Perhaps nothing is sacred, but let it begin with recess.
A growing number of schools are blowing the whistle on the midday break in schooling in favor of, well, more schooling. We hope this education fad will go the way of the hula hoop. Recess is an important part of the day for school children, even though there are no books, lesson plans or testing involved.
Pressured to improve student performance, the Greeley-Evans 6 school district in Northern Colorado has scrapped its scheduled recess times. Others across the country have resorted to such draconian measures to make a point – sort of like the federal government threatening to shut down the Washington Monument in times of pseudo budget crises.
The Greeley district, which is on the state’s academic watch list, still offers recess at lunchtime, but planned morning or afternoon breaks have been banned at its 17 elementary schools. Teachers, however, can still call an impromptu recess if they see the need.
The district is right to focus on improving student achievement, but officials need to recognize that scheduled breaks are a necessary part of the day, not an intrusion. Not only is the social interaction at recess positive, the exercise (let’s call it the “release of pent-up energy”) allows students to better concentrate later on their academic tasks. Editorial writers of all genders have noticed over the years that young boys can be particularly fidgety in the classroom and need to take periodic breaks to stretch their legs and refocus their minds. That’s true of many young girls as well.
With almost a quarter of all U.S. school kids considered to be obese, a few states have even gone so far as to mandate extra recess or physical education classes.
