Music in Our Schools Month
Music in Our Schools Month is an annual event celebrated in March in the United States, aimed at highlighting the significance of music education for students in preschool through high school. Established in 1985 by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the month features a variety of activities including concerts, talent shows, and social media campaigns to promote awareness of music education's benefits. Advocates emphasize that music instruction not only enhances language and cognitive skills but also boosts confidence and self-esteem among children. Historically, music education in schools began to gain traction in the early 19th century, with efforts to integrate it into the regular curriculum growing over the years.
Despite some setbacks in funding for arts education due to shifts in federal legislation in the 1970s, Music in Our Schools Month serves as a crucial platform for advocating music's role in holistic child development. Each year, a new theme is introduced, and events often include opportunities for students to engage with their communities through performances. By showcasing musical talent, schools aim to foster a greater appreciation of music education, potentially influencing future resource allocation and policy decisions to sustain these programs. Overall, the month endeavors to ensure that all children have access to the enriching experience of music education, regardless of their background.
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Music in Our Schools Month
Music in Our Schools Month is held in the United States each year in March. Its purpose is to draw attention to the benefits and importance of making music education available to all students in preschool, elementary, and high schools. Music in Our Schools Months began in 1985 and is sponsored each year by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Activities during the month include concerts and musical performances by and for children, musical talent shows, and awareness campaigns including concerts, social media promotions, and more.
According to promoters, the month is important because of the many benefits music education brings to children. Experts say active participation in music enhances language skills, develops physical and mental skills that help with overall learning, and boosts confidence and self-esteem. Including music in school curriculums ensures that all children receive these benefits, not just those who have access to private musical instruction.
Background
Prior to the late eighteenth century, most music education took place outside of school. Many students learned at home from parents or private instruction, Others learned through singing schools run mostly by visiting instructors who would teach in an area for a few months and then move on. In the early eighteenth century, geographer and education reformer William Channing Woodbridge (1794-1845) began promoting teaching music in schools. He believed that music was good for children’s overall mental and physical health and should be taught to all school children.
In the early 1830s, the Boston Public Schools became the first in the country to make music instruction part of the regular school curriculum. They used a curriculum adapted from a text developed by Lowell Mason (1792–1872) for the Boston Academy of Music. This program soon became the standard for other school districts. College programs to prepare music teachers for the classroom also began around this time.
In-school music instruction continued to grow in popularity over the next century. By the middle of the twentieth century, this led to the formation of many marching bands in high schools and colleges. Chorale music also continued to be popular. However, in 1973 federal legislation was passed that was intended to increase focus on school instruction in reading, writing, and math. Because of this change of focus, known as Title 1, funding for the arts—including music—was reduced.
Overview
The earliest efforts to promote the benefits of music in school came in March 1973 when New York public schools started an initiative to promote the importance of including music in public school education. Over the next decade, interest grew in this initiative. In 1985, NAfME began promoting Music in Our Schools Month as a national program. The event’s goal is to help ensure that all children have access to the benefits of musical education even if they do not have the resources to pursue a private music education. A new theme for the event is chosen each year. Past themes have included “Music Makes Me,” “Music Connects Us,” “All Music, All People,” “Music Changes Lives,” and “Music: The Sound of My Heart.”
Educators say that including musical instruction as part of basic education provides many benefits to children. Experts say that while passive exposure (listening) to music can affect people emotionally, mentally, and physically, active participation (singing or playing an instrument) provides even more benefits. Producing music requires the coordination of multiple parts of the body, so in addition to the physical benefits of utilizing hands, mouth, lungs, etc., to generate music, the brain is taxed to make them all work together. Research has shown that creating music taps into the parts of the brain used for language development and helps build neural pathways that enhance language skills. Singing or playing an instrument also changes the brain in ways that can boost intelligence; increase the spatial-temporal skills used for visualizing the solutions to problems in math, science, computers, and other areas; enhance motor skills; and improve overall test scores.
In addition to these benefits, opportunities to actively make music help children in other ways. Music is a stress reliever, and the concentration required to make music can enhance the stress reduction it brings. The long-term practice needed to improve teaches patience and perseverance. It can also bring a sense of accomplishment to children as they master and display their skills. The opportunity to participate in a chorus, a band, or other musical ensemble also builds social skills, helping children make friends.
The official events for each year’s Music in Our Schools Month center on promoting the benefits of music education and creating memorable musical experiences for children and their communities. Concerts and public performances are a key feature of the March events, and teachers and students spend months preparing to showcase their new abilities for family and friends. NAfME also encourages schools to allow parents to attend rehearsals when possible to see music education in action.
In many cases, the activities during Music in Our Schools Month include other opportunities for children to interact with their communities in musical ways. For example, children may visit senior centers to perform or participate in singalongs and go on field trips to concerts performed by others. Schools may also incorporate music into other subjects, such as studying the role of music in historical eras or creating artistic collages of musical instruments and musicians.
Music in Our Schools Month, which celebrated its thirty-ninth year in 2024, also helps to ensure that music instruction continues to be available in public schools. The admission fees charged for concerts and other public events put on by the children are generally directed into the music education budget to help fund new instruments and music for students. The events also generate awareness of the benefits of music that can help ensure future funding from school districts and state and federal legislatures.
Bibliography
“6 Reasons Music in Our School Month Matters.” Prodigies Music Lessons, 7 Mar. 2021, prodigies.com/6-reasons-music-in-our-schools-month-matters/. Accessed 18 June 2024.
Brown, Laura Lewis. “The Benefits of Music Education.” PBS for Parents, 7 May 2012, www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/the-benefits-of-music-education. Accessed 18 June 2024.
“History of Music Education in the United States.” EduNova, www.edu-nova.com/history-of-music-education-in-the-us.html. Accessed 18 June 2024.
“March 2024 Marks the 39th Music In Our Schools Month.” National Association for Music Education, 19 Mar. 2024, nafme.org/blog/march-2024-marks-the-39th-music-in-our-schools-month/. Accessed 18 June 2024.
“Music in Our Schools Month.” National Association for Music Educators, nafme.org/programs/miosm/. Accessed 18 June 2024.
“Music in Our Schools Month.” Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, 2024, www.pmea.net/music-in-our-schools-month/. Accessed 18 June 2024.
“Music in Our Schools Month Is in March.” Read, Write, Think, 2024, www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/calendar-activities/music-schools-month-march. Accessed 18 June 2024.
“National Music in Our Schools Month—March 2025.” National ToDay, 2024, nationaltoday.com/national-music-schools-month/. Accessed 18 June 2024.