Budget Tight? Better Cut Music.

Summary: Although music programs highly benefit students in school, they are still the first to go when there are budget cuts. In some elementary schools, when music class gets cut, it leaves the teachers to teach music to the students themselves. Since some teachers are not fully capable of teaching music, they have the kids use online programs to learn how to play certain instruments.

Reflection: 

It makes me sad to know that when there are budget cuts, there is no second thought that its music thats going first. Nobody seems to think about music as an actual class, they think of it as more of an extra curricular. I think that kids should have the chance, especially in elementary schools, to be introduced to different instruments in person and not online.

Evidence:

(response to reading this article )

"Are you kidding me? This is totally absurd. As a music educator working to bring back music instruction for 10,000 students, I understand better than just about anyone the difficulties in funding arts programs. However, to ask a classroom teacher to attempt to deliver meaningful music education through yes, very cool and innovative resources, is a terrible idea. Not only are teachers already asked to do more than they should with growing class sizes and unrealistic state standards not to mention the moronic federal mandate "No Child Left Behind," you would ask them to deliver content in a subject they aren't credentialed to teach? In these cases, no music is better than music taught poorly by someone who already has enough to focus on. Mr. Dawson should stick to talking IT and stay away from music."

Dawson, Christopher. ZDNet, April 30, 2007

Sub-Saharan African Schools

Summary: The schools in Sub-Saharan Africa require fee's from all family's in order to pay for uniforms, text books, and other supplies needed to learn. 1/4 of a poor family's income is used to pay for schools a year. "Countries such as Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda have abolished school fees, which has led to a surge in enrollment" That means that since the school fees were abolished, more people wanted to go learn because they didn't have to pay anymore.

Reflection: It is sad that kids have to pay so much just to go to school. Its not even for all grades. In some countries, you are not aloud to go to school past elementry school unless you have potential, and money.

Evidence:

"Public school enrollment in the most deprived districts and nationwide soared from 4.2 million to 5.4 million between 2004 and 2005"

"In Haiti, an effective collaboration between the government, UN agencies and NGOs changed the lives of 4,300 of the country's poorest children, thanks to an education project that provided school materials and supplies to 33 schools."
U.N. Millenium goal of 2015

New York CIty Graduation Rates

Summary: This article is about the studies going on about the colleges in New York City and reasons why students drop out. The conclusion they came upon was that strong arts programs like music persuade students to stay in school.

Reflection: I agree with this article because arts programs are a good way to escape the stresses of everyday life. They give students a reason to think that school is fun and have something to look forward to every day.

Evidence: Only 56% of students in New York City graduated in 2008. After adding arts programs, more people stayed in school. Also, the majority of people who had arts activities to do became more successful in life.

Mattleman, Marciene. "Arts Education Makes a Difference"

“Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music”-Sergei Rachmaninov