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Sample Letters Pro-Active Letter for Administrator Dear (correct title/name), This letter comes to you as a personal thank you for your continued support of our music program. So much of our success is directly tied to administrative encouragement and help we receive in our ongoing efforts to create a quality music experience for our students. Although busy agendas often seem to get in the way of expressing our appreciation, we do not take for granted your genuine efforts on our behalf. Every committed educator sees his/her discipline as vital to the growth and development of the child. Likewise, I feel the same about MUSIC and how it relates to the fundamental value system we should be bringing to every young girl and boy who walks through our school doors. Recently I came across a quote by former Illinois Senator Paul Simon. It is not a political statement, but rather a viewpoint of education expressing a unique logic and different position concerning the benefits of music in our schools. "Very few days go by that the media does not compare our economy, educational system, business endeavors and productivity to those of the Japanese. Ironically, the Japanese consider Western music a basic part of their children's education. Beginning in the first grade, music is taught as an academic subject in a step-by-step program in which a combination of music history, theory, conducting, instrumental and choral performance, plus the reading and writing of music has resulted in a populace that has received lessons on two instruments and can read music. We cannot forget that music is an integral part of a student's educational element. We must ensure that the present 'back to basics' mentality includes access to art and music education. As we push to increase high school graduation and co11ege entrance requirements, we must not ignore the cultural and artistic development of our students." -U.S. Senator Paul Simon Knowing your sensitivity concerning the welfare of our students, I thought you would profit from this man's perspective. Obviously it not only agrees with all that we do in our music program, but demonstrates the positive implications of music education from a more global vantage point. We look forward to having you with us at our next concert on (date/time/place). If you would like to say a few words to our audience, the invitation is extended. It would mean much to the students and their parents. Thank you for your time and continued interest in our music program. Sincerely, (Name) Title Pro-Active Letter for Board of Education Members Dear Board of Education members, Educational reform has become a way of life. We are constantly remodeling our present curriculums to expose our students to a more effective preparation for their adult lives. Extensive research reveals that students who have an educational background in the arts achieve at a higher level than their counterparts who have not been exposed to any form of arts education. The Center for Arts in the Basic Curriculum (CABC) in Washington, D.C. has based its work on the following three principles developed by the Harvard Project Zero that has been engaged in research in the arts since 1970. The arts are cognitive domains that trigger multiple forms of learning. They engage students in long-term, open-ended projects that integrate production of original works with perception of the work of others. Effective arts education, using such open-ended projects, is an important model for all educators. It involves a process of critique and reflection of one's own work, and it naturally produces exhibitions, portfolios and performances that are more meaningful than other traditional forms of assessment. Arts education holds promise for community development by enhancing cultural and civic pride, fostering intercultural understanding, and giving professionals in the community opportunities to mentor our students. Unfortunately, over the years, we have ignored the importance of the arts as a fundamental building block of the mind. Those beliefs are now being overturned based on the work of neurologists, cognitive psychologists, and quantum physicists. We realize the intellect and the senses represent a combined system of interacting with the other, and each is dependent on the other for maximum understanding and problem-solving skills. We simply cannot ignore the expressive-creative side of the mind developed via the study of the arts. The arts are cognitive domains, representing our multiple intelligences as well as forms of organized perceptions. Perception when combined with intellect leads to high yield education. This explains why students of music are scoring 60+ points higher on SAT scores. While the national average of SAT scores from l969 to 1992 fell. The scores of music students actually went up. These young people are more prepared to use their minds at a more productive level, and are capable of more demanding agendas in life. Our music program is doing far more than teaching notes, rhythms, tone quality, etc. We are preparing students for the assignment of life. History tells us the young ladies and gentlemen sitting in our music classrooms are destined to be the leaders of tomorrow. Your support in seeing they have the chance to experience this dramatic learning process is appreciated. Please join us for the next concert on (date/time/place) and see why it is so important we continue to support music in our schools. Respectfully, (Name) Title Pro-Active Letter for Politicians Send whenever appropriate. Encourage parents and other supporters of music education to send similar letters. Dear (Title/name), This letter comes to you out of personal concern for the welfare of our nation's most important investment - the youth of today who will be the leaders of tomorrow. In our efforts to balance the budget, we are threatening our children with an imbalance of learning experiences. Did you know:
We are in the midst of educational reform striving to create a healthy agenda for every child who is part of the system. When the arts are seen as frill instead of foundation, we are ignoring the fundamental right of these individuals - the chance to create, to bring to the world something never before known. If creative potential is not developed in our classrooms, where will it happen? Who will fulfill this necessary growth process? The cures for our most dreaded diseases, the answers to world conflict, the solutions to society's most pressing problems lie in the depths of the minds of our youth. It is our duty to teach them 'how to be creative' in a logical fashion to bring these answers to tomorrow's world. This must be generated through the development of arts education. Please come forward and speak out on behalf of arts in our schools. Today's young people need you to protect their future learning experiences. We ask you to turn your attention to this crucial agenda and join our march to preserve the study of all art forms in schools. Respectfully, (Name) Title Re-Active Letter for Politicians Send whenever appropriate, especially in light of threatened program cuts. Encourage parents and other supporters of music education to send similar letters. Dear (Correct title/name), I write this letter on behalf of my students and the future students in (name of state or city). We are faced with a very perilous situation - losing music in our schools. Budgetary restrictions are being mandated throughout the country, and administrators are being forced to make arts the target of this fiscal cutting process. This kind of thinking will destroy the very creativity we need to solve the problem causing this action. The results are bound to have a negative impact on our most important natural resource, our children. (Briefly describe current legislation and/or budgetary concerns.) Yet without sufficient funding, school children will suffer drastic consequences. Music programs for (name of state and TOTAL. number of enrolled K-8 children) students have become frequent targets for elimination throughout our state. (insert local concerns/data.) We simply cannot allow this trend to continue. It is crucial for you to have an understanding of the need for arts education in every young person's curriculum. A recent Harris poll reported 91% of Americans support arts education, including music, in our schools. The majority of these voters also believe arts education programs should be funded from the school budget. Music education instills students with the life-skills of responsibility, discipline, group cooperation, self-esteem, and develops creative problem-solving skills. In music, commitment is fundamental and transfers to every other part of life. Can we afford to deny this opportunity to our children? No one was elected to eliminate music education from the school curriculum. In order to preserve Texas' superior educational standards, consider a thorough examination of the school funding process. Taxpayers may not accept additional taxes, yet the quality of education cannot be compromised any further. It is our shared responsibility to solve this dilemma without sacrificing children's rights to a quality, well-rounded education. Please join our crusade to keep music in our schools. Respectfully, (Name) Importance of Music for Administrators Dear (Name), Although every profession has ups and downs, being the music educator at (name of school) could well be the exception to this rule. We are enjoying a wonderful year of musical growth with all of the students in our program. Because of the support of our administration, the ongoing efforts of our parent organization, and most important, the commitment and dedication of the students, the band is discovering the value of music and the wisdom it brings to their lives. Why do our members of music ensembles seem to excel both socially and academically? If you look at the leaders of our school, you will quickly discover a high percentage of them are also members of the music ensembles. Is this just a mere coincidence? Rest assured, we are not the exception; this dynamic is true throughout our nation. Perhaps it is best explained with a quote from Mr. Lorin Hollander, a noted New York concert pianist, who quotes in an article front "The Educational Forum," Volume 55, No. 2 (Winter 1991): "The multidimensional thinking involved in grasping the harmonic and temporal concepts of music touch the most basic preconscious structures of the mind. The disciplines involved in the study of music demand mastery of the highest levels of intellect, memory, concentration, and emotions as well as the finest tuning of coordination and sensory awareness. The study of music is where we may learn commitment to quality and excellence in our work and where we can explore the inseparable relationship to mind and body." There is a special kind of learning taking place in our classes. It is far more than the colorful uniforms, the excitement created by the seasonal concerts, or even the daily exercises of scales and warm-up chorales. It is the investment we are making every day in the intellectual and emotional development of our members. Ultimately, we want every student to become the best person he/she can possibly be, and music offers us a certain pathway to this educational destination. Thank you for your continued encouragement and support of our music program. Appreciatively, (Name) Title Positive Data for Board of Education Members To the Members of the Board of Education. This letter is generated from my vantage point as a music educator, a teacher, and a community member who sincerely believes in the artistic value of every student in out school system. I am interested in seeing the development of that human quality cultivated to its fullest potential. If we are to ensure a balanced education for our pupils, then we are obliged to offer a balanced curriculum for their study. A recent Gallup survey indicates over 97% of Americans feel playing a musical instrument provides students with a sense of accomplishment. An overwhelming majority of these voters feel music helps a child's overall intellectual development, teaches discipline, develops teamwork, and encourages poise and confidence. Music also instills an appreciation of arts and culture by our young people. In addition, 93% of Americans feel music is part of a well-rounded education. For the first time in our nation's history, music and arts education have been codified as core curricular subjects as part of Goals 2000: Educate America Act, recently signed into federal law. In Texas, fine arts, by law, is a part of the required curriculum. Comprehensive, sequential programs in music and the other arts develop expressive, physical, and creative abilities that are essential to the entire learning process. Music requires the individual to be responsible at a higher level of inquiry and accountability. Thus, the seeds of character-building are sown - the answer to many of our problems. Nearly 95% of Americans feel communities should provide the necessary funding for music education, according to a recent Gallup poll. The (name of city) school district cannot afford to deny this opportunity of quality education to our students. We must ensure our children are given the same educational opportunities as other students throughout Texas and throughout our nation. No one was elected to eliminate music education from the school curriculum. If our mission is to educate our students through a comprehensive curriculum, we must develop their quality of perception by fostering the acquisition of musical skills. Please join me in supporting the leaders of tomorrow by ensuring the stability of music in our school today. Thank you. Respectfully, (Name) Title
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2005 TMEA |