Skip to main content

Why Parents and Teachers Matter

My class this week will debate whether schools should value athletics over the fine arts, or vise versa. When first introduced to it, I thought the question was an easy one. I remember hearing of studies that showed the academic benefits of music, and so I concluded without much additional thought that schools should prefer the arts.

At first glance, I source mined (not purposely) to prove my conclusion; and alas, I did find evidence that the arts are valuable: a doctor from the University of Maryland found that listening to joyful music may increase cardiovascular health. Blood vessels, he found, opened when volunteers of the study listened to enjoyable music, which improved blood flow. At the same time, other studies have found that the practice of music increases abstract reasoning (though this has not been conclusively proven). It seemed obvious that schools should choose the arts.

As I looked into the other side of the topic, however, I remembered learning about the benefits of organized sports for at-risk youth. Although it cannot be proven that organized sports prevent youth crime, there were studies that offered evidence. Kansas City police reported in the mid 1990s, for instance, that midnight basketball programs reduced youth crime by one- to two-thirds; and there was a reduction of crime among young girls after a running program for them began. Whether or not the programs actually caused the reduction in crime, no one can yet say for sure; but I think the evidence shows what seems intuitive: when kids are busy doing something safe and organized, they can't get in trouble for doing something unsafe and disorganized.

Regardless of which disciplines are more important in the educational system, something stuck out that is worth mentioning. Common to youths' needs in both the arts and in athletics was the presence of an adult. In the music study, the benefits to the child substantially increased with an increase in parental involvement; while one of the factors in sports programs that may have contributed to their improved way of life was the existence of an adult figure (coach, etc.). If this is true, it shows that whatever is more valuable (if that conclusion can even be made), a stable adult presence is of great value to youth. It should be encouraging to teachers and parents who are daily involved with youth that their efforts are not in vain.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pleasure

*Note: In the following post, I am heavily influenced by a pastor named Bob Shirock. Specifically, Shirock writes about Solomon's response to the pleasures he experienced in life in Ecclesiastes, and observes that we can enjoy pleasures in life if we accept them as God's gifts, and if we express our gratitude in their enjoyment. He cites Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 and 1 Timothy 4:1-5. I’ve noticed something about pleasure: the highs can be followed by lows. This sounds obvious, but what I mean is that times of joy and fun in life's pleasures are wonderful, and can lift your spirits for a time, but they can be followed by a disappointment that comes from the realization that they are short-lived and will not satisfy us in the long-term. I’m calling this a pleasure hangover. We gain happiness for a time, but see that this happiness is temporary. We therefore feel a subsequent low that leaves us still longing. It reminds me of a theme in the life of C.S. Lewis: sehnsucht , or a wist...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ghosts

Exercising at a gym seems to be pretty important in our culture, but it's kind of weird to see the social dynamics when you're there. Usually, if you're running an errand, you see others doing the same thing, going about their days and focusing on what's in front of them. The same thing happens at the gym, only everyone is relatively stationary. They don't really go anywhere, except from one machine or area to another. One might think this lends itself to lots of interaction between members, especially since they're all there for the same purpose, but it isn't true. Not only do people generally avoid talking to one another, but they also avoid even looking at one another. It is as though there is no one else there, even though there are dozens on any given day. Most people follow this unwritten rule, unless something in the environment-- say, two people wanting to use the same set of weights-- gives them common ground to interact, or unless they've alr...
2 comments
Read more

End of an Era

It was over two years ago that I joined an experiment that would last until last July, an experiment that would significantly change me and the eleven others involved. That experiment was the creation of a new church comprised of twelve members whose purpose was to serve the people of downtown Stockton. Most attractive to me about it was that half of our income would be used in some way outside the church, to benefit the local community or to aid in international assistance. In that span of time, we did in fact serve in ways we'd envisioned. One of our first events was a pizza and school supplies giveaway (coupled with games for the kids who came) toward the end of our first summer. Many of those who came seemed genuinely happy at this. Through that year, we also hosted an event called a "card me house party," wherein each person's ticket to the event was a gift card. Once inside, chips could be purchased to play card and other games, with the resulting collection g...
1 comment
Read more