I recently read that Barry Manilow, (yes, the singer), donated his Yamaha piano to Baltimore City Public Schools. It also said than anyone who donates an instrument at the 1st Mariner Arena Box Office will get a free ticket to Barry’s concert on April 20th.
I truly commend his efforts. I do. But I can’t help but think that somehow these instruments will never get used, or they will be destroyed and that there won’t be a music teacher to teach our students how to use them. In a school system that increasingly cares about tests and graduation rates, the arts programs are being cut. And in general, it’s not because of a lack of instruments, it’s because schools don’t want to pay music teacher salaries. This happened at my school this fall. We had a music teacher, he was awesome, and the students loved him. But our students were robbed of this opportunity because our school didn’t want to pay him anymore.
I have a $5000 Promethean board in my classroom but have not been able to use it all year because the tech people at my school will not provide me with the cords that connect to my computer. I also called the tech people at City Schools and they said they would call me when the cords would be available to pick up. They never called. And I called back and they had no idea what I was talking about.
In terms of resources, we’re almost there, but until we actually care about teaching students and providing the support staff that will allow us to educate our students, instruments and fancy tools may not work. We can secure donations, we can secure technology grants, but we can’t secure belief in the arts.
The story on Barry Manilow: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/03/02/barry-manilow-donates-new-piano-to-benefit-baltimore-schools/
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I found this so interesting, and I'm wondering if other teachers are having similar experiences when it comes to music education.
At my elementary/middle school, we are currently facing a budget shortfall and as a result, we were not able to hire a music teacher. Our students receive no music instruction.
Lately, there seems to have been a huge push both nationally and district wide for STEM Education, and many teachers will tell you that the emphasis on teaching subjects that are tested has only increased as test scores are tied to teacher evaluations.
But, are we doing students a disservice when they don't have access to music or art as the case may be in some schools? In education school, many people learn about the theory of multiple intelligences in which different people learn in different ways. Every student isn't going to be math inclined or science inclined, and perhaps music is a way to truly engage students who are passionate about the arts.
I also think that music and art provide important exposure for students and help them become more well-rounded individuals. I think Barry Manilow is right--we do need more instruments in Baltimore City and I don't mean the kind you might use in a Science lab.
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