Recess A Luxury Or Necessity?
Recess a Luxury or Necessity? Giggling and wiggling, their attention is no longer on the fractions at hand. Should the discipline for this unruly behavior be no recess? Many teachers and principals are deciding classroom time is far more important than unstructured play. Suspending or cutting into recess may seem like the correct disciplinary action; however the actual effects it has on the children’s learning is drastic. Recess is important to not only cognitive learning, but to the social side of school. 77 percent of school principals report using recess as a punishment. In the same report, stating 8 out of 10 principals acknowledging the free play time having a “positive impact on achievement”{Cordell}. Teachers and Principals take
away recess but then turn around praising it for the good it does the students. Children can not properly retain information without a break in cognitive learning for free time. Merely changing topics cannot offer their brains the rest it needs. Children will be children. They laugh and talk with their friends, its part of them; which also means that their self-control to hold back all of that giddy behavior diminishes when recess is taken away. They need the extra oomph that recess gives to help them throughout the rest of the day. “Recess also plays an important role in the ability to maintain self-control during class time. Self-control is not an unlimited resource, and by unstructured play rolls around, most children have depleted their reserves” (Lahey).
Recess has a many factor of importance that is often missed, physical activity. Seventeen percent of American children are classified as obese. For some children, recess time at school may be the only time they get to go outside and run around. This is important to the health of our nation, and our children. Those who argue for the removal of recess clearly do not see the bigger picture. Children are not like adults who need a couple of glasses of coffee to keep energy. They are naturally active; given the time and opportunity, they will exercise. Recess is a small boost to keep our children mentally and physically active.
We need to give children what they deserve to help guide them to success and the future. No longer should recess be taken away due to lack of time in the day or some minor behavioral issues. Now is the time to give kids the foundations for better learning and a better life. The small luxury of a full play time is all children need to retain the knowledge we so greatly encourage.
away recess but then turn around praising it for the good it does the students. Children can not properly retain information without a break in cognitive learning for free time. Merely changing topics cannot offer their brains the rest it needs. Children will be children. They laugh and talk with their friends, its part of them; which also means that their self-control to hold back all of that giddy behavior diminishes when recess is taken away. They need the extra oomph that recess gives to help them throughout the rest of the day. “Recess also plays an important role in the ability to maintain self-control during class time. Self-control is not an unlimited resource, and by unstructured play rolls around, most children have depleted their reserves” (Lahey).
Recess has a many factor of importance that is often missed, physical activity. Seventeen percent of American children are classified as obese. For some children, recess time at school may be the only time they get to go outside and run around. This is important to the health of our nation, and our children. Those who argue for the removal of recess clearly do not see the bigger picture. Children are not like adults who need a couple of glasses of coffee to keep energy. They are naturally active; given the time and opportunity, they will exercise. Recess is a small boost to keep our children mentally and physically active.
We need to give children what they deserve to help guide them to success and the future. No longer should recess be taken away due to lack of time in the day or some minor behavioral issues. Now is the time to give kids the foundations for better learning and a better life. The small luxury of a full play time is all children need to retain the knowledge we so greatly encourage.