“They want to be next, so they get in the way of the swing,” she said.
The Jefferson Elementary third-graders enjoyed a rare break in their studies on Friday afternoon, a little breather to unwind after studying for the upcoming TAKS test. The only unstructured playtime they have during the day comes in the last 15 minutes of their lunch break - but they are lucky.
More and more schools are abandoning recess for more coursework. An estimated 40 percent of U.S. school districts either have eliminated recess or are considering eliminating it, Rhonda Clements, president for the American Association of the Child’s Right to Play told the National PTA in 2006. Some school districts claim safety and supervision issues are reasons to eliminate recess, Clements explained. But more likely, she said, recess is replaced with an expanded curriculum.
The Temple and Belton school districts still have recess. However, the amount of time spent in play changes from school to school. Local teachers and administrators say recess is still the best way to get students to focus, to help them learn to socialize and take turns in an orderly way.
“It teaches kids how to get along, share, take turns,” said Beth Giniewicz, Jefferson principal. “You can really tell the personalities of the kids. Some want to just talk and hangout in groups, then there are some who are right in the thick of it and are the center of attention. And some kids who aren’t necessarily shining in the classroom shine at recess with their peers.”
As for the flurry of high-volume activity associated with recess, it’s still loud, screaming good fun, Ms. Giniewicz said. She said children still play tag and keep away. The older children play touch football and small groups of friends form tight little circles to socialize.
Recess time in the Belton school district ranges from 15 to 30 minutes depending on the school. Darrell Becker, assistant superintendent, said administrators decide on the amount of time for recess based on how long it takes for children to get from one class to another, depending on school size. He said the district believes recess is still an important part of the day.
“They need that time when they can run and shout and play,” Becker said. “We ask a lot of our students even at the elementary level. It’s no secret that there is a lot of pressure on them with standardized tests and I think more than ever they need an opportunity to feel relaxed and be kids.”
Southwest Elementary School in the Belton school district has recess for 20 minutes a day. Principal Roxanne Sanders said they treat recess as a rest from academics.
“It gives them a brain break,” Ms. Sanders said. “It’s more of a social time. They usually have their choice of what they want to do. I see a lot of soccer and chase and swinging, just kid stuff really. I know the teachers have bought jump ropes, they play volleyball over a line or rope, they play touch football.”
While the goal of burning off excess energy hasn’t changed, what has changed over the years is safety and supervision, Becker said.
“It’s probably much safer than it was 20 years ago. When I was out there playing on the playground we didn’t have padded protective coverings on the ground; it was just gravel or hard dirt.”
Most playgrounds use padding and a soft bed of loose rocks or mulch to help keep students safe. At Jefferson, the high-velocity play equipment like the swings is always under the watchful eye of a teacher.
Temple and Belton schools seem to be in agreement that P.E. cannot replace recess.
“We structure so much of their day,” Ms. Giniewicz said. “Even P.E. has its own curriculum. There’s not that down time, and some of these kids, their parents don’t let them go outside and play and this is their only safe supervised area.”
Becker said their P.E. time isn’t unstructured either.
“There are specific things designed to keep the entire class moving for 30 minutes a day,” Becker said.
Still, while recess is supposed to be a time to relax the brain, educators don’t to waste any time in learning. The Jaguar Island playground at Jefferson Elementary is a next-generation playground, an insidious plot concocted by teachers to get students to learn without them noticing.
The school used a section of blacktop to create a nautical-themed attraction. There is a multi-level boat in the center of the painted black top that allows students to use pulleys to raise and lower a flag and transfer weights using a crane from the deck to the shore. These activities are designed to use hand-over-hand and gross motor movement.
On another side of the black top is what is referred to as the “Car Wash.” Punching bag sized pads hang in a row, and students can run through them. This provides students with sensory input along with joint compressions in a fun way.
For the river raft adventure, students sit on scooters and in teams of two as they use sticks to push or “paddle” their way around the blacktop.
Even something as simple as following a ball back and forth can be educational. Ms. Giniewicz said if a student cannot follow an object back and forth with their eyes, they lack the foundation for reading.
