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Recess? What Does It Mean to You?
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KUOW is doing a story on the value of recess - to kids, to parents, to teachers. They would appreciate your thoughts. Here's a link to their site.
We didn't have recess at my elementary school, but teachers had the freedom to take kids outside whenever they felt it necessary.
I remember when my father did a sabbatical, I was a fifth grader, and we went to Newark, Delaware. I sat in the classroom, and around 10 or so, the bell rang, everyone got up and ran out, and I said, "what's that bell mean?". Another kid said, "It's recess, stupid!"
And I said, "Recess? Oh, right! I've read about that!"
So I established my reputation right away, you see: geeky kid who READS about recess. :-)
As for my kids, I think recess has been terrific for them, but the importance wanes as they get older.
me too - a bunch of us pre-pubescent boys and girls playing soccer on an asphalt playground... choosing teams or just joining in wherever, running hard, falling over, skinned knees, getting up, shouting, vying for the ball, coming back into class all hot and sweaty, laughing and joking...
younger - playing what's the time Mr Wolfie! And swinging on the monkey bars...
older - standing around on the tennis courts with a bunch of other girls (all girls high school), surreptitiously eying the boys from the all boys school next door, surreptitiously looking at us.... so funny!
Cutting recess is criminal. Adults have labor laws to require recess. Children have no such voice.
Recess is important to socialization. Children learn to give and take, to make friends, to work out conflicts at recess.
Their bodies need to move for health. And there is lots of research about the connection between learning and movement. Spinning and balancing activities cement the connection between the hemispheres and also cement learning. If we were to really follow research and pursue academic success children would have more frequent brief breaks.
Wow ... I guess that all that evolutionary evidence of The Desk People is winning out - I'm the 10,000 generation of a butt sitting master of the desk! Come check out the latest Lucy exhibit with the sedimentary rock proof of homo-desk-us !! / snark tag
I student taught in middle school, I teach in high school.
IF those kids were sent out to run up and down a good sized hill 6 times a day, over 2/3 of our discipline / craziness would go away.
My belief is based upon exactly ZERO scientific research, because anyone who thinks it is needed should go get a useful job. We are NOT evolved from desk people. Kids have a LOT of energy, they need to burn it off. Period.
Recess allows kids to figure out how to be people without adults around to tell them how to do it "properly". This time is harder and harder to find in our over-scheduled lives. Recess gave my girls the freedom they needed to learn how to do things on their own (I am guilty of being overly protective at the playground.
I would too would NEVER send my kids to an elementary without recess - I'd homeschool first or drive them to Shoreline.
Bathroom Break Photocopier Machine Time Email Check Planning Session Extra Practice for Struggling Students Extracurricular Activities COFFEE...did I say coffee? Teaming Time Momentary Decompression
Recess is essential, preferably on grass/dirt, with trees, shrubs and flowers surrounding whatever play structure. I think the natural light and fresh air are just about as important as the freedom of movement, idea and voice.
Josh, I am a huge advocate for teachers having the freedom to take kids outside as they feel necessary as at your elementary. I also like the set recess schedule. It's a time to interact w/ kids and adults beyond a child's class. It also helps guarantee down-time, no matter the weather or upcoming tests.
I need recess in my adult day- a walk, a phone call, a coffee- a break from the work that continues. Good point about the labor laws, artemis.
The speaker list is up for the Board meeting tomorrow; not as packed as I thought with just four people on the waitlist. The majority of the speakers are speaking on high school boundaries (with several wanting to talk about Ballard High). There are only three of us speaking about the Green Dot resolution asking the City to not grant the zoning departures that Green Dot has requested. It's me, long-time watchdog, Chris Jackins, and the head of the Washington State Charter Schools Association, Patrick D'Amelio. (I knew Mr. D'Amelio when he headed the Alliance for Education and Big Brothers and Big Sisters; he's a stand-up guy.)
Why You Should Care Mr. Crabill has found quite the acolyte in Director Chandra Hampson. In the course of discussions over SOFG, she says his name over and over, "A.J .says we...." Now that's not too surprising given the direction the district is heading and that it is Mr. Crabill's work with the Council of Great City Schools is how we got here. But it appears that Mr. Crabill is working very closely with Hampson and we know she wields some amount of power over the majority of the Board. Mr. Crabill is going to continue to work with the Board as SOFG is instituted in SPS. In fact, his role may become more public as it did at one SPS Board meeting in the spring where he was on the phone during the meeting and suggested the Board stop the meeting to "self-reflect." I also noticed that in a district in South Carolina, when things weren't going to plan, he blamed the Board for not following SOFG to the letter. Look for that to happen here if Board members w
This may only be a partial list of reasons; please, add anything else in the comments. The deadline to file to run for the Board is May 19th. Entire Board Majority NOT vetting the Superintendent in any way, shape or form. Even the Seattle Times thought that was wrong. It was just absolute hubris and it was wrong. For the second time in just over a year , board members voted to negotiate a superintendent contract during a special meeting with no opportunity for public comment. This time, they showed an even deeper disregard for their responsibilities as public servants: Aborting a national search for a new superintendent and denying Interim Superintendent Brent Jones a chance to show students, parents and taxpayers that, indeed, he is the best person for the job. Government bodies can’t fast-forward through transparent processes just because they think they know the right answer. One other odd thing about the hiring of Brent Jones - most permanent SPS superintendent contracts ar
Comments
Invaluable.
I would never send my kid to an elementar school that limited or did not have recess. Never. Please SPS do not move in that direction.
I remember when my father did a sabbatical, I was a fifth grader, and we went to Newark, Delaware. I sat in the classroom, and around 10 or so, the bell rang, everyone got up and ran out, and I said, "what's that bell mean?". Another kid said, "It's recess, stupid!"
And I said, "Recess? Oh, right! I've read about that!"
So I established my reputation right away, you see: geeky kid who READS about recess. :-)
As for my kids, I think recess has been terrific for them, but the importance wanes as they get older.
younger - playing what's the time Mr Wolfie! And swinging on the monkey bars...
older - standing around on the tennis courts with a bunch of other girls (all girls high school), surreptitiously eying the boys from the all boys school next door, surreptitiously looking at us.... so funny!
Recess is important to socialization. Children learn to give and take, to make friends, to work out conflicts at recess.
Their bodies need to move for health. And there is lots of research about the connection between learning and movement. Spinning and balancing activities cement the connection between the hemispheres and also cement learning. If we were to really follow research and pursue academic success children would have more frequent brief breaks.
/ snark tag
I student taught in middle school, I teach in high school.
IF those kids were sent out to run up and down a good sized hill 6 times a day, over 2/3 of our discipline / craziness would go away.
My belief is based upon exactly ZERO scientific research, because anyone who thinks it is needed should go get a useful job. We are NOT evolved from desk people. Kids have a LOT of energy, they need to burn it off. Period.
BMM.
I would too would NEVER send my kids to an elementary without recess - I'd homeschool first or drive them to Shoreline.
Bathroom Break
Photocopier Machine Time
Email Check
Planning Session
Extra Practice for Struggling Students
Extracurricular Activities
COFFEE...did I say coffee?
Teaming Time
Momentary Decompression
Teachers Need This Time...
Recess is essential, preferably on grass/dirt, with trees, shrubs and flowers surrounding whatever play structure. I think the natural light and fresh air are just about as important as the freedom of movement, idea and voice.
Josh, I am a huge advocate for teachers having the freedom to take kids outside as they feel necessary as at your elementary. I also like the set recess schedule. It's a time to interact w/ kids and adults beyond a child's class. It also helps guarantee down-time, no matter the weather or upcoming tests.
I need recess in my adult day- a walk, a phone call, a coffee- a break from the work that continues. Good point about the labor laws, artemis.