How does band affect grades?
In The Arts: An Essential Ingredient in Education, J. Buchen Milley states that “research shows that when arts are included in the student’s curriculum, reading, writing, and math scores improve.” Like all arts, music has a profound effect on the academic success of the student. Band offers an understanding and practice of many disciplines other than the technique required to play the instrument. In An Evaluation of the Achievement in Reading and Arithmetic of Pupils in Elementary School Classes, author B. Friedman sates, “Music students always out-perform non-music students on achievement tests in reading and math. Because of their study of music, their skills are better at reading, anticipating, memory, listening, forecasting, recall, and concentration.” The network of experienced students one meets in the band can help with other academic classes. The saying goes, “If you want the job to get done, give to a busy person.” Throughout life, we must juggle various activities, whether it
