Graduation Speech: We are Winners :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Parents, family and friends, faculty, Class of 2012: Tonight we celebrate the completion of 12 years of schooling and look toward what will be in store for us in the future. It has been a long road for most of us, and a difficult one for some, but the fact is, we made it. Tonight we are all winners. However, I would like to talk for just a few minutes about losing. Throughout history there were many people we consider winners, who, in fact, lost many times in their lives. Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because he had "no good ideas." Even though he hit 714 home runs, Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times. Thomas Edison performed more than 1100 unsuccessful experiments before inventing the light bulb. He said, "I found out 1100 ways how not to do things." Even the great Secretariat lost his first race. I can remember a time when I so desperately wanted to win, but I didn't. My fourth grade class was having a spelling bee. Every student had to stand at the front of the room with his or her own mini chalkboard. When Mrs. Reed, my teacher, said a word, everyone had to spell it on their chalkboard at the same time. If you misspelled the word, you were forced to sit down at your desk and keep quiet. At first I did not see the enjoyment in the exercise. In fact, I can distinctly remember drawing on my chalkboard while my teacher explained the rules of the spelling bee. It wasn't until I heard the words "Tootsie Roll Pop" that I looked up and saw the bright red cherry Tootsie Roll Pop that would be given to the winner. In fourth grade there was little I would not do for a Tootsie Roll Pop. The spelling bee that was about to start all of a sudden became important too me. My hand was ready to spell out any word that came out of my teacher's mouth. I was a spelling machine! My teacher kept putting up new words, and I kept knocking them down. I wanted that Tootsie Roll Pop. I was going to get it if it killed me. My teacher had given us more than 20 words, and I spelled every one of them correctly. The problem was, so had someone else. Elaine was her name. She was all that stood between me and my Tootsie Roll Pop.

Education Can End Systematic Oppression Essay -- Poverty and Oppressio

The subject of expectations for higher education is one that tends to spark impassioned debate among educators, students and parents alike. In Pedagogy of the Oppressed Paulo Freire presses his audience to consider such expectations in light of one’s own intentions, motives, and affections toward those to be educated (Freire 50). He goes even further to suggest that a love for one another through empathetic dialogue, especially on the part of the educator, must be present in order for fear to be wiped away and liberation to eventually take its place (Freire 89,90). It was that dialogical approach that made Freire’s literacy programs so successful in Brazil until â€Å"his work was interrupted by a military dictatorship† in the mid-60s and he was arrested and exiled to Chile (Palmer 128). Even after his release he continued to be an advocate for his approach to education, believing it worked toward liberation for all, freeing both the oppressor and the oppressed (Palmer 129). Some of the oppressed in our own society include, but are not limited to, individuals living in poverty, immigrants struggling to adapt and grow in a new culture, and people with developmental disabilities due to abuse and neglect. Many opportunities lie at our fingertips in America but until we apply an empathetic approach to reaching the oppressed in our society, we cannot expect all Americans to seek a college degree nor will education be a means toward societal change. According to the US Census Bureau, out of the 300 plus million people living in the United States, 46.5 million of them lived in poverty in 2012 without any change from the previous year (â€Å"Dept of Commerce†). Almost 22% of the people were children under the age of 18 (â€Å"Dept of Commerce†). A... ...riere_pedagogy.pdf>. Hamilton, Jon. "Orphans' Lonely Beginnings Reveal How Parents Shape A Child's Brain." NPR. NPR, 24 Feb. 2014. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. . Koury, Amanda S., and Elizabeth Votruba-Drzal. "School Readiness of Children from Immigrant Families: Contributions of Region of Origin, Home, and Childcare." Journal of Educational Psychology 106.1 (2014): 268-88. ProQuest. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. Palmer, Joy, David E. Cooper, and Liora Bresler, eds. Fifty Modern Thinkers on Education: From Piaget to the Present Day. London: Routledge, 2001. Print. "WHAT RESEARCH SAYS ABOUT PARENT INVOLVEMENT IN CHILDREN’S EDUCATION." SOM - State of Michigan. Michigan Department of Education, Mar. 2002. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. .

The Genius of John Bardeen

Genius is more often than not measured by Intelligence Quotient (â€Å"I. Q. †). This should not be the case. It would be better to attribute the label genius to someone who was able to beat the odds and used everything in his power to contribute to progress and in making life a much more blessed experience. The distinction of being a genius must only be given to those whose body of work has surpassed the test of time. If indeed achievements and great works is the trademark of a man of great intelligence then it would not be difficult to heap accolades and to celebrate the genius of John Bardeen.Not only is he brilliant and possessing a mind that can beat a roomful of supercomputers but he is also self-effacing and not one to tell the world of his exploits. In fact it will be shown later that when he learned that he was one of the recipients of 1957 Nobel Prize for Physics, he could not believe he deserved to receive such a life changing award. If this was not enough, Bardeen won the Nobel Prize in Physics less than two decades later. His theory about superconductivity assured him of a place among the greatest scientists who ever lived.Without John Bardeen’s pioneering work on transistors and superconductivity, there would never have been a world wide web, interconnectedness in the blink of an eye and an ultra-efficient and comfortable lifestyle available for those living in the 21st century. The world today may very well be a different place if Bardeen was not born and allowed to develop into a formidable intellectual force. The following pages will provide a basic understanding of how one man help change the world. Building a CareerA great foundation is the assurance of a solid structure with an integrity that can withstand tremors and other pressures. If this analogy of building structures can be applied to life then it can be said that John Bardeen prepared a secure foundation for a great career that would change the course of history. All gre at careers – especially in engineering – must start with great education. Mr. Bardeen went to the University High School in Madison, Wisconsin for a number of years and then went on to graduate from Madison Central High School in the year 1923.Then he took up a course in electrical engineering at the University of Wisconsin. In the said university, Bardeen took up the extra challenge of adding in extra work in mathematics and physics. If this is not enough he went to work – while still an undergraduate student – in the engineering department of the Western Electric Company at Chicago. He graduated with a B. S. in electrical engineering in 1928. But he did not leave his beloved university just yet and he continued on as a graduate research assistant in electrical engineering, a task which he focused on for the next two years of his life.In this two years he devoted himself to the study of mathematical problems in applied geophysics and also the phenomenon of radiation in antennas (see Nobelprize. org). After serving under the U. S. Navy in World War II, Bardeen, â€Å"†¦was hired by Bell Laboratories, a high-tech communications and electronics research plant† (Haven & Clark, 1999, p. 22). It is in this environment and in this scientific community where Bardeen was able to showcase his talents.But Bardeen was not only keen in showing the what he can do; he is also very much willing to share what he knows to others. He served as a Junior Fellow at Harvard University and also worked as assistant professor of physics at the University of Minnesota (Haven & Clark, 1999, p. 24). Contributions In the beginning of this study the proponent submitted the idea that genius should not be only measured through intelligence quotient alone but also on the ability of the person to create something worthwhile; in other words to contribute to the forward progress of mankind.This will show that the high IQ person is not simply a machine able to crunch complicated sets of numbers but also a complete human being able to touch lives and to work with others. In this category of super achievers one can include John Bardeen not only because he has the machinelike prowess to solve complicated problems but also because he was well regarded by his peers and well respected beyond the community where he first nurtured his genius in Wisconsin. The first major contribution of Bardeen was to crack the transistor puzzle.Together with a team of scientists – Walter H. Brattain and William Shockley – he was able to explain semiconductors and the transistor effect (see Nobelprize. org). Just to show a basic idea of what this discovery has meant to human history here is Bardeen’s contribution in a nutshell, â€Å"The transistor has been the backbone of every computing, calculating, communicating and logic electronics circuit build in the last 50 years† (Haven & Clark, 1999, p. 21). For his work he shared the 19 56 Nobel Prize in Physics.His second major contribution was to provide for a very enlightening explanation of superconductivity. In the words of Haven and Clark, â€Å"Bardeen won his second Nobel Prize for elucidating the theory of superconductivity, which has been called one of the most important achievements in the theoretical physics since the development of quantum theory† (1999, p. 21). Thus, in 1972 Bardeen became a double Nobel laureate. He shared the award with Leon N. Cooper and J. Robert Schrieffer for the theory of superconductivity.From then on others were able to build on this new understanding and at present allowed many to experience that, â€Å"Superconductivity at higher temperatures has led to such feats as frictionless, ultrafast trains lifted magnetically above their rails†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Haven & Clark, 1999, p. 21). Conflicts In every major endeavor and in every significant discovery, controversy and conflicts are almost inevitable as night follows day. More often than not conflicts are coming from the outside as people unable to fully grasp the new scientific breakthrough would question its relevance to society.In the case of John Bardeen the conflicts he experienced did not come from his external environment but surprisingly it came from within; from within himself and from within their own community of scientists. This inner turmoil was explained by Hoddeson and Daitch (2002, p. 2-3) as follows: 1. Bardeen was unsure of the true worth of transistors in the larger scheme of things. 2. Bardeen was not agreeable to the fact that William Shockley was considered as the co-inventor of the transistor and share the Nobel Prize in 1956.It is interesting to expound on the second statement for it would strengthen the thesis that a true man of genius must be able to work harmoniously within a community, within a group of individuals to be considered as a man of great intellectual stature and not merely a flash in the pan talent that would p rove useless in real life situations. A deeper look at the issue would reveal that Shockley was not able to contribute a significant theory or solution that led to the discovery of the transistor action. It was purely the work of Bardeen and Brattain.Hoddeson and Daitch reveal that, â€Å"†¦it was Shockley, rather than Bardeen and Brattain, who received wide recognition for the discovery. Even today, popular magazines sometimes credit Shockley alone with the invention† (2002, p. 2). Even if Bardeen knew the inside information as to what really happened within the Bell laboratories where the â€Å"transistor phenomena† was fully understood, it was a testament to his great character that he did not make a scandal out of it and at the end allowed Shockley to share the fame and the glory together with Brattain. LegacyAside from having great mind and the capacity to touch lives, one of the standards upon which true genius must be measured against is legacy. Legacy is w hat is left when the hype dies down and when the passage of time has truly tested the value of a person’s work. With regards to the legacy left behind by Bardeen this is what Jim Turley has to say: Few things have altered modern life as much as the discovery of semiconductors †¦ Modern electronics have completely changed the way we talk with each other †¦ It has changed medical research, entertainment, record keeping, travel, and exploration.There’s almost no business, profession, or industry that hasn’t changed since the introduction of solid-state electronics in the last 50 years (2003, p. 2). If having a brilliant mind, capacity to work under pressure and to share recognition with a group of equally talented personnel, and a body of work that has changed history is the measure of true genius then there are only a few who can match John Bardeen in this respect. Works Cited Haven, Kendall & Donna Clark. 100 Most Popular Scientists for Young Adults: Bi ographical Sketches and Professional Paths.Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. , 1999. Hoddeson, Lilian & Vicki Daitch. True Genius: The Life and Science of John Bardeen. Washington, D. C. : Joseph Henry Press, 2002. Nobelprize. org. John Bardeen: The Nobel Prize in Physics 1972. Available from Accessed 20 July 2007. Samuelson, Bengt & Michael Sohlman. Nobel Lectures in Physics. New Jersey: World Scientific Publishing Co. , 1998 Turley, Jim. The Essential Guide to Semiconductors. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. , 2003.

Public Punishment Essay Essay

Public punishment is an act or instance of punishing. A deterrent is something that discourages or is in intended to discourage someone from an act. In today’s society public punishment is often debated, where as in the 1800s, punishing someone publically was accepted. From community service to standing at intersections with hand written signs, public punishment can act as a deterrent or not affect that person at all. Public punishment is often frowned upon, but is effective in some, not all cases, and influences better behavior. Public punishment does not always work. Trenton General from Chesapeake, Virginia, is a troubled teen whose grades in school were below his parents’ expectations (Belkin 1). Trenton’s parents took away his video games, cell phone and made him a â€Å"work for food† sign around his neck in an orange jumpsuit (Belkin 1). His parents stated â€Å"It was an embarrassment to us that we tried so much to reach him and it seems like ever ything we did failed† (Belkin 1). His parents tried everything they could until they decided to resort to public punishment (Belkin 1). Trenton’s guardians gave him the choice of no phone for two weeks or stand on the corner with a sign with his grades posted, that method did not work (Belkin 1). Trenton stated that â€Å"because when it comes to school it’s boring† (Belkin 1). Public punishment does not always work. Public punishment is often frowned upon because of the humiliation that is brought along with the punishment. Trezhan Blaha, from Elyria, Ohio, learned his lesson when he was caught stealing from the mall (Jackson 1) . Trezhan’s mother and uncle decided that he should stand on the corner with a sign that read: â€Å"I like to steal and have no respect for my mother or authority† (Jackson 1). Blaha stated â€Å"I was embarrassed but I definitely learned my lesson† (Jackson 1). This punishment from Blaha’s guardians helped him learn his lesson and acted as a deterrent for the future.In Fulton County, Georgia, Judge Robinson is starting to crack down on new methods to punish criminals (Romaker 1). Shoplifters and prostitution are just two of many crimes in Fulton County that are being introduced to criminal t-shirts (Romaker 1). The criminal t-shirts are not meant to be a fashion statement but serve as a deterrent for other criminals (Romaker 2). The judge in the county who sentences these criminals to wear the t-shirts stated, â€Å"Public punishment, serves as a deterrent, particularly at a time when more people are being tempted to steal from others† (Romaker 1). When the economy went in the tanks, the shoplifting rate went up. To cope with the criminals these judges them neon green shirts with large, black letters announcing their crime (Romaker 2). The judges decided that criminals needed to suffer a little humility (Romaker 2). Wayne Seely, former police officer said â€Å"Judge Robinson should be commended for saying he’s had enough and doing something to discourage people from stealing† (Romaker 2). These criminal t-shirts are not only happening in Fulton County but in other counties around Georgia (Romaker 2). This public punishment was not only effective but served as a perfect deterrent for future thieves. In some instances public punishment can work very effectively or can not affect the person at all. T renton General was one of those people whom were not affected by publicpunishment despite having to hold his grades up on a busy intersection. Trezhan and the Fulton County criminals learned their lesson from the humiliation and the stares that came along with the punishment. Not all public punishment does work, but most do. As some would say â€Å"You do the crime you pay the time†. Works Cited: Belkin, Lisa. â€Å"Bad Grades= Public Punishment† The New York Times. The New York Times Company. 18 February 2009. Web 30 Oct 2012. Romaker, Janet. â€Å"Fashion Police: Judge Tailors punishment that fit Criminals to a T.† The Blade. Waveson, Ohio. 7 Sept 2012. Wed Oct 2012. â€Å"One boys very public punishment† Abcolocal .go.com.N.p., 23 Mar. 2012. Web 30 Oct 2012.

„Reconciliation“ by Polly Clark Essay

„Reconciliationâ€Å" is a short story and is written by Polly Clark. The story takes place in an office. The main character of the story is a woman, her name is Laura, and she is also the narrator of the story. Basically is the story about the fear of loosing someone, changes of persons and a marriage and a relationship after many years. It is difficult to find out how old the narrator of the story is. But because of the fact that she is married for a long time, in the text she said, â€Å"We began our relationship half my life ago.â€Å", I would say she probably is in her midlife maybe a bit younger. The fact that the main character is also the narrator makes it easier to see the proceedings form her angle and we are able to know how she thinks and feels – even when she doesn’t know it herself. The reader of this story receives an impression of a completely normal person when it comes to her appearance. But when the reader gets deeper into the story and sees how she thinks about things and the way of handling things, makes her look like she has some smaller mental issues. This can be caused because she is loosing her husband, his name is Vernon, she also calls him Mr. Pringle, whom she wants to stay with and stood with for many years. For months she and her husband have not spoken that much to each other. In the text she says: â€Å"We regard each other over months of frozen silence.â€Å" You can easily notice that she is afflicted with the silence between Vernon, her husband, and her. She mentions it with following sentence: â€Å"We began our relationship in a bar, and those were our best times, telling each other the truth of our lives in the warm light. I might be defective in every other way, defective enough to mean that I must be divorced, defective enough to mean that silence is actually my lot, but it doesn’t mean it comes naturally to me. News and questions bubble up in my throat, but I cannot speak.† She does not want to give up on their marriage and relationship. She has been used to having her husband and being with him, so if he is gone, she does not know what to do with herself and the things around her. The reader could get the impression that she doesn’t have a very high self-esteem, because she sees herself as faraway from perfect. This fact could explain why she is so afraid of loosing her husband, because if he doesn’t want to have her who then would like to have her with all her faults.? â€Å"I am your wife. That is everything that I am. Help me.† Laura applies for a job in her husband’s office just to be more in contact with Vernon and be with him together. On her first day in the office and at her new job, her actions disclose that she is very nervous. In the text you can find following examples for her tension: â€Å"I have forgotten my shoes†, â€Å"I bite my lip as I reach the desk† and â€Å"I slide one foot over the otherâ€Å". The fact that she has forgotten her shoes could be a sign that she is unable to think clearly. To describe the relationship between Laura and Vernon you can only use Laura’s point of view. So, it is difficult to understand their relationship and their marriage if you don’t know Vernon’s point of view. It is obvious that she wants her husband back. For the reader it is not quite clear how Vernon thinks about it. It seems that her husband doesn’t feel the same way and it seems that he doesn’t want to go back to her and move on with his â€Å"old† life. She says about him: â€Å"He looks so like my husband, and yet†¦How has he managed to remain himself, to become -dare I say it- even more himself, with not even a scar and even a brand new blue shirt?† Laura’s husband Vernon has already moved on. It is difficult for Laura, the narrator, to understand and recognize this fact.

External & Internal Factors Essay

Verizon Communications, (NYSE:VZ), formed by the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE, is one of the world’s leading providers of high-growth communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with over 137 million access line equivalents and over 34 million wireless customers. Verizon is also the world’s largest provider of print and online directory information. A Fortune 10 company with more than 221,000 employees and $67 billion in 2002 revenues, Verizon’s global presence extends to over 30 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. As a company of this size, corporate planning is a vital function to deal external and internal factors, in which, the company’s goals or objectives are achieved. In addition, a well-defined strategic planning implemented will be the guidelines in dealing with each factor, such as, rapid change, globalization, technology, e-business, innovation, diversity, and ethics. We will break down each factor as how Verizon’s business plans set their objectives in being the leader of communications services. Rapid Change If there are two issues that characterize the challenges twenty-first century corporations face today, those issues can be summarized as â€Å"competition and change.† (Dessler, p. 13) Rapid change is a common factor that most corporations needed to prepare itself, in order, to be competitive. That is, Verizon is implementing a restructure of their lines of business. One of their focuses is constantly providing improvement of customer services for their customers, such as a faster internet connection, bundling of services, or offering more flexible phone service (local & long distance) packages. The downturn of this restructure is management position reduction, in which, approximately 200 managers will be losing their jobs due to departmental merger. Globalization Research in the solid state technology for the improvement of telephony  switching systems made it possible the development of a new kind of electronic device which also helped the rapid evolution of computers. Computers were gradually interconnected through telecommunication lines. Initially they allowed terminals to access the main frame and later they were used to interconnect several computers in the network. In the early nineties these telecommunication networks covered most of the planet with different communication technologies. An era of knowledge had been birth, telecommunication engineering for computer systems. These new systems allowed information to travel at the speed of light. Such information exchange was the bases of a new economic phenomenon called Globalization of the world economy. The new profile will basically require the following, *To be continuously curious and eager to keep updated with everyday change. *To learn and adjust fast to new administrative routines. *To contribute and efficiently work in small teams. *The perseverance and courage to look for new solutions, for technical and economic improvements. *To print one’ own ideas in a clear and objective way. Technology: Verizon Wireless is on the cutting edge of technology. There are several different types of technology such as new DSL lines, dedicated internet access and Integrated T-1 access to name a few. As a growing business you would have a wide variety of choices available to you, in order to build the type of network that you would need to operate in the most efficient way. Verizon also has a variety of services for networks, voice communications, they will also configure, manage and do project management for a business. A lot of customers don’t have a sophisticated network department so in order to have a network that functions to its fullest potential these services would be a great benefit especially to a small business. There are also  several different types of programs for the disabled with a variety of issues such as speech, hearing, mobility and visual disabilities. Verizon has taken the external factors that affect them and have turned it into a positive business decision for all of their customers. E-Business All over the country people are doing more shopping and selling over the internet. The technology that Verizon is developing will enable everyone to have the connectivity that is needed for uninterrupted connections. The Verizon website can take you to the how to of e-commerce. Some of the items that you can find there are how to develop a web site, ways to get your site ready to sell and the what to do and what not to do for your business. E-commerce is such a broad topic, but as the Web evolves more and more companies will start to advertise and sell on the web which will probably cause businesses to downsize some of their departments such as marketing and customer service to name a few. Innovation As Verizon tries to stay on the cutting edge of technology here are some of the things that they are trying to do. There is a huge role out of FTTP which means Fiber to the premise. This will entail households to utilize more with less. The bandwidth on a fiber cable can handle far more traffic than on copper cable. Customers will be able to use their computers, fax, and telephone all on the same line. It is very much like the DSL line that Verizon is also trying to role out. Digital Subscriber Line will allow you to do more with less. The cost factor between the two, DSL is much cheaper to put in than fiber. FTTP will have to all get put in new. From the cable in the ground to the cable at the customer’s premises. DSL can go over the existing copper lines so we will not have that extra added cost. Verizon also just came out with Sametime; it is a way to chat through Lotus Notes. Now many users while emailing one another can also chat at the same time. Diversity Verizon is committed to diversity. They serve a diverse customer population and strive to have an employee body that reflects that diversity. This commitment is extended to their supplier relationship. Their belief is that having a wide range of suppliers is as critical to the company’s success as having employees that relate to their customers, speaking their language, reflecting their tastes and preferences. The idea is to build customer loyalty, stimulate economic growth, and tap into the innovation and entrepreneurship for Verizon to be competitive. By including Minority, Women, Vietnam Era Vets & Disabled Owned Business Enterprises (MW/DV BEs) in their supplier chain, two main goals are achieved. Verizon positions their business for success and contributes to the economic prosperity of the communities they serve. In a speech for the National Minority Supplier Diversity Council Award meeting, Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg assured minority suppliers of their commitment: â€Å"The question facing many minority suppliers is: will businesses cut back on their spending with us, when the going gets a little tough? Of course there are no guarantees — for minority or indeed for any suppliers — but I want to assure you that as much as diversity is a business strategy with us, it’s also a moral commitment — an expression of who and what we fundamentally are. In good times and bad, we’re going to maintain the team that courts and cultivates minority suppliers, and we’re going to do our level best to assure that minority suppliers are not disproportionately hurt when things get tight, as they are right now. This is my personal commitment to you, as CEO of Verizon.† Ethic Verizon’s code of business conduct provides a section on resolving ethic questions for the goal of helping them strengthen their connection with business partners and each other. Realizing that not every ethic questions has an easy answer and may require difficult judgment calls, this code of business conduct outlines the following steps to resolve these questions: (a) define the situation (b) consult resources and (c) seek help from others. By defining the situation; one might be able to find an answer to the question such as: Are you concerned about a possible violation of a law,  regulation or Verizon standard? There are three available consulting resources for their employees: Verizon Promise/Code of Business Conduct/Corporate and department policies and procedures. Finally, employees are advised to seek help from their own manager, another manager, or a specific department like Human Resources, Legal, Verizon Security or the Office of Ethics and Business Compliance. In conclusion, Verizon has positioned itself to deal with these external and internal factors. This shows how their management has made strategic planning in keeping with the company’s mission and in achieving their goals. In addition, their services and products are the reasons why Verizon ranks among the top in leadership, service, diversity and innovation. Verizon’s inclusion on numerous ‘best of’ lists in the country is a testament to these accomplishments. Also, Verizon prides itself on the relationships it maintains with business providers, and strives to promote a mutually beneficial business relationship based on the highest business standards of ethical conduct. Works Cited Dessler, Gary. Management, Leading People and Organizations in the 21st Century (2nd ed.), 2001. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc. Verizon website

Interview of Music Teacher on the Importance of Music Programs

I had the distinct privilege and pleasure of interviewing Ms. ABC, Elementary School Music Teacher at ABC School. This interview is a true testament to the challenges educator’s face in today’s music classrooms. Music teachers are faced with diverse classrooms filled with children who have different learning styles and varying ability levels; therefore, certain issues will arise relative to the diversity. I am extremely grateful to Ms. Liza Smith for supporting me with this interview.Why is music important? When educational cuts are made, music and art are amongst the first subjects to go. Unfortunately, it means that parents, educators and even board members are overlooking each subject`s importance. Music education is more than just introducing students to beats, notes and songs. Instead, it completely transforms a child`s mind and opens up endless possibilities to their learning potential. Why is music education important? Music is a magical gift we must nourish and cultivate in our children, especially now as scientific evidence proves that an education in the arts makes better math and science students, enhances spatial intelligence in newborns, and let's not forget that the arts are a compelling solution to teen violence, certainly not the cause of it! † Is music learning underrated? Music is something with affects the mind, body and spirit, but yet its importance is often underrated, especially when it comes to the educational benefits of which there are many.With the ability to influence behavior, social skills, sensitivity and general achievement, music can have positive effects on many aspects of life. In children, music education is important as it promotes a desire to persevere and succeed, as well as having a whole range of other benefits. There is some evidence to suggest that through involvement with music, children have the opportunity to fine-tune their listening skills and consequently their comprehension. Both skills can b e applied to other academic subjects and can help students with problem-solving and concentration.Music uses both sides of the brain, so any participation will enhance learning and challenge the mind. Should Music and the Arts be used to teach other academic subjects? While studies show positive influences in other academic areas, music and the Fine Arts are an academic discipline that are, as the other academics, an independent way of learning and knowing. Reading, writing, and mathematics are important and all students should be successful in those areas, however none of those academic areas justify their existence on the basis of what is accomplished for another area. Each academic discipline is important for a well-rounded curriculum.Music and Fine Arts are an academic area of study equal to reading, writing, mathematics and science. Should the study of Music and the Fine Arts be available to all students? Where music and Fine Arts programs have been eliminated because of fundin g difficulties, students have been deprived of a significant opportunity of learning and knowing about the world around them. All students should be able to â€Å"elect† to study music and the Fine Arts in depth at the secondary level. All students should have the opportunity to study music at the elementary level in a systematic, meaningful way.If music and the Fine Arts are reserved for only wealthy schools or communities, a cultural â€Å"elite† will be created, which also creates a significant distinction of social class. Music and the Fine Arts should not only be available to those children of wealthy parents who can purchase private tutors or subsidize public schools with donations to sustain public school programs, but also to students of average or low socio-economic areas. How should Music and the Fine Arts fit into the educational curriculum? The school curriculum should be designed to deliver more than a minimal education to students.Music and Art should be taught at every elementary school in a regular and systematic way. Music and all Fine Arts should be considered â€Å"academic electives† in secondary schools and available to all students on a multi-year basis to allow adequate time for skills to develop sufficiently for informed decisions about college programs and career choices. All academic electives, including Music and Fine Arts, should count towards entrance requirements in colleges and universities. All students graduating from public schools should have received at least one credit in Fine Arts.All colleges and universities should require one Fine Arts credit for admission. In closing it is my belief that we as music educators, must take the lead in sharing this information with the people that can make the difference in the future; school boards, administrators, parents, and legislative representatives. We must advocate for the arts. It is vital that we become proactive in our support of the arts. By reviewing the studies involving music we have found that participation in school music has a positive impact on areas considered outside the realm of music.As more people become aware of the research in this area, we should see increased enrollments in arts classes. The use if the arts throughout the curriculum, as a tool for better learning is an area that will expand. With dropout rates being so high, educators need to combine resources and to use the tools available for a more effective method of education. I feel that the arts will play a major roll in the future success of the education system. Don't stand on the sidelines and watch the profession dwindle away. Get involved and help it grow.