Woodwind Techniques/Letter of advocacy 1 Zachery Swaim

Music offers a myriad of benefits to students who participate in making it. While athletics and other activities children participate in are important for a childs growth and development, making music is the only activity that engages both sides of a childs brain fully. When a child plays music not only are they engaging the left side of their brains by using abstract reasoning but they are also utilizing complex math skills from the right side of their brains. According to B. H. Helmrich in his article Window of Opportunity: Adolescence, Music, and Algebra for the Journal of Adolescence Research, The same parts of the brain used in processing math are strengthened through practice in music. Students who take music in middle school score significantly higher on algebra assessments in ninth grade than their non-music counterparts, as their brains are already accustomed to performing the processes used in complex math, Math isnt the only academic skill that is increased due to music. Making music facilitates student academic achievement in all areas of academia. The study of music improves the recall and retention of spoken words and boosts students reading and language art skills. Musical students who were assessed in reading, writing, and responding routinely produced higher test scores than students who did not participate in a music program. (Catterall, Champions of Change.) The brain of a child who studies music works differently than a child who does not. There is neuroscience research that children who are involved in music have larger growth of neural activity than people not involved in musical training. (Dr. Eric Rasmussen, chair of the Early Childhood Music Department at the Peabody Preparatory of The Johns Hopkins University) Musical training also develops the section of a childs brain that deals with spatialtemporal skills. These skills are used in solving multistep problems such as the ones found in architecture, engineering, math, art, gaming, and especially working with computers.

Woodwind Techniques/Letter of advocacy 2 Zachery Swaim

Music affects much more than just a child brain. Music changes childrens lives for the better. In Lisa Phillipss book The Artistic Edge: 7 Skills Children Need to Succeed in an Increasingly Right Brain World, she highlights how music can change a childs life. Children, especially teenagers, need a creative outlet. Music lets students express themselves in a way that many other activities cannot. Musical training boosts a childs confidence and brings often shy children to come out of their shells. It also builds dedication, focus, and accountability through ensemble work and practicing. These traits are essential to a students success not only in academics but in life. Music sets children up to succeed no matter what they choose to do, whether they choose to continue on in their musical career or not. As an educator I can appreciate the need to test children and assess that they are learning. While I may not agree on the need for standardized testing and its format I understand it is a burden that must be made the best of. This being said, I know that the council would like to make cuts to our budget and make time for studying for these tests. Students do indeed need to study, I would just like the council to look at the facts I have presented and see that music improves the students actual ability to study, retain, and perform well on tests. I understand the way of the world and that these tests are needed for funding, I want the council to know that giving more money to the music program is not giving money into a pit or for nothing. It should be viewed as an investment, not only an investment in the lives of our students but an investment that will return great dividends when our test scores continue to rise due to musical training.