Friday 24 July 2015

Atlanta School Board Underestimates The Power Of Music

The value of music education is often overlooked. The impact of having music in your life from a young age is invaluable. The skills you develop when learning music have so many applications and positive impacts. Never mind the social aspect of being able to participate in a universal language from as early as age 3 or 4. Music theory? That's a lesson in fractions, Latin, Italian, and history. Rhythm? Thats a lesson in mathematics, poetry, and culture. School recital? Thats a lesson in public speaking, courage, and collaboration. Science has proven that learning music from a young age has tremendous measurable benefits. It stimulates parts of our brain in our youth that are often left untouched until later years in life. Music lessons in school are not designed to craft the next musical geniuses, or set children on the path of a career in music. These music lessons are essential in the development of our youth. They teach to think outside of the box. They teach children to appreciate fine art, and give them the abilities to express themselves without using their words. Music education is so complex and rich. It would be a tragedy to see that disappear. The Atlanta school district has eliminated dozens of music teacher positions for the coming school year. That means many students will see cuts and changes in elementary school bands and orchestras when they head back to school. Atlanta had been one of a relatively small number of districts offering elementary band andorchestra, Georgia Music Educators Association Executive Director Cecil Wilder said. Fulton County cut elementary band and orchestra in 2010, despite protests from parents and students. The Atlanta school board voted in May to eliminate approximately 25 band and orchestra teaching positions, most of them at the elementary level. District officials later revised that number: District spokesman James Malone told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about 18 positions would be cut. All elementary schools will continue to have weekly general music instruction, which includes chorus and a general introduction to musical instruments, Malone said. But twice-weekly band and orchestra classes will no longer be a given. Some schools may cut band and orchestra entirely. Others may offer privately funded before- or after-school instruction or ask their general music teachers to offer additional instruction. Atlanta expects to hire about the same number of teachers this year as last — about 3,150. But this year principals were told they could choose how to “spend” part of their teacher allotment. That’s different from past years. “In communities where there is a robust interest in band, it is unlikely that the principal chose to eliminate band altogether, ” said Associate Superintendent David White. In others, schools may have eliminated band or orchestra “because of a lack of interest or involvement.” With that background, here is the essay: By Dantes Rameau and Aisha Bowden Recently the Atlanta Public Schools decided to allow their elementary schools to cut band and orchestra programs, further reducing the number of students who have the option [...]

The post Atlanta School Board Underestimates The Power Of Music appeared first on Merriam Music - Toronto's Top Piano Store & Music School.

No comments:

Post a Comment