Should Recess Be Mandated?
Categories: Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Fun & activities, Education
Ellie had two early dismissal days at school last week and came home complaining. She wasn't upset about missing a few hours of school, she was bummed about missing recess. I sympathized, but pointed out to her that some kids don't get recess at all. Ever. She was shocked and frankly, so am I. According to this article, recess is not mandated in my state and most others as well.
Of course, just because recess isn't required doesn't mean that schools can't do it. So, why wouldn't they give the kids a small break in the middle of the day to burn off some excess energy and recharge their batteries? I would assume it has something to do with the expectations teachers are trying to meet regarding test scores. But, as one parent points out, recess probably improves school performance. "There is so much pressure on our kids today to perform well on tests. In order to get the best out of these kids, they need some sort of a break, some sort of down time," says parent Marie Walton.
A group of parents in Howell, New Jersey are fighting for a state law requiring schools to give kids a 20-minute classroom break. I hope they win. What about your kids? Do they get recess at school?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
pixie 11-25-2008 @ 11:40AM
I have looked EVERWHERE to sign up for parentdish...can you help me?
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Sandyone 11-25-2008 @ 12:12PM
Pixie, you're signed up. On your email from parentdish, there should be a password that you can use for posting. Mine never works, so I just click on the link in the email they send me. If you click on your name in your post, all of your posts will turn up.
Sandyone 11-25-2008 @ 11:51AM
Recess is just one more management challenge for the school. Kids are running around and it's not as easy to manage that. I have never heard a teacher say that kids don't need recess...quite the opposite, in fact.
My 3rd grade teacher, known as The Iron Maiden (or Major), was the strictest of the strict. She used to give us all kinds of extra recess. We played an awesome kickball game where you had to do certain calisthenics at each base. I sure wish I could remember all of the rules. Sometimes, she'd see that lessons weren't working and just haul us down to the gym. She was an awesome teacher. And she was from NJ, too!
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CLM 11-25-2008 @ 12:41PM
I am a big believer that a lot of so-called behavioral issues in school are actually caused by a lack of physical activity - be it gym or recess. My husband and I have agreed, that when our children are of school age, we will not place them in any school that does not provide recess. That is a deal-breaker for us.
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Bethany Sanders 11-25-2008 @ 4:20PM
My kindergartner only gets one 20-minute recess a day, after lunch. I really think that, at that age, they should be getting two other 15 minute breaks as well.
I was JUST getting ready to speak up about the fact that they'd had indoor recess for a whole week, because kids didn't have boots (there was literally a dusting of snow on the ground), and they started going outside again.
It's definitely something I'm keeping an eye on. But I really think kids of all ages need to get outside and get some fresh air at least once a day, preferably more often.
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ame s 11-25-2008 @ 4:57PM
The public school my 3rd grader attends cut P.E. down to 2 days a week. The are able to go outside on those days after P.E. class, but do not get recess on the other 3 days. Lunch is their only break on those days.
My 5th grader attends a private school. They get a 30 minute recess every day before lunch, P.E. class twice a week.
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LS 11-25-2008 @ 5:28PM
Lucky enough that my son's school (private - parochial) has the kindergartners outside at least three times a day, PLUS gym class two days a week. His teacher will take them out for some of their science classes, too, or just when they get too fidgity. It's one of the reasons we chose this school over the town's public school.
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Mimi 11-27-2008 @ 9:29PM
Speaking as a retired teacher who spent the last years of teaching in a school with NO recess provided for the children, I can honestly say that taking a break outside for recess should be required. Children learn much from unscripted play that can't be taught in the classroom. The principal was shocked when I asked why there was no recess and replied that first of all, they'd probably kill each other because who would watch them. As the music teacher, I had the Kindergarten classes right after lunch and it was not unusual for many of the children to fall asleep.
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