Running Head: REDUCING MUSIC, ARTS, AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION 1

Community Problem Report: Reducing Music, Arts, and Physical Education

Belem Urbina

The University of Texas of El Paso

RWS 1301 TR 6pm

Professor Cristopher Herrera

Abstract

This paper will show you the benefits to keeping and expanding fine art, and physical

education (P.E) programs active in our public schools in the United States. Many of these

programs are being erased limiting students creative, academic, and social futures. This paper

discusses how these programs affect children in a positive way academically as well as socially.

The affect music has on the development of childrens brains, and how P.E keeps students

engaged at school.
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Introduction

Child development does not mean developing your child into the person you think they should

be, but helping them develop into the best person they are meant to be. -Toni Sorenson.

Education plays a very important role in helping in the development of a child, giving them the

mere essentials for self-discovery as they continue to grow and learn. The thing is that, academic

success isnt everything. Parents always want what is best for their kids, and there is nothing

wrong with that, but a childs character is not shaped with just academic performance alone, they

also need an outlet to express themselves, which could be introduced in their early years to help

in the development of their personality, social, academic, and cognitive skills. Music, arts, and

physical education are essential for young students in their academic journey, but these programs

are in jeopardy as they are being cut around the country. These types of programs create a space

for students to become creative and artistic outside of the classroom along with giving them clear

goals to strive for. This creates a structure for their lives and teaches them to fulfill their own

motivations. From preparing for a concert to running a mile within a certain time, it gives

students a sense of accomplishment, a purpose that normal classwork cant achieve. Its

important to understand how these programs affect students in and out of school: comparing

grades of those enrolled in classes like these, compared to others who are not. Comparing

schools who fund their arts more, compared to those who cut their programs, can also allow us to

understand the benefits. These programs should not be reduced in schools because it allows

students to enhance the creative aspect of their mind and development, gives them a chance to

bond with others while exploring these fields, and improves academic performance all together.

Fine Arts and Child Development

In childrens early years, their brain is still undergoing development, where it acts as a

sponge absorbing all the information presented to it. Children absorb vast amounts of

information in their young years as they are developing their brains. This means introducing

them to different activities at a younger age allows them to more easily grasp concepts and

develop along with said activity. This is why introducing the arts at an early age is so crucial and

valuable to childrens development. The Madison Violin project, inspired by El Sistema, a music

program that was started in Venezuela and proved to be transformative in changing the lives of

unprivileged children (Assal, 2016), is a program devoted to providing musical instruction to

low-income children in elementary school. (2016, p. 224). Children raised in high poverty areas

are more prone to the risks of being exposed to gangs, and an environment that challenges their

upbringing. Many of these factors may include domestic violence, drug abuse, trauma, low-

quality child care, and even malnutrition. By being exposed to these at an early age, kids will

mirror what they see is happening in their surroundings, leading to low self-esteem, lack of

vocabulary, impaired brain development, and affect their cognitive and social skills.

Having programs such as The Madison Violin Project gives these kids the opportunity

to experience a different environment and allow their creativity to blossom, something that is

typically not seen in a traditional classroom. Some children even come across their natural ability

to understand music and approach it, which eventually starts to shape childrens self-confidence

and identity. Students start to realize the value and power that music possesses, and how they

themselves turn into a role model for their family and the community. Typically, students that

are involved in programs such as The Madison Violin Project, or El Sistema, tend to

encourage and impact their families to move forward and head to the right direction, helping

them seek new possibilities about what they can do for their future.
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Exploring Alternatives and Improving Social Skills

A widespread problem with young children is they find it difficult to be motivated to

learn while attending school. As many students find school boring. These same children also

tend to have short attention spans only captivated by things that truly interest, and engage them.

With this in mind, we can use physical education as a means to give children a release from their

usual seven to eight hours of structured academics. Setting aside a period of time for students to

be active allows them to both stay healthy and engaged while attending school. P.E. acts as a

way for students to release frustration and stress in a positive way. P.E. is also a way for students

to be introduced to a variety of sports and outdoor activities. When kids become invested in a

certain activity theyll keep doing it, thats why its important to keep these programs so they

have something they like and is essentially good for them.

These sports, and other activities brought in by P.E., teach students the value of

teamwork, and helps them with their social skills as they communicate their ideas, and

frustrations with one another to accomplish their goals. Being able to bond with one another

gives them the tools they can potentially use in the future. In an orchestra, the sections are made

up of a group of individuals whose goal is to make music. Without the use of communication and

social skills, the sections would not come together as a team which would result in the failure of

the orchestra. If a baseball team cant communicate with each other properly, how can they

expect to win?

Academic Performance and Development of the Brain

In a study conducted by John Iverson on the effects of being introduced to music at an

early age he found that young children introduced to music had consistent brain development
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compared to kids who were not introduced to music. Providing compelling evidence to suggest

that studying music allows the brain to grow consistently, and prevents stagnation of brain

development in young children. (Iverson 2016). The study also shows that kids involved with

music score higher on math, reading test, and as well improves their confidence in themselves.

This link to higher test score, and consistent brain development helps to illustrate how the arts

can be pivotal to children attending school, and gives them a leg up in the world around them.

Physical education as well has shown to improve academic results in students who are

allowed the opportunity to participate in programs like P.E. A study by the Scandinavian Journal

of Medicine & Science in Sports demonstrated how being physically active results in better

academics in the classroom. (Santana 2015) With fitness being important to the childrens health

as well P.E and programs like it are shown to be beneficial to kids in their development and

onwards.

Conclusion

Fine arts, and P.E have been shown to bring very practical, useful, and real skills to

young developing students across the nation, so it is essential to support, and expand these

programs to improve the experience, and quality of public schools within The U.S. These

programs help at risk students stay on the right path, and provide children with confidence in

themselves, and gives them proper skill to work with others. The arts allow children to express

themselves in positive and creative ways that they can use for their future, and P.E allows

students to stay healthy, active and in control of their physical wellbeing. These programs are in

jeopardy as public schools cut them across the nation, hurting our students as well as limiting

their future as they lose chances to express themselves, and find activities that truly inspire them.
REDUCING MUSIC, ARTS, AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION 7

What happens when we have none of these programs in our public schools? Support local fine

arts, and physical education programs so we never have to find out.

References

May, L., & Brenner, B. (2016). The role of the arts in school reform. Arts Education Policy Review,

117(4), 223-229. doi:10.1080/10632913.2016.1213121

T. (2015, May 26). Retrieved November 04, 2017, from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V81cO8xyMaI

Fowler, C. (2001). Strong arts, strong schools: the promising potential and shortsighted disregard

of the arts in American schooling. New York: Oxford University Press.

(n.d.). Retrieved November 04, 2017, from http://www.artsactionfund.org/pages/speak-up-for-

the-arts-in-schools

Habibi, Assal, Music Training Speeds Up Brain Development in Children. The Conversation,

3 Aug. 2016, theconversation.com/music-training-speeds-up-brain-development-in-

children-61491.

Santana, C. A., Cattuzzo, M. T., Andrade, L. P., Prado, W. L., Azevedo, L. B., & Hill, J. O.

(2017). Physical fitness and academic performance in youth: A systematic review.

Scandinavian Journal Of Medicine & Science In Sports, 27(6), 579-603. T. (2015,

November 18). Retrieved November 05, 2017, from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2sqXbwlaWwdoi:10.1111/sms.12773