The Importance Of Loss Of Arts In Schools

“After a certain high level of technical skill achieved, science and arts tend to coalesce in esthetics, plasticity, and form. The greatest scientist are artist as well” (Albert Einstein). In this advanced modern tech-world mostly people are dependent on science and technology, but arts also play an important role in education. Art creates balanced thinking and better imagination which helps humans to be successful in their career. Yo-Yo Ma intensely informs about important role of arts in modern education society throughout his essay Necessary Edges: Arts, Empathy, and education. Ma illustrates that arts should be also part of education, because it improve students to filter their imagination through disciplined knowledge. Liberal arts should be equal to science and technology because it creates new idea, and in this modern world people should think critical than divergent in their lives. Empathy teaches students to understand and simplify the complicated life. Collaboration include discussion amongst people or group to make things effortless. Moreover liberal arts itself is beauty such as performing arts, it values the beauty of imagination in modern society by art and sculpture.

In today’s school systems, art and music classes are not mandatory to be taught. This makes them very vulnerable to budget cuts in struggling schools. It is estimated that more than eighty percent of schools nationwide have experienced cuts to their budgets since 2008 (Metla). Every child in America deserves a complete education, and a complete education includes the arts. Due to budget cuts, many students do not receive instruction in art and music and therefore do not receive a full education. Music and art classes in schools are just as important as core classes and should not be subject to budget cuts.

Music is everywhere and has been a part of human existence for eons (Dinham, 2014, p. 265). Music has been a part of Australian schools for the last hundred of years, over the last fifteen years the application of music has seen a drastic change with the appearance of the internet and increase of accessibility. In spit of this the elements of music has not changed and forms the basis of music. When teachers or children sing they use those elements automatically (Dinham, 2014, p. 270). The curriculum has an expectation that children will learn to listen to music, compose and make music (ACARA, July, 2013, p. 93). There is a range of music that can be used to teach children; explore music concepts, by singing, playing instruments, by listening, composing songs or music, dancing or moving on music. Children, through participation and appreciation will discover about themselves form bonds with other children and become more aware of different cultures (Dinham, 2014, p. 266). Teacher’s participation, regardless of status, need to ensure that children are getting an education in music. The opportunities and experiences, to create, perform and record given to us as pre services teachers will be of a great help when facing the task of teaching children music in schools. Art education depends on how to motivated and support children, scaffolding their learning, and build on their enthusiasm to join the praxis of

Cutting music and art programs creates a large gap between opportunities for wealther children and lower class children. Children whose parents do not have the financial means to afford private art and music lessions have a greater disadvantage because they do not have the opportunities and resources to cultivate their talents. They could be the next Picasso, but because they did not have the means to express their genius and cultivate their talent, it never gets discovered. Only a very few lucky children will be able to prosper in their talents. Schools should provide another means of art and music classes. For instance, they could have clubs where children

Many schools around the country are cutting their music program because of budget cuts in their counties. The arts for some reason are always the first to be cut; apparently the school doesn’t think they are essential to their students learning. Schools try to focus on the more important academic classes because of the high testing standards they must now meet. (Nesoff 2003) This is not just happening in poor school districts it is happening in large districts across the country including magnet schools for the arts: “When Albert Margolis and his wife attended the final music program for their son's kindergarten class in May, they were shocked when a teacher stood up after the performance and

Art education initially began in the United States around the nineteenth century to prepare future workers to be able to “design competitive industrial goods” (Chira, 1993). Susan Chira explains in her article “As Schools Trim Budgets, The Arts Lose Their Place.” that in 1989 a nationwide survey conducted by the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana reports that since 1962 the amount of time devoted to teaching art in school had declined as well as the amount of full time art teachers. Throughout the sixties until the early eighties the nation was dealing with a major economic crisis. Most notably was the Great Inflation of the 1970's along with New York's 1970 Fiscal Crisis which greatly affected the art scene in New York that was at the time the place to be if you were an artist.

Silence. This is what many people would hear if they walked into just one of the many music halls in a school whom has cut their music program. Many schools across the nation are suffering from severe budget cuts, and sadly music is far too often the first on the list to go. Music in the American public school system is often a way for students to express themselves and develop a sense of pride and devotion by being a musician. Yet, music education has been proven to improve young students’ cognitive capabilities, music programs are still being cut from the curriculum in schools across the nation. Funding, nation testing standards, availability, and participation are major factors whether a program may or may not stay in American classrooms, which demonstrates America’s destructive need for results from students to be tangible at the expense of the enjoyment of students.

Famous Spanish artist, Pablo Picasso, once said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” Schools all around the United States are closing their arts programs including music, art, and theatre, because of budget cuts. More than 25% of public high schools have closed done away with their arts programs. Blogger Katrina Soliman stated in her blog about the lack of creative opportunities in school, “Children have a knack for originality” and “Schools advise students to be creative but do not give time to do so.” The arts, however, are very important to children while they learn to grow and there have been hundreds of studies showing why they’re important. They improve test scores, give students creative ideas after high school and there are also other nonacademic uses.

“I get that music programs are under intense pressure, that all across America they are sitting hunched over with one nervous eye on a hooded figure stalking the halls with a big budgetary ax”, states Peter Greene. It has become common today to dismiss music’s contribution to the field of education. In the article “Stop Defending Music Education”, written by Peter Greene, the issue if obvious. What the issue is whether or not public schools should teach music and art, since so many students are below proficient levels in “more basic” subjects like reading and math.

Expertise in music is far more difficult to acquire than the spoken word at a young age, but exposing children to music at a young age can increase the pace that children can acquire the skill of music and the deeper meanings of songs that can in turn, help children with

Our children are suffering. They are being depleted of their childhood because they are experiencing things that many of us do not experience in our lifetimes. When entire neighborhoods and districts are plagued with this devastating predicament, where can our children turn? They turn to school. A place where they are allowed to be kids and do not have to face reality of their lives for a moment. Rachael Fleischaker is a music specialist in Ohio’s Canton City School District. She understands what these children go through because she teaches them every day. Moreover, she understands that music is a vital part of these children's lives and wants to do everything she can in order to save the musical program at the schools.

As with many states, cities, and public school systems, there is constantly a debate over how and why the arts should be presented in schools. Olivia Cercone takes her stand with this essay concerning Music Education in California public schools by clearly stating her thesis at the end of her first paragraph. As we know from our reading, a clear and unified thesis or argument drives an essay and reappears throughout while consistently reminding the audience why they are reading (McAlpin 77- 80). Cercone completes this step with a concise statement that is easily identified as the focus of the essay. Overall, Cercone successfully persuades and grasps the attention of the people who already have music in their lives and perceive it as

“The arts are an essential element of education, just like reading writing, and arithmetic…music dance, painting, and theatre are all keys that unlock profound human understanding and accomplishment” (William Bennett, Former US Secretary of Education).

In the last decade America has had to deal with the difficult economical down turns in order to stay above water in many businesses. The education field has had to make its own internal adjustments to keep afloat economically. “Funds have been cut in more than 80 percent of U.S. school districts since 2008. The very first programs to get cut are often disciplines such as music.”(Boyd). The removal of music programs can seem to be a reasonable response to the lack of revenue, but what is the real cost? Music is not a peripheral side subject that has so real meaning in the development of a person. Playing music is beneficial to a student in many ways. It develops a student’s emotional health. It develops the self-confidence of a student

The arts are slowly disappearing before our eyes and this is a major problem that if not solved could create some severe consequences for the United States as a nation academically. Though there are multiple reasons the arts are being cut, the two main reasons are the No Child Left Behind Law (NCLB), and funding cuts to schools and public organizations. Those who oppose the arts believe that the arts have no applicable use in real life, however there is mounting evidence that shows that the arts are key factors in reading and language skills, mathematical skills, thinking skills, social skills, motivation to learn, and promotes a positive school environment. The arts have also been shown to help keep high-risk dropout students in school.