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Students should not have less time at recess

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Students should not have less time at recess

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Students need the time at recess to help them with time-on- task in their classroom
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1176549.pdf

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Legal liability pushes schools against the recess debate because of children getting hurt on equipment or equipment not meeting certain standards and upkeep.

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At a young age students, have a very short attention span and like to move around a lot. Having recess provides them the opportunity to get up and moving instead of just sitting down in a classroom all day. In addition, it gives them the chance to socialize and expand their SEL skills.
https://www.pennfoundation.org/news-events/articles-of-interest/how-important-is-recess/

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Everyone benefits from a break. Research has long shown that it is more effective to integrate breaks into work rather than work for long stretches. For young children, who tend not to process information as well as older children, taking breaks for unstructured play is critical in increasing focus and attention.

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights recognizes the right of all children to play, regarding it as an essential part of their well-being. According to a Stanford University study, school recess offers benefits to students' well-being, and recess is a profoundly important part of the school day. In addition, recess offers opportunities for children to learn and enhance communication skills, negotiation, cooperation, sharing, problem solving, perseverance, self-control, and conflict resolution.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently issued the policy statement "The Crucial Role of Recess in School" to make recommendations to schools, and its stance is unequivocal: "Recess offers cognitive, social, emotional, and physical benefits that may not be fully appreciated when a decision is made to diminish it. Recess is necessary for the health and development of children and should never be withheld for punishment or for academic reasons."

The National Association for the Education of Young Children recommends unstructured play as a developmentally appropriate means of reducing stress. Recess provides children with the opportunity to exert energy in a healthy way. And because recess is a break from the structure and expectations of school, children have the chance to take control of their world, even if only for a short time.

Additionally, recess offers children the opportunity to be physically active, which is not only beneficial for their physical health but also their mental health. Brain research has shown that the brain is activated during physical activity, much more so than during sedentary times.

Despite these positive benefits of recess, studies show that many schools (40% nationwide) have cut back recess programs or eliminated recess altogether. A recent Gallup poll commissioned by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reported that 77% of school principals admitted that they withhold recess as punishment. In that same report, 8-in-10 principals acknowledged that time to play has a "positive impact on achievement," and two-thirds of principals stated that "students listen better after recess and are more focused in class."

All children benefit from recess, but when a child is struggling with a mental health disorder, the need for play is magnified. One-in-five children in the United States has a diagnosable mental disorder, and 1-in-10 youth has mental health challenges that are severe enough to impair how he/she functions at home, school, or in the community. These children often feel overwhelmed and are sometimes paralyzed by school stress and test anxiety. Some children respond to this stress by shutting down and refusing to attend school while others respond by acting out with "bad" behavior. These children can then get caught in a downward spiral that has a negative impact on their lives. While a number of adolescents and their parents are choosing cyber schools with the hope that it can alleviate some of the school stress, cyber-school can also further isolate teens from healthy social contact and natural supports unless opportunities for consistent and frequent socialization are provided.

School systems seem to be experiencing their own high stress situations with diminishing budgets, pressure to produce students with high academic achievements, and mounting safety concerns. It might be a good idea for all of us to step back, take a deep breath, and consider whether structuring more play time into the school day might help to alleviate stress on several levels. Consider something Plato said: "You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation." Is it possible we could all discover more about ourselves and find creative solutions to some of our problems if we all allowed for more play time?

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How Important Is Recess? | St. Luke's Penn Foundation

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Everyone benefits from a break. Research has long shown that it is more effective to integrate breaks into work rather than work for long stretches. For young children, who tend not to process information as well as older children, taking breaks for unstructured play is critical in increasing focus and attention.

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experts say recess is essential to children's health and development
https://www.studiesweekly.com/recess/

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Why Children Need Recess - Studies Weekly

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Why Children Need Recess “Never kid a kid who hasn’t had his recess.” - T.J. Detweiler, Recess cartoonDo students really need recess, or is it better to give them more class time? It’s a question educators, parents, and school boards discuss frequently.With all the standards and testing requirements students need to meet, some feel it would

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Students need a time to relax to reset their brains before they start learning again.

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More and more, parents are protesting school policies that allow teachers and administrators to withhold recess to punish student misbehavior. Common infractions include tardiness, acting out in class and failure to complete homework-everyday childhood behaviors that result in numerous children having to go without recess on any given day.

The research is clear. Children need recess. It benefits every aspect of childhood development-physical development, of course, but also social, emotional and intellectual development as well. Following are seven reasons why, if we want our children to succeed, recess should not be denied.

1. Everyone benefits from a break.

Research dating back to the late 1800s indicates that people learn better and faster when their efforts are distributed, rather than concentrated. That is, work that includes breaks and downtime proves more effective than working in long stretches.

Because young children don't tend to process information as effectively as older children (due to the immaturity of their nervous systems and their lack of experience), they benefit the most from taking a break for unstructured play.

2. Recess increases focus.

Dr. Olga Jarrett, with her colleagues at Georgia State University's Department of Early Childhood Education, approached an urban school district that had a no-recess policy. They received permission for two fourth-grade classes to have recess once a week so they could observe the children's behavior on recess and non-recess days. Their results showed that the 43 children became more on-task and less fidgety on days when they had recess. 60% of the children, including five with attention deficit disorder, worked more and/or fidgeted less on recess days.

3. Natural light improves wellness.

Sunlight stimulates the pineal gland, which is the part of the brain that helps regulate our biological clock. It is vital to the immune system, and simply makes us feel better. Outside light also triggers the synthesis of vitamin D, which a number of studies have demonstrated increases academic learning and productivity.

4. Recess reduces stress.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children recommends unstructured physical play as a developmentally appropriate means of reducing stress-a valuable benefit given that stress has a negative impact on learning and health. For many children, especially those considered "hyperactive," recess is an opportunity to expend energy in a healthy, suitable manner.

Outside, children can engage in behavior-loud, messy and boisterous-considered unacceptable indoors. And because recess is a break from structure and expectations, children have an opportunity to take control of their world, which is a rarity in their lives.

5. Recess develops social skills.

Recess may be the only time during the day when children have an opportunity to experience socialization and real communication. Children don't engage in the neighborhood play of earlier generations, so once the school day ends, there may be little chance for unstructured, natural social development. After all, in class children generally are not encouraged to socialize, but rather are expected to conform and remain quiet. Some school policies even go so far as to prevent children from talking to one another during lunch.

How can children with so few opportunities to socialize and communicate be expected to live and work together in harmony as adults? When and where will they learn how?

6. Exercise is healthy.

Many children suffer from obesity, but even children at healthy weight levels benefit from physical activity, and in fact require it for optimal health. The outdoors is the best place for children to burn calories, practice emerging physical skills and experience the pure joy of movement.

Research has even shown that children who are physically active in school are more likely to be physically active at home, and children who don't have the opportunity to be active during the school day don't usually compensate during after-school hours.

7. Physical activity feeds the brain.

Thanks to advances in brain research, we now know that most of the brain is activated during physical activity-much more so than while sedentary. Movement increases the capacity (and possibly even the number) of blood vessels in the brain. This expedites the delivery of oxygen, water and glucose ("brain food"), thereby optimizing the brain's performance. Furthermore, numerous studies have shown that students who are physically active improve their academic performance, achieve higher test scores and demonstrate a better attitude toward school.

There is one more reason recess should not be withheld from children as punishment: It doesn't work. Experimental studies and anecdotal evidence point out that in any given school, it's generally the same children who tend to have their recess withheld, indicating that the threat is ineffective. And, as Eric Jensen, author of several books on brain-based learning, tells us, remaining seated for periods longer than 10 minutes "reduces our awareness of physical and emotional sensations and increases fatigue," resulting in reduced concentration and discipline problems.

Demanding that children move less and sit more is counterproductive. Research, and our own common sense, tells us we should be doing the opposite.

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More and more, parents are protesting school policies that allow teachers and administrators to withhold recess to punish student misbehavior. Common infractions include tardiness, acting out in class and failure to complete homework-everyday childhood behaviors that result in numerous children having to go without recess on any given day.

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Recess is more than just fun and games; it is through play that children learn and grow, and the unstructured recess space is an important site for students to reconnect with their peers after months of isolation. Recess offers children an opportunity to practice and develop healthy, lifelong social-emotional skills, such as problem solving, communicating, negotiating, and sharing.

But if a quality recess is going to be critical to school re-opening, it will require forethought, teacher support and administrative attention.

How school recess aligns with a Whole Child Approach to Education

Reason 1. Ensuring students are 'healthy'.

In using recess to prioritize healthy students, schools should consider the following:

Provide sufficient amounts of resources (e.g. equipment, loose parts, natural features), dedicated to recess.

Reason 2. Ensuring students are 'safe'.

With COVID-19 likely to remain for an extended period of time, schools need strategies to be able to reduce or prevent the risk of transmission, while also supporting children's developmental needs. Current data show that transmission of the disease COVID-19 is much less likely to happen in outdoor environments ; and that outdoor recreation can facilitate social distancing efforts relative to time spent in indoor environments. In considering time spent outdoors, children report wanting less restrictions from 'rules' on the playground, but more opportunities for inclusive play. For these play opportunities to be truly effective for students' development there needs to be sufficient from too many rules and regulations (e.g. like "no kicking a ball" or "no running"), while still implementing practices to protect students.

To prioritize students' safety at recess, schools should consider the following:

Provide zones marked out to lessen the amount of students within spaces.

Utilize separate bins of equipment for individual classes (not allowed from home).

Stagger recess periods to minimize the number of classes simultaneously at recess.

Wipe down equipment and play structures (if open) after each recess.

Install handwashing stations for use during and after recess.

Ensure recess is outside wherever possible.

Reason 3. Ensuring students are 'engaged'.

Recess offers students a break from the structured and teacher-directed portions of the school day and thus provides a unique opportunity for children to exercise autonomous decision making, time management and even individual or shared problem solving. These transfer to active learning opportunities in the classroom. Recess can also be a useful observation time for teachers. The social dynamics and choices children make may lead to insights about how to engage their students.

To ensure students are engaged, schools should consider the following:

Provide a variety of outside spaces where students can freely select a range of activities.

Promote levels of choice during play to foster more engagement to participate.

Identify quieter, creative or solo activities/spaces to address a range of interests and meet the needs of a diversity of students.

Reason 4. Ensuring students are 'supported'.

To ensure students are supported, schools should consider the following:

Teachers may need additional support themselves, so school leaders ought to consider professional development on recognizing and responding to students who may need an extra boost in re-connecting with others, and when to simply observe and allow students to return to self-discovering and initiating their play connections.

Provide a list of cooperative games to help connect students with each other and model pro-social behaviors.

Do not withhold recess time for any reason or replace play experiences with more sedentary activities (e.g. electronic screen-time).

Reason 5. Ensuring students are 'challenged'.

Giving students some of the decision making associated with recess activities will enhance their sense of responsibility to themselves and their school community. Being a part of establishing the ground rules for recess also helps students understand others' perspectives and work collaboratively for a shared goal. Studies have shown active play during school recess can develop students' creativity and even align with national curriculum .

To ensure students are challenged, schools should consider the following:

Create a student leadership council to help make decisions that affect recess facilitation.

Give students jobs/tasks to clean or maintain equipment.

Provide students with options for how play can be modified with innovative activities or use of spaces.

The pandemic provides an opportunity for schools to re-align their practices towards the holistic development of children. Recess is crucial to this mission. Now is the time for school and community leaders to plan and deliver a quality recess-because our teachers and children deserve nothing less.

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Why Quality Recess Time is Needed More than Ever

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Recess is more than just fun and games; it is through play that children learn and grow, and the unstructured recess space is an important site for students to reconnect with their peers after months of isolation. Recess offers children an opportunity to practice and develop healthy, lifelong social-emotional skills, such as problem solving, communicating, negotiating, and sharing.

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Students need recess to let out their energy during the school day. Recess also helps students stay focused and on task when they return to learning.

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Students need recess to let out their energy during the school day. Recess also helps students stay focused and on task when they return to learning.

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https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/recess.htm#:~:text=Recess%20benefits%20students%20by%3A&text=Increasing%20their%20level%20of%20physical,on%2Dtask%20in%20the%20classroom.

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Recess is a regularly scheduled period in the school day for physical activity and play that is monitored by trained staff or volunteers. 1,2 During recess, students are encouraged to be physically active and engaged with their peers in activities of their choice, at all grade levels, kindergarten through 12 th grade. 1,3

Recess benefits students by: 1,4-7

Increasing their level of physical activity.

Improving their memory, attention, and concentration.

Helping them stay on-task in the classroom.

Reducing disruptive behavior in the classroom.

Improving their social and emotional development (e.g., learning how to share and negotiate).

Keep Recess in Schools [PDF - 337 KB] -This data brief defines recess, provides a snapshot of current recess practices in the United States, and highlights ways to improve recess through national guidance and practical strategies and resources. This was developed by Springboard to Active Schools in collaboration with CDC.

During the 2020-2021 school year, four local education agencies (LEAs) and one pilot school in Oklahoma implemented Painted Play Spaces on their campuses, reaching a total of 2,469 students. Learn more about how these efforts can enhance the play environments at schools by using colorful paint and stencils to create recess games.

1. Institute of Medicine. Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2013. Available at: http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=18314&page=R1.

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A Guide for Developing Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Dept of Health and Human Services; 2013.

3. SHAPE America. Guide for Recess Policy. Reston, VA: SHAPE America; 2016.

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education, and Academic Performance. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Dept of Health and Human Services; 2010.

5. Michael SL, Merlo C, Basch C, Wentzel K, Wechsler H. Critical connections: health and academics. J School Health. 2015;85(11):740-758.

6. Fortson J, James-Burdumy S, Bleeker M, et al. Impact and Implementation Findings from an Experimental Evaluation of Playworks: Effects on School Climate, Academic Learning, Student Social Skills and Behavior. Princeton, NJ: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; 2013.

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centers for disease control and prevention

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Healthy Schools, CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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The Importance of Recess: Why Schools Need More Playtime

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Uncover the importance of recess! Kids obviously love it, but it turns out child development experts are also fond of incorporating more playtime into the school day. Hear their thoughts on the topic.

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Increasing students' level of physical activity helps to improve their memory, attention, and concentration and helps them stay on-task in the classroom.

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They need a time to let out energy
https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/education/blog/importance-of-recess/

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The Importance of Recess: Why Schools Need More Playtime

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Uncover the importance of recess! Kids obviously love it, but it turns out child development experts are also fond of incorporating more playtime into the school day. Hear their thoughts on the topic.

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This video is about a local school who eliminated recess because it takes too long to get the kindergarteners dressed for the cold. I think Pell elementary school should have less recess because it is taking too much time away from learning .

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Local school debates eliminating mid-day recess