Kerstetter 1

Moriah Kerstetter

Dr. Lucy Steele

English 101-14

9 October 2020

The Importance of Music Education

Cast of Characters

 Anthony (Tony) Mackay is chief executive and chair of the Australian institute

for teaching and school leadership

 Dr. Ken Petress taught communication at UMPI University and is focusing in this

article on the importance of music education.

 Janell D. Wilson has a Ph.D. is a professor of secondary education at Jacksonville

State University. (Israel Eady is the assistant professor of Janell D. Wilson)

Setting

Schoolboard meeting

A One Act Play

Anthony (walking in and sitting down): Hello everyone. How are you doing today?

Ken: I’m doing well.

Janell: I’m great.

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Anthony: Thank you both for being here today. Let’s go around the table and introduce each

other. My name is Anthony Mackay, and I am the chief executive chair of the Australian institute

for teaching and school leadership.

Ken: My name is Ken Petress, and I teach communication at UMPI University in Maine.

Janell: My name is Janell Wilson, and I am a professor of secondary education at Jacksonville

State University in Florida.

Anthony: Alright well I invited you guys here today to discuss the importance of music

education. First of all, why is a music education important?

Ken (sipping his coffee): Music Education “is important physically, emotionally, intellectually,

socially, spiritually,” (“Petress”) and it contributes to success in life.

Anothony: Right. I think music is important and can make a huge impact on a person’s life. In

schools, teachers are not teaching music education to the fullest extent because they don’t have

the education when really, it’s an important part of education a child needs to learn.

Janell: It also motivates students, and the lyrics challenge their reading comprehension. Not to

mention they enjoy listening and singing along. These, as well as a lot more, are the reasons we

have music educators today.

Anthony: Yeah. Back in the old days, the government put less money into the arts in general and

that’s why music wasn’t studied like it is today.

Ken: But throughout the last fifty years, the arts became more popular and the authorities learned

that they are each important in their own way. And now that they finally have music educators;

parents, teachers, administrators, and the public need to push to keep it that way.
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Anthony: Yes Ken. Music is important in everyone’s lives and lots of different songs have lots

different meanings to different people and that brings me to my next question. How might one

today be influenced by music?

Janell: (nibbling on a donut) In the conclusion of a scientific study, “popular music is known to

improve students’ attitudes toward history and subject matter knowledge.” (“Eady”) Even rap

provides an education and motivation in a student. Rap is very popular to kids these days as it

has lyrics that they can relate to.

Ken: Particularly popular music, but music in general not only provides knowledge, but it

teaches self-discipline, self-confidence, humility, and dedication just by practicing.

Anthony: That’s amazing Ken and I totally agree with you. Does anyone have any questions

relating this topic?

(Ken and Janell smile and shake their heads)

Anthony: Alright well thank you, guys, for coming and discussing this topic with me and I’m

sure we could go on for hours, but we need to wrap it up and continue our school day.

Ken: Thank you for having us and it was great to explore this topic together.

Janell: Yes, thank you so much. I enjoyed it.

Anthony: You’re welcome. I’ll see you guys later.

Both Ken and Janell: Bye

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Works Cited

Eady, Isreal, and Janell D. Wilson. "The influence of music on core learning." Education, vol.

125, no. 2, 2004, p. 243+. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

https://library.limestone.edu:2784/apps/doc/A127013750/OVIC?

u=limestonecoll&sid=OVIC&xid=4be2186f. Accessed 25 Sept. 2020

"Music education is instrumental, but neglected." Age [Melbourne, Australia], 29 Apr. 2019, p.

12. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

https://library.limestone.edu:2784/apps/doc/A583775297/OVIC?

u=limestonecoll&sid=OVIC&xid=e9cb2213. Accessed 25 Sept. 2020.

Petress, Ken. "The importance of music education." Education, vol. 126, no. 1, 2005, p. 112+.

Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

https://library.limestone.edu:2784/apps/doc/A136846797/OVIC?

u=limestonecoll&sid=OVIC&xid=69dbe853. Accessed 25 Sept. 2020.