Lakewood is known for their art and music programs, which have become a staple in students’ lives, but starting next fall, Lakewood is looking to reduce the time for the music and art programs in the elementary schools.
Lakewood City School District wants to move forward with this plan so they can add more STEM and digital literacy programs. While some parents and students are excited about this change, others are disappointed about the lack of music and art they will be receiving now. Students are used to alternating their music, physical education, and art classes every other day, but when this new schedule goes into effect, it will cut down the time for music, art, and gym by nearly 50%.
Pennfieldbulidingblocks.org says, “Music can stimulate the brain’s alpha waves, which creates a sense of calmness in the listener. Other studies indicate that early music exposure and instruction have benefits on the development of perceptual skills, which affects language and literary abilities; spatial reasoning, which is related to skills used to do the math; and fine motor coordination.” Parents are worried that their kids will lose out on these benefits with the sudden change and are going as far as making petitions that have hundreds of signatures. Dr. Charles Greanoff, a Lakewood High School teacher told Channel 5, “The premise I think we should be operating on is what’s developmentally appropriate and optimal for the developing brain of children at that age.”
Even though many people have mixed feelings and opinions about this, it doesn’t seem that the Lakewood City Schools District will be changing their minds anytime soon.
