To Keep or Not to Keep Recess

Does anyone else remember Disney's show called Recess? I remember watching it on Saturday mornings wishing I could be as cool as those kids on my own playground at school. Alas, it never really happened like that. My recess involved trivial conversation with friends and playing made up games while chasing the annoying boys around who dared to cross "our" side of the field. Recess was an amazing break in the day after or before lunch where I could finish last minute homework, talk, and really hang with with my friends because we really didn't have time in the day and sometimes didn't have time at the end of the day.

Okay, so is this post just about my sentimental thoughts on my childhood? No. When I went home for Thanksgiving, one of my friends told me that our old elementary school was looking to cut recess almost completely from the school program. The information bothered me.

I know as a kid I needed that break just so I wouldn't jump on a table and beat up one of my peers for their stupidity. Of course I was a very angry child, but many students feel the same way. In an article from the Washington Post  students who have a recess have better behavior in class as reported by a teacher rating system.

Recess gives that time for students to really be kids and also to learn about being in social situations and with conflict resolutions. Many times teachers are forced to create small societies in their classrooms for students to learn how to interact with each other. It may seem odd, but recess creates that basic society where students are forced to interact without counsel from the teacher.

Some critics of recess say that it promotes violence and bullying. Yes, that aspect is there, but there are many teachers and organizations that provide the tools to fix these problems. One organization that I have worked with is "Sports 4 Kids" an AmeriCorps group that works with keeping recess around, making it safe and fun. If there is a dispute on the playground the adult doesn't solve it, the students do a quick game of 'Rock, Paper, Scissors.'

Essentially, recess is an aspect that needs to stay in the school system, and when we talk about reforming education we need to include recess. After 'No Child Left Behind' came into play on the political field, recess was one of the first things to go to add more time in the schedule. More time is always needed, but we can't take away the time that helps students interact with each other and helps form those individual personalities that our students have. As T.J. from recess would say, a school day without recess would whomp.