Just coming right out and saying it...

Learning to play an instrument or sing is MORE important than other subjects in school.

The act of learning how to play an instrument or sing strengthens the brain in a way that no other subject comes close to. Music is a full brain workout.

And yet, it is often looked down upon, the first thing cut from schools, and colloquially viewed as a secondary activity to athletics.

I would contend that athletics and music combined are WAY more important than math, science, history or language arts.

How powerful would it be to emphasize the two classes in a school day that unequivocally strengthen the body and the brain?

Is it really a good idea for us to keep kids grinding away at tasks that do not ultimately "have a point" or point them toward meaningful work that they are truly passionate about?

I have always found it funny that kids always ask "why" you do something in a math class, and what the point of doing something was (and yeah I was that kid). And yet, in music class I rarely had kids ask this.

Because it is obvious that learning to physically manipulate the world around you through building skills and kinesthetic memory is not only fun, but beneficial to enriching your entire life.

We have gym and music classes already built into school schedules...now we just have to give kids MORE of them.

It's time to stop calling these classes "specials" and to stop referring to math/science/history/language arts as "core."

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/pNAY6E_I1PU https://www.aarp.org/health/brain-health/info-2023/brain-health-benefits-of-learning-an-instrument.html

https://www.policymattersohio.org/blog/2022/05/04/why-the-arts-matter#:~:text=Students%20who%20have%20experiences%20with,peers%20with%20no%20arts%20education

https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/articles/the-benefits-of-arts-education-for-k-12-students

In this week’s episode, I want to challenge some of your long held beliefs about public schools. Especially what most people consider to be the most important subjects in schools.

If I had my way, I would turn things completely upside down from how they are now.

Kids need to move, create and DO more.

Less math problems, fewer science experiments, less Shakespeare.

For the average kid, the amount of time they spend taking classes in high school that does not directly relate to the path in life that they may want to take is such a waste. And that waste continues into the University level (but that is a topic for another episode!).

Let's create kids who are prepared to take on challenges and the ability to learn and express new skills. The ability to DO is much more important than the ability to just acquire and regurgitate information.

Sources:

https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Learning-in-Ohio/Physical-Education/Physical-Education-Resources#:~:text=Schools%20are%20required%20to%20offer,hours%20to%20meet%20graduation%20requirements.

https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/nutrition/02F.asp#:~:text=Public%20elementary%20schools%20reported%20averages,schedules%20that%20varied%20by%20week.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK201497/

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/new-evidence-of-the-benefits-of-arts-education/

https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/01/12/obesity-harms-brain-health-throughout-life-yet-scientists-dont-know-why#:~:text=Research%20shows%20obesity%20impacts%20brain,of%20excess%20weight%20are%20substantial.

Teacher workforce retention and attrition have become hot topics in the field of education.

I myself experienced a severe burnout a year ago, and realized that I needed to make a change.

Since then, I've had a chance to think and reflect...could there have been anything done to keep me on the job?

Are there structural changes we can make to public education that would incentivize teachers to stay in the profession? And even MORE importantly...are there changes we can make to incentivize the best PEOPLE to become teachers?

This is just the first of many episodes geared toward improving America's education system.

There is a ton that is wrong with public education in my view, but that doesn't mean there are not solutions out there. The future of our country is worth fighting for.

https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/teachers-america-burn-out-b2cc2a51

https://epaa.asu.edu/index.php/epaa/article/view/3699/2230

https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/teacher-turnover-report