Breaks During the School Day: Good or Bad?

If asked to reflect on our elementary school days, most of us can conjure up fond memories made on the playground. It was at recess that most of us made key friends that helped us through our elementary years and later on in life. It is safe to conclude that in most cases, recess is something a child can look forward to during the school day. However, recently recess has been under attack. Many schools have made the decision to cut back on recess or do away with it entirely. This decision was not made to crush the joy of children, but to increase the amount of educational time a child recieves and in return, improve their test scores. While the idea was meant to improve our students, many of those in charge failed to realize the importance of recess on the social, physical, and cognitive development of children. At the same time, it is also important to realize that all play and no work is not benifical either. It is essential to find a haapy medium that balances both work and play in order to produce the most successful students.

Those who argue for taking away recess make very good points. However, their points were ill conceived. It seems only logical that increasing classroom time would increse the test scores and the amount of material covered by students. In reality, the exact opposite appears to be happening based on research conducted. However, many superintendents, principals, and government officals still believe elimnating recess and other expendable classes are the best way to better their students and schools. Their points included: recess is a waste of valuable time; recess can interrupt consistent concentration; and recess can disturb the flow of the classroom. Recess can be considered disrutpive to both concentration and the flow of class time. However, this disruptive behavior is usually due to kids loosing focus and need a break from their school work. They also pose the arugment that kids are difficult to settle down after coming in from recess. In most cases, children are very easy to settle back down, especially after they have had time to run out all of their pent up energy. Once they settled in, they are usually ready to learn and show greater focus. The argument made that states recess is a waste of time, I find invalid. It is very clear that recess is beneficial in many ways. 

We now know that recess has a huge impact on a childs social, emotional, phycial and cognitive development. In a social asspect, during recess, children learn conflict resolution, sharing, team work, and how to interact with their peers. Ont the playground, children also learn how to cooperate with one another, take turns, and compromise. These skills then can then trasfer into the classroom and makes it easier for group assignments.  Emotionally, children develop bonds between one another through freindships. They also develop compassion and learn to comfort one another when an injury or bullying occurs. From a health stand point, recess may be the only time of day a child is active. The children get to go outside in the fresh air and be active. This can greatly help cut back on childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes. Children are also full of pent up energy. They need a positive outlet to release this energy. Recess provides this outlet. On a cognitive level, child are allowed to take a mental break from the stresses of the classroom. After a particularly hard test or unit, children often show signs of restlessness and lose the ability to focus. Providing a break or going to recess has a recharging effect on a child. The children are also allowed to play in an unstructutred manner when they go outside for recess. When allowed to do so, children use their imagination and create their own rules and games. This helps expand their creativity and mental thought process.

Once kids have been given the chance to get their "wiggles out", they are more likely to be productive students. In the studies conducted on recess and it's impact on children, a common characterisitc has appeared. Recess improves work ethic, attentiveness, and focus of children. Before recess time children become fidgety and excited as they anticipate their time for play. This maybe where those who argue against recess make their claims. During this time, children may act out or lose focus. However, the improvement of behavior, attitude, and work ethic after recess has a far greater positive imact on the classroom when weighing it between the negative impact before recess time. Therefore, in conculsion, finding a happy medium between work and play is essential. While covering material is important, it is just as important to ensure that the material covered is being absorbed by the students. Recess prepares your students to learn and be ready to absorb the new information presented.