Transformative Essay: The Value Of Music Education

1002 Words5 Pages

Over the years there has been a battle of whether or not the arts are of value when it comes to a child’s education. While some feel that the arts are absorbing money that could be used elsewhere, others argue that they are worth investing in. The articles and videos mentioned below address this rising issue and all that it entails.
The overall stance of the “Music Matters” article is that the benefits of music education are so great that they extend into almost every aspect of life. Research has shown that music not merely a hobby, but that the practice of music education enables the cultivation of valuable life skills. When a child is in school, the impact of music can be seen in the way they learn. Since music is so dynamic, the brain is constantly …show more content…

For so long, people have discounted the arts as being hobbies and STEM as being the only respectable path. Fairly recently though, some universities have began to consider the value of the arts as a companion to STEM programs. There are some professors who feel that making the transition from STEM to STEAM would be nothing but a distraction to the students. They think that if students are already having difficulty remaining focused in class, that the addition of something else would be counterproductive. On the other hand, there are some who are beginning to see that there is something special about the creativity that STEAM brings. Not everyone learns in the same way. While some students are fine in the STEM environment, others have difficulty with the structure. They need to expand their horizons and learn more efficiently through projects. STEAM allows them to do just that. Feldman makes the argument that instead of taking away from STEM, art adds to it by allowing students to use hands-on experiences to explore new places and reach new