Imagine this; you’re a music teacher and when you look out in class and see kids playing instruments like the next Beethoven and kids singing like the next Aretha Franklin with smiles on their faces, laughing and having a great time, you must think it’s a dream. Yet, it’s not. Music does that to people. Music helps people. Music IS life changing!
You see, music teachers have it all. They get to teach the best thing that has ever happened to this crazy world! But, as sad as it is, some school don’t have the arts program; which means they don’t have music and art classes. Some districts say it’s not in their budget or sports are more important so all their money goes to it. However, music is just as important as sports. “Every school should teach music” according to Laurie Niles from http://www.violinist.com ; she gives 36 reasons why music should be taught in every school. For instance, number “18.Makes people more outgoing, confident; improves self-esteem.”
When music is in your life, it means you are free to express yourself. You can sing it out or hold it in. According to Steph Hicks from www.hubpages.com, “Elementary school music classes compliment and build on other skills children are learning in their regular classrooms. These include: math, reading, social interaction, small motor skills, and large motor skills.” I personally think this statement is true. I have been a music student since the summer of 4th grade. I sing in chorus and at home I play the piano. I learned how to read music notes and I learned the musical alphabet. I learned what each note was called and how many beats you hold for. Since then, I have been learning everything else about music a professional needs to know.
Reading music has really improved my reading skills and even my vocabulary. It has also improved my language skills. For example, if you were to sing a song in another language, then you would be learning new languages. Music helps in math too. A quarter note equals 1 beat, a half note equals 2 beats and a whole note equals 4 beats. When I say beats, I really mean how long you hold the note for. Learning how many beats different notes equal is like learning how many quarters are in a dollar. There are 4 quarters in 1 dollar and there are 4 quarter notes in 1 whole note.
Music should be taught in every school because “Performing, creating, and responding to music are the fundamental music processes in which humans engage” says http://www.menc.org. This website gives reasons why different grade levels, K-12, need music and how it stimulates their brains. For example, when you are in K-4, you sing simple songs like “Make New Friends” and that teaches children to make new friends but keep your old ones too.
So push for music in your school. Be the music teacher that feels good about teaching at the end of every day, the music teacher that knows he or she has made a difference in their school and their students’ lives. All it takes is having a passion for music. Music can change your life FOREVER!