Recess

By: Tina

Recess is one of the most enjoyable times of the day for many children. Sometimes I feel that student come to school just for lunch and recess. When I was in school, recess was a time to play kickball, find bugs in the grass, socialize with my friends, or just lie in the grass and enjoy some warm sunshine outside. The opportunity to enjoy these activities were never held over our heads or taken away from us except for by Mother Nature. When Mother Nature would interfere, my classmates and I would always have the opportunity to let out our energy in some way.

            Some teachers are now withholding recess as a punishment for not behaving in class (Turnerx et al., 2013). If students don’t behave, as in sit still and stop talking, they get their recess reduced or taken away completely. Through a study done by Turnerx et al., they found that 81.5% of elementary schools are allowed to withhold recess from their students (2013). Is this an effective method to gain authority in a classroom? It may be effective but then how does that affect the students? It is my firm belief that children need recess. They need an outlet for all the energy they have bubbled up inside. Imagine students as a can of coke. You can’t shake the can and expect the can to not explode. That’s the same with a student. They have all that shaken up energy in their bodies. A teacher should not expect students to be able to hold all that energy in. You don’t punish the can for exploding so why do teachers punish students for “misbehaving”?

            Due to the drastic increase of common core and standardized testing, teachers are also eliminating recess in an effort to increase instruction time and improve test scores (Brunson et al., 2015). Teachers want their students to succeed on their tests, and for students to succeed they are required to show their knowledge through standardized tests. In most cases, a teacher’s performance hinges on the test scores that their students achieve. However, recess is vital to the continual academic progress for students, as it serves as a break for students to unwind and enjoy themselves.

            Recess is important because it promotes students social, academic, and physical growth (Turnerx et al., 2013). This means recess should be treated as a necessity and not a privilege. What if the student is misbehaving? Will taking away recess help you to assert your authority? Is cutting recess okay if you are using that time to try to improve test scores? These are some of the questions many teachers ask themselves to ensure their students success.

References

Turnerx, L., Chriqui, J. F., & Chaloupka, F. J. (2013). Withholding Recess From Elementary School Students: Policies Matter. Journal Of School Health, 83(8), 533-541. doi:10.1111/josh.12062

Brunson, K., Eley, A., & Stump, S. (2015, January 15). Should elementary schools have recess? Some parents fight for break. Retrieved November 9, 2015, from http://www.today.com/health/should-elementary-schools-have-recess-some-florida-parents-fight-break-1D80423842