Controversies in Philanthropy: FSSO 119-100 Fall 2021

2 Educational Benefits (1)

Along with culture, the arts influence many other aspects of society. One of these major elements includes education. A large portion of schools in the US offer classes in fine arts; however, as time progresses, the importance of such classes have begun to diminish. In desperate times, music and art classes are the first to be cut from the budge list and for seemingly good reason, as these extracurriculars do not have an apparent major productive function in a student's preparation for the real world.

However, significant data argues against this notion. According to a study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics in 1990, students who participate in music courses tend to perform much better in their studies and accomplish much more in their academic careers compared with their non-music counterparts. This study analyzed the grades and achievements of a large sample of high school sophomores, some of which were enrolled in music-related courses. The yielded results were quite astonishing. In the case of obtaining good grades, students involved in music tended to perform better in all subject areas tested by a relatively large difference. These results point to the conclusion that music plays a larger role in a student's academic ability than one may initially think.

Music education is not the only form of art education with benefits. Experiencing visual art can leave a powerful mark on a student's perception on life. Understanding the story behind a work or relic can unlock a special connection between reality and the strong emotions the work evokes. This is a special experience specific to that of art.

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