

ensembles; I was very busy! I had to have good organizational skills just to keep afloat. And
even for students who are less as involved in music as I was, it is still a great time commitment
taking them away from studying and important school clubs. But why take students away from
the all-important academic classes or a study hall?
Music reaches beyond the classroom too. It allows students a sort of recess from the
traditional classroom setting during the school day and allows them to create their own sounds
instead of regurgitating knowledge. It also creates new bonds between different kinds of
stimulus, such as the visual aspect of reading music to the physical aspect of playing an
instrument and the aural aspect of listening to music (Campbell, 2008). As I have gotten older,
and especially as the classroom environments became more restrictive, music classes were
always my time to sort of relax my brain while still remaining engaged in learning. I believe this
is why I enjoyed music in school so much: it was my recess once I no longer had one. And yet, I
was never idle in a music class. It kept me engaged within myself and forced me to interact with
others and other kinds of learning. I never would have chosen a study hall over another music
class because you can do anything in study hall, including staring at your desk not doing
anything. Also, the many different types of music and activities associated with music provide
students help students to find their place in a group. For example, one man said about his
experience in marching band, Marching bandbuilds character. It's a team sport. You create
friendships that become your buddies for lifeYou don't have to be great to belong, and
members immediately have something in common (The Importance of Music Education in
Schools, CNN Entertainment). For students that have trouble concentrating in class, music is a
class that is always changing and always allowing students to create and connect in ways that are
not as accessible to teachers of other subjects.

All humans come into the world with an innate capability for music (Music on the
Brain, Harvard University Gazette).

Even as newborns, humans react to noise and quickly

learn how to distinguish certain pitches, timbres, and melodies, as well as create preferences for
certain musical encounters (Campbell 6). As they grow up, their preferences change and expand,
but they are still interested in and shaped by music. But since students are influenced by music
in so many different areas of life, it is important not to ignore their preferences and ideas when
teaching. When a student sees, for instance, that the music he or she enjoys or values at home
or with friends is ignored or degraded by institutions, such as schools, it creates cultural conflict
(Fitzpatrick, Cultural Diversity and the Formation of Identity). If a student does not see him or
herself represented in curriculum, they may begin to reject what they are being taught. Students
know what kind of music they like and do not like, and it is different for each person, but
teaching them about how their music works and broadening their horizons will allow them to
connect and discuss with each other while increasing their understanding of the world.
I wish I had more space to describe all of the personal benefit from music that I have
received, such as cultural awareness, critical thinking, and how to express ideas in new ways that
people will still understand, but I am nearing the limit for this paper. Yes, many of the qualities I
described, such as teamwork, better grades, and cultural connection can be replicated in a variety
of ways, but it is the community of music that really makes it worth participating in. Everyone I
have met through music has been a fast and often long-lasting friend of mine. I would say that
the culture of music is one of acceptance and support, as well as I could not replicate or
exchange for any other experience in the world.