Recess Rights
Right to Recess
Many people remember recess being the best part of the school day; it was a time to get outdoors, play on the swings and slides, and have fun with friends. Unfortunately, most elementary students today do not have this luxury. After the No Child Left Behind Act was passed in 2001, an estimated 40% of schools have cut recess, due to the push for more instructional time in order to improve academic progress (Gentry). The problem with this elimination is that research has found taking away unstructured play time for children can have negative effects. Recess for children is beneficial because it helps students learn better, suppresses the obesity epidemic, and improves emotional and social development.
Research has shown that elementary students stay on task better and are less fidgety when they are provided recess (Jarrett). According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children, “There is a relationship between physical activity and the development of brain connections” (“Recess-It’s Indispensable!”). Also, children are allowed to explore and wonder, encouraging creativity. Without vigorous playtime, the heart does not have fresh oxygen in the blood to pump to the brain when it becomes sluggish. Students absorb information better when they are provided a break in between lessons.
Physical activities of all types have been reduced or eliminated in schools for more classroom time. However, by “solving” the academic problem, another is created when time to exercise is cut. Recess prevents and treats the current obesity epidemic. First Lady Michelle Obama, leader of the “Let’s Move!” initiative, points out that, “Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled…nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese” (“Learn the Facts”). This statistic alone demonstrates the urgency of the wide-spread problem occurring in America. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that regular
Many people remember recess being the best part of the school day; it was a time to get outdoors, play on the swings and slides, and have fun with friends. Unfortunately, most elementary students today do not have this luxury. After the No Child Left Behind Act was passed in 2001, an estimated 40% of schools have cut recess, due to the push for more instructional time in order to improve academic progress (Gentry). The problem with this elimination is that research has found taking away unstructured play time for children can have negative effects. Recess for children is beneficial because it helps students learn better, suppresses the obesity epidemic, and improves emotional and social development.
Research has shown that elementary students stay on task better and are less fidgety when they are provided recess (Jarrett). According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children, “There is a relationship between physical activity and the development of brain connections” (“Recess-It’s Indispensable!”). Also, children are allowed to explore and wonder, encouraging creativity. Without vigorous playtime, the heart does not have fresh oxygen in the blood to pump to the brain when it becomes sluggish. Students absorb information better when they are provided a break in between lessons.
Physical activities of all types have been reduced or eliminated in schools for more classroom time. However, by “solving” the academic problem, another is created when time to exercise is cut. Recess prevents and treats the current obesity epidemic. First Lady Michelle Obama, leader of the “Let’s Move!” initiative, points out that, “Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled…nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese” (“Learn the Facts”). This statistic alone demonstrates the urgency of the wide-spread problem occurring in America. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that regular