Inventing Arguments (Final Draft)
- 1. Mitchell De Both Prof. DiSarro ENG103 1 November 2010 The Importance of Arts Education I was antisocial, the kid in the corner, my parents urged me to make friends. I never saw the point or reason. Elementary school was a drag, day in and day out. Wake up, go to school, come home; that’s how my life in elementary school was. No friends, nobody to talk to. Reading this may stir up a chuckle from one reader, or a tear from another. Regardless of whatever response was triggered, there’s a larger message here. Participating in the art(music, dance, theatre, painting etc…) provide plentiful benefits. I had a personal story, benefiting from the emotional benefits, but there are also tons of academic benefits! Students who participate in the arts are four times more likely to win an award for academic achievement compared to those who are not (Americans for the Arts par. 1). Over the years the arts have been a significant part of the education system in America and have proven to be more than just a subject where students grind to retain information for a week in preparation for a test. The arts are more than just learning a formula or studying facts of the past; the arts are creativity at its best. There is nothing better to learn and understand than oneself. But unfortunately, during a time of economic struggle, countless art, music, and theater classes have been cut to satisfy the demands of the state. Budget had cuts have been made left and right, approximately 30% to the arts, and school corporations take the simple and uneducated decision, to cut the arts. Cutting the arts out of the schools,
- 2. primarily music, is not only harmful to the future of America, but harmful to the students themselves. Creating a sense of pride, confidence, team and leadership skills, and developing creativity is a necessity to acquiring the best education a student can get. A personal story doesn't stand for much, considering I'm only one out of millions art students, but out of a short survey with a sample size of thirty-four, twenty-seven of the students stated the arts was one of the best experiences they have ever had (De Both). Not only one of their best experiences but they also claimed they learned tons from their experiences, and those twenty-seven claimed the arts helped them overcome a personal issue such as a lack in social skills, being shy, and/or a lack of confidence. A lack in social skills was my plight, but meeting some of the best people, and friends, in my music classes helped me turn out of be an outgoing, friendly guy. Again a personal story doesn't account for much, but it changed my life. And if 27 out of 34 students claim to of had an experience, even somewhat similar to mine, that's millions of students affected positively, academically, and emotionally because of the arts. If 27 out of 34 students claim to the arts being one of their best experiences and helped them academically, and you compare that to the population of America participating in the arts, that’s millions of students affected positively. The mental and emotional benefits of the arts expand farther than most know. It differs from person to person, but take the song "The Sound of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel. The soothing voices and smooth lyrics can be calming for many. Or take the new hit single, "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem. I hear it in the gym almost every night, because it gets many people "pumped up" to work out. From a different perspective, take a famous film such as "Titanic" or "Schindler's List". The emotional impacts are created from the arts, and these films will
- 3. be timeless. The arts are a significant part of history, and aid in creating it. The emotional benefits are extraordinary, but the academic benefits are amazing. An interesting fact, studying music stimulates the brain stem, meaning an increased performance in retaining and successfully learning information. The arts prove to boost academic performance. "The arts make a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child and has been proven to help level the "learning field" across socio-economic boundaries" (Young 1). An interesting study from Standford University states students participating in the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, three times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools, four times more likely to participate in a math and science fair, three times more likely to win an award for school attendance, and are four times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem (Americans for the Arts par. 2. If that doesn't convey a message about the academic benefits for the arts, then so be it, take away the arts. Besides form academics, these benefits transfer past middle and high school. The sense of pride and leadership skills developed pass on to the “real world”. Potentially students are more-so prepared than their peers in some aspects. Developing good attendance, confidence, and team skills is definitely a step up in the “real world” with professional careers. Unfortunately, in our current economic position, money holds back these curricular classes, hurting the future of America. The one main argument against the arts education is the cost of holding such classes. Sure, it's expensive to keep teachers and purchase instruments, but the benefits can't be compared to the cost of money. To have a young teenager proud of his accomplishments with the arts, whether it be
- 4. pottery, guitar, saxophone, singing, it should be enough for school districts to realize the importance. Some may argue the students in the United States are falling behind in math, science, and history; but music, studied from an early age develops these skills and prepares students for the concepts learned in later years. Counting music develops basic addition, subtraction, and division. Music can be related to physics and sound waves. Why some instruments produce larger, or lower frequency, sound waves, while others produce high frequency waves. We learn about foreign wars in world history, but nothing is said about the history of music, dance, or theatre. The arts can combine all these subjects very easily, and it’s a goal of music educators. Here are two principles for music educators, taken from the MENC (National Association for Music Education par. 1); understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts, and understanding music in relation to history and culture. The goal of many of the art subjects is to connect it with other disciplines. Taking away the sense of confidence, pride, critical thinking, teamwork, and dedication from their future is blasphemy in a sense. Developing a certain level or artistic ability, or capabilities on an instrument creates confidence. Improvising melodies promotes critical thinking, which is a huge push in Indiana public schools. Playing in an ensemble requires team skills; listening for intonation and doing your part of the work is required to perform a piece well. It's imperative the future of America have the best education that they can have. Don't cut the education fund, cut anything else; maybe the trillions of dollar for the military? The benefits of the Arts outnumber most other educational experiences. It helps mature and individualize who we are. Studying the emotional, mental, and academic benefits from the Arts clearly states the
- 5. importance that they've created. If school officials knew the importance of the Arts, whether it be music, painting, or even graphic imaging, I firmly believe programs would not be cut to appease the budget cuts that are being asked of many, if not all school corporations. Secretary of Education Rod Paige sums it up well: The arts, perhaps more than any other subject, help students understand themselves and others, whether they lived in the past or are living in the present. The arts allow us to explore new worlds and to view life from another perspective. (par. 4) During a time of economic recession, creativity cannot be cut. The Art's provide not only an academic escape, but also an outlet for emotional expression. Do not cut music and art to appease the state; lower energy costs, support fundraisers, or even put a tax on fast food to help raise money for education. America needs to be the place where education is best, don’t you agree?
- 6. Works Cited De Both, Mitchell. "Survey for the Arts." Unpublished Survey, 2010. National Association for Music Education. National Standards for Music Education. MENC, 2010. Web. 13 Nov. 2010. "Secretary of Education Says NCLB Includes Arts." Teaching Music 12.2 (2004): 17. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Print. 16 Nov. 2010. Young, Jr., Terrence E. "KEEPING THE ARTS ALIVE." School Library Journal 51.2 (2005): 88. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Print. 16 Nov. 2010.