Music in Schools month aims to draw attention to the significance of music education in our schools and community. Just as verbal language begins to develop very early in life, the listening vocabulary should begin to be formed before a child is 18 months and not later than three years of age. This makes activities in the preschool years an extremely important foundation for every child's music education.

When children are involved in a music program, it offers them a unique opportunity for literacy preparation. Whether the children are singing, playing, or listening, teachers direct them to listen and hear in new ways which exercises their aural discrimination. Playing instruments and adding movement to the lessons teaches children about sequential learning which is essential in reading comprehension.

Is your child not yet involved in a music program? It's never too late! Take moment to enroll your child in a music class and or research what the community has to offer! Also, sit and discuss with your child what instruments are more attractive to him or her and discuss lessons and or getting involved at school! 

Enough about what we think, listen to what researchers have to say:

-Music Enhances Linguistic Skills. Music -- specifically song -- is one of the best training grounds for babies learning to recognize the tones that add up to spoken language. (Source Sandra Trehubn, University of Toronto, 1997)

- The arts are one of the six subject areas in which the College Board recognizes as essential in order to thrive in college. (Source: Academic Preparation for College: What Students Need to Know and Be Able to Do, 1983 [still in use], The College Board, New York.)

- Those taking courses in music performance and music appreciation scored higher in the SAT than students with no arts participation. Music performance students scored 53 points higher on the verbal and 39 points higher on the math. Music appreciation students scored 61 points higher on the verbal and 42 points higher on the math. (Source: 1999 College-Bound Seniors National Report: Profile of SAT Program Test Takers, The College Entrance Examination Board, Princeton, New Jersey)

- According to the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, music students received more academic honors and awards than non-music students. A higher percentage of music participants received As, As/Bs, and Bs than non-music participants. (Source: NELS: 88 First Follow-up, 1990, National Center for Education Statistics, Washington, D.C.)