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Wicker emphasizes importance of arts education By U.S. Senator
Roger F. Wicker On
April 10, I had the opportunity to hear a series of concerts given by
elementary, junior high, and high school honor choirs, comprised of
talented young singers from all over Mississippi. The
students did an outstanding job and displayed impressive musical
skills. I applaud the efforts of our state’s music educators who help
students learn to sing, play instruments, and develop a passion for
music. As I watched these young Mississippians
perform, I was reminded of the critical importance of arts education in
producing successful, well-rounded students. Music,
visual arts, literature, and history are too often pushed to the
backburner in our education system, particularly during times of budget
constraints. In some cases, art and music are
cut out of the curriculum altogether because they are deemed less
important than the hard sciences or foundational disciplines of math
and English. There is no question that reading, writing, science and math are the core components of a solid education. Physical education and sports activities must also be included to produce healthy, motivated students. I also believe music and arts education are among the subjects and activities that are necessary for a successful education. Creative Arts Improve Academic Performance When
creative arts such as painting, poetry, dance, and music are
incorporated into a school’s curriculum, children actually excel in
other disciplines and are more successful in the long term. Music and art lessons are proven solutions to classroom discipline challenges. Research
indicates that children who study music perform better in math. Music
teaches students to master counting and to understand fractions, which
are a key concept to musical notes. Study of
musical theory also trains students to recognize and use symbols,
helping to strengthen reading readiness and aptitude. Arts education
has even been linked with higher standardized college entrance exam
scores. Studies show that students who are
exposed to the arts earn higher test scores, regardless of other
factors such as income level. The correlation
between arts education and overall achievement is strong at every
socioeconomic level. Many low-income or disadvantaged boys and girls
may not have access to private dance lessons or have the opportunity to
learn to play a musical instrument outside of school. For
this reason, it is essential that arts education be emphasized in our
public schools. Art classes, marching bands, orchestras, choirs, dance
troupes, and drama departments in public schools ensure all students
have the opportunity to explore creative interests and to sharpen
academic skills. Another benefit of
arts education that cannot be overemphasized is its importance to
creativity. Arts stimulate the minds and imaginations of our students.
If we encourage children to think out of the
box at a young age, they will become better problem solvers and
critical thinkers throughout their lives. America
must foster a generation of young people who are innovative and
entrepreneurial. Arts education prepares American workers to compete
in the global market place and what some are calling the new “economy
of ideas.” Arts Education in Mississippi Fortunately, the Mississippi Department of Education recognizes the value of arts education. Visual and performing arts are required for all K-12 students in Mississippi. All
three of my children graduated from the Tupelo Public School system,
where they took part in many creative classes and extracurricular
activities. Across Mississippi, public schools are not only including arts education, but emphasizing it. I appreciate the administrators and music educators who are making this a priority. Next
month, the Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education will present the
2010 Arts Education Awards to recognize all the good work being done in
our state’s schools. At the federal level, the
role of lawmakers is to make sure our schools and educators have the
support they need to achieve success. I
am troubled by a proposal in the President’s plan to make arts
education compete with other disciplines for grant funding. This
raises the risk that important arts programs will be deemphasized,
which is an obvious disservice to our nation’s students. Congress
will be considering this issue in the coming months and next year as we
debate reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act. We should structure our existing education programs to reflect the importance of arts education.
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