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Burning Down · 02-02-2010, 09:05 AM

I voted for the second option. Even though I'm a music major in university and will probably be teaching in the school system in the next 5 years or so, I really do think that core subjects like English and Math are more useful in one's daily life. Music and Math actually have a lot in common (division and addition being two major commonalities), but in order to learn music properly, one must be well versed in basic arithmetic skills. My point is that a student needs to learn some mathematics before they can have fun learning an instrument. I also mentioned English - that's a no-brainer. When I watch TV or surf the Internet, heck even surfing this very forum, I see way too many grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. I also remember hearing somewhere that only 40% or so of Americans read at least ONE book last year? I don't remember where I heard that but it shocked me.

Music is a mandatory course throughout elementary and middle school here. In high school it is an elective course. A very popular one for that matter, because many students believe it's an easy credit if they can blow a few notes into an instrument or strum some chords on a guitar. Not so, and the course itself is really not necessary unless the student wants to pursue music in post-secondary education. Music education needs to be available in middle school and high school for this reason because post secondary institutions generally don't regard private lessons as acceptable credits as they don't focus as much on theory and the history of music as much as schools do. That being said, universities consider private instruction to be a huge asset for students because they are generally more proficient on their instrument. I have both private lessons and high school music credits to my name.

All universities and most colleges in my province require at least one senior math credit (either a grade 11 or 12 math course), a 70% average in grade 12 English, and a 65% - 75% overall average to apply to a music program, depending on which institution you are applying to. Bottom line: To achieve those averages, a student needs to take the core credits before they take music! Of course, the student needs at least a 75% in grade 12 music, but that's only looked at after you've met the other grade requirements.

Sorry for the essay, but there was no way to condense this!

02-02-2010, 09:05 AM	#20 (permalink)
Burning Down The Music Guru. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Beyond the Wall Posts: 4,858	I voted for the second option. Even though I'm a music major in university and will probably be teaching in the school system in the next 5 years or so, I really do think that core subjects like English and Math are more useful in one's daily life. Music and Math actually have a lot in common (division and addition being two major commonalities), but in order to learn music properly, one must be well versed in basic arithmetic skills. My point is that a student needs to learn some mathematics before they can have fun learning an instrument. I also mentioned English - that's a no-brainer. When I watch TV or surf the Internet, heck even surfing this very forum, I see way too many grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. I also remember hearing somewhere that only 40% or so of Americans read at least ONE book last year? I don't remember where I heard that but it shocked me. Music is a mandatory course throughout elementary and middle school here. In high school it is an elective course. A very popular one for that matter, because many students believe it's an easy credit if they can blow a few notes into an instrument or strum some chords on a guitar. Not so, and the course itself is really not necessary unless the student wants to pursue music in post-secondary education. Music education needs to be available in middle school and high school for this reason because post secondary institutions generally don't regard private lessons as acceptable credits as they don't focus as much on theory and the history of music as much as schools do. That being said, universities consider private instruction to be a huge asset for students because they are generally more proficient on their instrument. I have both private lessons and high school music credits to my name. All universities and most colleges in my province require at least one senior math credit (either a grade 11 or 12 math course), a 70% average in grade 12 English, and a 65% - 75% overall average to apply to a music program, depending on which institution you are applying to. Bottom line: To achieve those averages, a student needs to take the core credits before they take music! Of course, the student needs at least a 75% in grade 12 music, but that's only looked at after you've met the other grade requirements. Sorry for the essay, but there was no way to condense this!