A Position Statement Adopted by
Wisconsin Music Educators Association (October 2013)
It is the position of Wisconsin Music Educators Association (WMEA) and Wisconsin Advocates for Music Education (WAME) that all children deserve equal access to a credible and comprehensive education that includes the study of music and the other arts. The skills learned and the habits developed when students actively engage in quality music educational experiences taught by a certified music teacher provide benefits to them as individuals and members of a global society as follows:
· In a world where high stakes testing and shrinking resources tend to narrow the focus of teaching and learning to a limited number of core subjects, the strategies employed and skills taught by professional music and arts educators that target the whole child are proven to support crucial brain development and lead to educational outcomes considered essential for college, career and citizenship readiness: increased focus and academic achievement; collaboration and school engagement; and innovation and creative thinking.
· The synergy that is created when training in the arts combines with scientific thinking, as illustrated by the work of inventors over the centuries, has led business leaders, educators, scientists and government agencies to acknowledge that artistic thinking, along with science, technology, engineering and mathematics, are what truly drive creativity, innovation and economic growth.
· The ability to express oneself through music, movement, art and performance helps build self efficacy, nurtures and reflects our different culture(s), and helps break down traditional barriers – illustrating what we have in common and reinforcing what makes us uniquely human.
No child should be denied access to such lifelong benefits. As such, music and the arts must continue to be supported as core academic areas of study for all Wisconsin children.
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