WHY LEARN MUSIC?
Why learn music? Because music…
Develops skills needed by the 21st century workforce:
critical thinking, creative problem solving, effective
communication, team work, and moreKeeps students engaged in school and less likely
to drop outImproves the atmosphere for learning
Helps students achieve in other academic subjects
like math, science and readingHelps communities share ideas and
values among cultures and generationsIs a disciplined human endeavor with intrinsic value
to society
A recent Harris Poll revealed that 93 percent of Americans agree that the arts are vital to providing a well-rounded education for children. Let’s work together to strengthen our commitment to quality music education for all children.
Research reveals strong correlations between quality music education in school and…academic achievement
“Doing Well and Doing Good by Doing Art,” a study by James Catterall (I-Group Books, 2009), explores the relationships between arts involvement, academic achievement and citizenship. Using 12 years of data collected by the National Educational Longitudinal Survey (NELS) where students were studied for the same 12-year period, Catterall’s study looks at the effect of education,
visual and performing arts on the achievement and values of young adults and compares students at arts-rich schools to students in arts-poor schools. Students who
were highly involved with the arts outperformed their less-involved peers, even within low socioeconomic groups; low-income students with high arts involvement
performed better than the average study (at all income levels) in the NELS sample. There is also a halo effect for arts-rich schools; even students who are not personally involved in the arts benefit. These students are more likely to attend four-year colleges, progress to higher education faster and get better grades.