KFI: Arizona lawmakers are making students very happy with a new bill that was signed into law by Governor Doug Ducey. The new bill mandates that all public and charter schools in the state set aside two periods per day for recess. The law applies students in kindergarten through third grade in 2018. In 2019, the law will grant the extra recess to students in grades four and five.
Legislators have been trying to pass the recess mandate for at least a decade. They met stiff resistance from people who claimed that any time spent outside the classroom would hurt students academic performance.
Many experts believe that recess is important, especially for younger students. Even spending just five minutes letting loose can boost productivity in the classroom. read more
I learned more about life playing “king of the hill” and “dodgeball” than I did from “see spot run.”
We had so much more recess when I grew up. And after school was mostly active with friends, not sitting at home.
Just another reason for home-schooling.
It’s been a long, long time but I recall three recesses in grade school, one mid-morning, one after lunch, and one mid-afternoon. I don’t remember how long the morning and afternoon ones were, but long enough to play a few rounds of tether ball or four square. Kids’ bodies need physical activity like they need air. Glad to see some common sense in AZ.
But, but, but, how would we deal with a skinned knee or heaven forbid a life threatening bloody nose?
I would mandate fifty/fifty time in class and recess from classwork
Half of recess would be helping out around school, learning simple maintenance and upkeep of the grounds.
They do this in Japan and the school vandalism is almost non existent. And I bet there isn’t a giant sense of entitlement.
I would go further and eliminate most of the grassy areas and plant gardens and teach the children to be responsible for them.
Seems like the ‘children’ have to go to school far less than they ever did in the past, the school days are shorter and now they need even more free time?! To do what?! Isn’t that what after and before school is for. And adults get breaks at work. Outside of my first hourly jobs I had in college I’ve never had a ‘job’ where I took breaks at regular intervals dictated by my boss. The only people taking breaks are smokers that spend half the day outside.
Kids need recess…just don’t dare play any games like cowboys and Indians or use anything that even remotely looks like a gun. The pop tart fiasco comes to mind
public schools
where modern children learn all their modern social skills.
like
pedophilia
drug use
gender identification
common core math
whole word reading
bullying
gang lore
sex education
communism
fascism
disrespect
ageism
…..
I’d suspect this is a good idea or at least one worth trying with the following provisos. All electronic devices from iPod, to cellphones, to iPad or any type of game/entertainment system is left indoors and the teachers have to help organize sports both competitive and non-competitive to be played during these recesses. Get these kids to relate to physical activity at a young enough age and follow through for ten years and it will stay with them for life.
The elementary school is close to our home and we can hear the children at play during recess here in a Phx suburb. If you could see them – running, jumping, throwing balls, climbing on monkey bars, …it just is so nice. Kids aren’t made to sit for hours, they need to run and shout out loud.
There seems to be two or three adults out there with them, so if there is a problem, help is nearby.
This being repealed will probably be one of the demands teachers make to go along with their 20% raise and bulk of the state’s money.
I don’t know how many are paying attention but the lefties are going full attack on red states. Look for it to be worse next year.
http://thefederalist.com/2018/04/11/fire-all-striking-teachers-and-send-their-paychecks-to-students-parents/#.Ws-PX6k8iCQ.facebook