California Educator

May / June 2016

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into class was say, 'Teacher, teacher, let me tell you what happened.' When you eliminate that, teachers get extra minutes of instructional time every day, not to mention their sanity." R E C E S S I S M A K I N G A CO M E B AC K Ask students what their favorite part of the school day is, and the answer is often recess. But pressure to raise test scores caused many schools throughout the U.S. to reduce or eliminate recess, depriving youngsters of fun, happiness and exercise — along with opportunities to interact with peers and develop important social skills. According to the American Association for the Child's Right to Play, 40 percent of districts in the U.S. reduced recess time due to No Child Left Behind. The most impacted students were from low-income neighbor- hoods. Along with the reduction of recess came another trend: schools withholding recess as a punishment. In some school districts, including Berkeley, parents strongly objected to recess deprivation for bad behav- ior, maintaining that students need movement to stay healthy and shouldn't be expected to sit all day long. Studies show that allowing children to play during schooltime makes them more attentive to classwork and improves academic performance. Also, classroom behavior improves dramatically when children are given recess breaks. According to The Journal of Pediatrics, youngsters demonstrate better behavior when they are given at least one 15-minute recess, compared with stu- dents who go without. C a l i f o r n i a , l i k e m o s t s t a t e s , d o e s n o t re q u i re schools to have recess. However, California's Edu- cation Code encourages schools to offer supervised playtime for students. Many schools, including Joyner Elementary, see value in providing students fun, safe and creative playtime. Playworks, which has partnered with 200 low-in- come schools in California and 1,200 nationwide, offers three levels of services to schools. In Playworks Coach, a full-time professional coach delivers the program; in the Playworks Pro model, recess experts provide Jennifer Gulick, fifth-grade teacher at Tara Hills Elementary, says, "Playing with the kids makes for a better relationship with them." Lauren Kaplan, first-grade teacher at Tara Hills Elementary in San Pablo, thinks the school's focus on recess has made students happier and healthier. 22 cta.org

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