As we talk about reform, one boy pulls me aside. "Why don't we bring back recess?"
"We can't shorten the school day. We have laws about how long school has to last."
"No, I'm not saying that at all. Here's what I'm thinking. Teachers have to be here from eight until four, right? So, why not take the forty minutes before school when you have to be here and create two twenty minute recesses? Kids could have two hours of work, a twenty minute break and then two more hours until lunch and then another twenty-minute break in the afternoon. Then rotate the schedule so that we only change classes after two hours."
"I see, like a block schedule."
He stares at me blankly. "No, like recess."
Perhaps he's right. After all, middle school students are energetic and need time to run and play and be social. Maybe they don't need swing sets, but they need to jump and dance and throw around a basketball and talk about meaningless fluff (which it often turns out isn't as meaningless or fluffy as I had once assumed). Kids need to run after a soccer ball and play a game of cards and talk about their little crushes that feel, in the moment, completely earth-shattering.
Adding a recess might actually be a good thing. For those who argue that school should match the reality at work, last time I checked an eight hour shift requires two ten minute breaks - we just don't use the term "recess."
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Please... when I worked in the 'corporate world' (aka Hell), we had MANY breaks and our lunches were at least an hour and many times more... and often included adult beverages. BRING ON RECESS! :)
An open bar in the staff lounge?
hmmm . . . I think you're on to something.
i wished our education leaders would listen to our children. Your student makes complete sense.
I love idea of bar in the staff lounge. Maybe there wouldn't be so much tension at school. Easy. Breezy. Martinis.
My children's school is about to adopt something similar that incorporates more social time. Students have much pent up energy, as any parent or teacher can attest to after spending time with them on a rainy day. It would probably make classroom time more productive.
I agree. I changed districts recently. My last district had a 45 minute lunch break in which the middle schoolers could immediately go outside after they are done eating. Many ate as fast as they could and took off to go 'play'. Duty teachers were outside and they could run and play.
New school has scripted 25 minute lunches, in and back to class. Many more problems here. I've tried to mention this - but noone wants to hear it.
TOTALLY AGREE...this kid should present his idea to the principal.
My school has your typical 30-minute "wolf it down" lunch, but on nice days we let the students outside into the courtyard during the last five minutes or so of the lunch period. It's not a huge difference but you can definitely sense a release of tension when we're out there for that little bit of time.
You know, John, if we have scheduled "recesses" in middle school, then we would just be wasting time because we all need to keep our noses to the grindstone, model to the rest of the world some of that good ol' Puritan work ethic, and don't lose valuable productivity down time! C'mon, man, what are you thinking? Considering the lillies? Get back to work.
I like the idea of listening to the student. I wonder how that could be implemented more into education system.
I think high school students could use those breaks too. I mean, doesn't everyone need a chance throughout the day to just blow off a little steam?
Rosetta Stone- the language learning software that is getting accolades for it's ability to teach a new language in a short time, has this really great magazine ad they run entitled:
"How do you learn a new language?"
"Act like a baby."
Then it lists the things a baby needs in order to learn a language:
"Be immersed in and around many examples of the language, positive role models and people to observe."
"Time to play..."
There are more, but I always stop at that second one... "Time to play." I don't know much about science of the human mind, but many of the most powerful things we learn are subconsciously absorbed. Spontaneous play loosens the iron grip that consciousness has over our mind... lets some of the good unquantifiable stuff in :-)
After 4th graders lost to the 5th graders in kickball, I heard a 4th grade boy say to a 5th grade boy that was gloating his win, "don't worry man, we'll get you tomorrow!"
My kids learn more at recess then they ever do in the classroom. My students can lose knowing that tomorrow will come. They know that certain rules have to be followed in order for most things to run smoothly. They learn to let loose, that life can be fun sometimes. They learn to compete, the run, to catch, to wrestle, to fight, to communicate and so much more.
Honestly...no one loves recess more then me!