Musical Celebrations Around the World – Music in Our Schools Month

The National Association for Music Education (NAfME), among the world’s largest arts education organizations, is the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. NAfME advocates at the local, state, and national levels and provides a wealth of resources for music educators around policy and advocacy.

For over 30 years, the month of March has been officially designated Music in our Schools Month (MIOSM). The goal of this month-long celebration is to raise awareness about the importance of a musical education in our (U.S.) school systems. MIOSM began on March 13, 1975 in New York as a statewide, single-day advocacy event that blossomed into a month-long advocacy venture as teachers asked for more time to showcase their programs and the benefits of their teaching. On the NAfME website, you can get information about lesson plans, concert program inserts, and other resources for supporting MIOSM.

Whether you are an in-school music educator, a community chorus director, or a church music director, there are many ways to support Music in Our Schools Month. You can:

• Change your Facebook profile picture
• Write an article for your school’s newsletter or local newspaper on the importance of music education
• Share your music education story on social media using the hashtag #MusicConnectsUs
• Hold a music education advocacy day at your state’s capitol/State House
• Include a “benefits of music education statistics” insert in your next concert’s program
• Or create an “open classroom” style event, where you invite other classes, parents, or administration to your room during class to show them what you do!

As music directors and music advocates, it’s important to toot your own horn! Being vocal about the benefits of music education and advocating for yourself, your program, and your students is not only crucial during Music in our Schools Month, but all year long!

This blog post is part of a series linked to our Music Celebrations Around the World calendar. Download the calendar for access to information about musical celebrations and holidays with strong musical components to share in your music classroom or with your ensemble members! Music + Travel = Encore Tours.