Dear editor,
I was very surprised to see that Mr. Pekarek, superintendent of schools, said having a second 15-minute recess could have a negative effect on student learning. According to several studies on the topic, recess not only improves learning, it provides many other benefits as well.
A study done by Dr. Olga Jarrett, professor of child development at Georgia State University, showed that a 15-minute recess resulted in children being 5 percent more on-task and 9 percent less fidgety. Dr. Jarrett’s research showed that a 15-minute recess actually saved 20 minutes during the day because it cut back on distracting behaviors in the classroom.
Another study by T.C. Toppino, J.E. Kasserman, and W.A. Mracek in 1991 shows that memory is improved when learning is spaced instead of being presented all at once. This goes along with research from E. Jensen that shows “the brain needs downtime to recycle chemicals crucial for long-term memory formation.” (Teaching With the Brain in Mind, 1998).
Children benefit from recess in many ways. Some of these are:
• Exposure to sunlight. Sunlight is vital to the production of vitamin D, which 70 percent of children are deficient in. Sunlight is also important for the immune system. Stronger immune systems may lead to fewer missed days due to illness. Studies also show that exposure to sunlight increases learning and productivity.
• Unstructured physical play reduces stress, increases blood flow to the brain and produces a calming effect, which could improve behavior in the classroom.
• Recess also helps children build social skills. They are able to talk freely (which they cannot do in class) and socialize with their friends. New friendships can be built on the playground. They learn how to resolve conflicts and solve problems. They can then use those skills in class.
Recess is much more than playing. It’s a chance for the students to let off some built up energy, stretch their muscles and relax.
My daughter is a first-grader at Jefferson. She goes to lunch from 10:55 – 11:20 a.m. That means within the first three hours of school she gets a recess. For the last four hours of her school day, she is expected to sit in a classroom without any real opportunity to let off steam other than her 30-minute PE class that she goes to every other day.
Most full-time workers are given two 15-minute rest breaks and a 30-60 minute lunch break. Doesn’t it make sense that our children should be given at least that?
Sincerely,
Sheila Tremain
Iola, Kan.
