Not It
Generations of Americans learned the three R’s in the classroom, while the fourth R—recess—was a stage for life lessons and conflict resolution.
But traditional recess—where kids run around and play kickball, soccer, tag and other games of physical contact—is increasingly being banned across the country by school officials, and not for reasons of injury or litigation. The period of child’s play, they say, has become too competitive and too ego-bruising.
A school in Santa Monica, CA, is among those that now ban tag, with this explanation: “In this game, there is a ‘victim’ or ‘it’, which creates a self-esteem issue.”
A Connecticut principal has gone even further, banning any activity where feelings might get bruised along with knees, claiming recess is out of sync with the “educational and moral instruction” provided by the rest of the school day.
Critics of the crackdown—noting that even squirrels play chase—say turning recess into a conflict-free zone is irresponsible and will produce a generation of kids lacking critical skills, ultimately affecting global security. “How can America expect to compete in a global economy,” asked one critic, “when the future of America doesn’t know what competition is?”
Tell us what you think. By mandating that recess be a kinder and gentler place, are we overprotecting kids and depriving them of vital skills best honed on the playground? How did recess become so irresponsible?
Add Comment Share This
Comments
Milton
“Protecting” children from engaging in recess is really sad. We all want our children to be safe, but restricting them from innocent behavior will certaintly not prepare them for the real world. The “real world” is fundamentally based on competition. Finding a job and getting into college are just a couple examples where you must compete. If people are brought up not knowing how to deal with conflict and defeat, they could react in a highly unfavorable way when they are faced with it.
Matthew | 1 year, 9 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Other Extremes
On a related topic – I have heard there is an elementary school that has outlawed the use of red ink in the correction of student work! I can’t even imagine the effects that would have had on me as a child… personally I think you need that push as a child to drive you to do better. Instead of taking away the red ink, why not communicate to students that school is the time and place to make mistakes?
Ryan Maheu | 1 year, 9 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Its More Than Playtime
Recess is essential for the social growth of children. The lessons learned on the playground far outlast those learned in the classroom. You do not always win, people will challenge you, and people will hurt your feelings. Generally, life is tough. Learning how to deal with these issues begins on the playground; it builds character and strength of personality. Kids can’t stay in a bubble forever. Teachers need to help children learn how to face these issues, not try to keep them from happening altogether.
Kim | 1 year, 9 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Future weaklings
I oppose any recess games to be banned. Recess games like tag, chase, dodgeball, and such are good for kids. This is were they learn how to compete and how to become better at something. I agree with all the other postings – kids need to learn from an early age that the world they live in is based on competition. Every school they apply for, every sport they sign up for, and every job interview will be based on “competition”. Kids need to learn the skills of competing and of handling defeat. If they are always “out” they need to learn how to stay or become “in” or at least be somewhat accepted. We all can’t be winners and prom queens and most of us don’t want to be such. Kids need to learn that the world isn’t fair and equal. They need to find their own strengths and hopefully have adults in their lives who can encourage their growth in the things they are good at. We don’t need more generation x’s – we have enough weaklings who want their way and think everything is to be given to them.
Dorothy Gardiner | 1 year, 8 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
i have had it
this is getting out of hand. it seems all kids are allowed to do now is sit, and play computers or video games. their becoming overweight and lazy. in recess you have to be creative, and we’re taking that away from kids. give them a ball, a pop can, 9 out of 10 kids now will say what do i do with this. we’re taking away all thier street smarts. let kids be kids
tamara claflin | 1 year, 7 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
way to far!!
These people who run our schools have completely gotten out of hand! No touching of any kind, No recess, No red ink, no competition on the play ground. This so rediculous. These teachers and school administrators think they need to raise americas kids their way, that They need to protect these poor kids! What these kids need protection from is some of the #### they have access to on the shelves of the school library or the school computers that these same people deem educational. They also need to be protected from teachers who like to pass off their political ideals on the kids they teach. Stick to the lessons in the text books please!Let the parents do the parenting the way they see fit!
terrance tattrie | 1 year, 7 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
You've Got To Be Kidding Me!
When I was a kid, I was picked last for kickball, last for relay races. . . . But when it came to dodgeball, it was another story. Parents need to help their kids focus less on what they CAN’T do and help them to focus more on what they CAN do. Parents need to help them focus LESS on the kids that DON’T want them around and to VALUE the kids that do. Taking away recess because some kids might feel ridiculed or left out takes away the responsibility of the parent to build their child’s self-esteem by pointing out their child’s positive attributes and helping them to make healthy friendships with their peers.
Valleester | 1 year, 7 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Don't take that away!!
Recess helps the social and physical development of children. Don’t take that away!
Kids learn social skills that will help them survive the real world. Kids learn about being competitive, making friends, comforting children who are upset, sharing and taking turns, and teamwork. Don’t take that away!
Kids develop physically by running, kicking balls, jumping rope, climbing up the stairs and other contraptions on the playground. Children develop muscles and gross motor skills. Don’t take that away!
valentina | 1 year, 6 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Unsafe?
I am 50 yrs old. When I went to school we had steel. Everything was shining steel. We learned that if we fell off we got scraped. And we learned that on hot days you could get burned. Kids today are not allowed to be kids. My old school just replaced the entire playground with new plastic safety gear. This is nuts. Parents should teach kids to think before jumping off the top of the monkey bars. Instead we just tear them down so little Johnny cannot hurt his little self. My kids all learned to ride horses at an early age. This taught them that they are in control of what they do.
I am so tired of hearing that we are stopping the flow of childhood because someone might get hurt. When I was a boy, we played army with real dirt clods for hand grenades and we never killed anyone.
My son brought home a letter a few years back that said if anyone pointed a finger at anyone and just said bang, they would be placed on detention. This is just stupid. And don’t you dare let them say something about someone else. That could even get you thrown out of school. We were called all kinds of names and yet we somehow survived. I must have been a fluke.
Purelabor | 1 year, 6 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Hyper kids need recess
I know a couple kids at a preschool where I’m training in the Early Childhood field who are quite hyper. They get the other five kids all hyper during large group. I and the other trainee teachers can’t get the kids to calm down.
If the children had an hour’s worth of recess during school time to use all their energy then they will be much calmer and more attentive in the classroom. If the children aren’t allowed a chance to burn off unnecessary energy, then they will run all over the classroom, push other kids, disobey teachers, make messes, and they can’t settle down. Therefore the kids aren’t going to get their schoolwork done.
I children are sitting all day, then they will become restless and disrupt class. Children hate to doing school work all day. I liked recess because I could take a break from schoolwork and stretch my legs and arms and get some exercise and let off some steam.
Recess just gets shorter and shorter until there isn’t any at all. I remember my first four years of school recess was roughly 30 minutes long. When I got to 4th grade recess was 15 minutes long. When my brother was in 6th grade he didn’t get any recess. My sister is in 5th grade and she hardly gets recess. It seems that standardized testing is more important than recess. I think kids would to better on state wide tests such as the FCAT if they had 30 minutes to an hour’s worth of recess everyday. Again hyper students have a harder time in school because the don’t have an outlet to let off their steam. These students are hard to control when you don’t let them out the playground to let off excess energy.
No wonder kids are fighting at school. They don’t have any way to let their energy out without harming anyone.
valentina | 1 year, 6 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
1 2 3 > (3 pages)