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?
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Oh, -really-
That is insane. Sure, kids are cruel, heartless, little monsters. There are few things that can hurt a child the way another child can. But that’s how you grow. If I hadn’t been alternately scorned and ignored by the majority of my classmates all through grade school, I wouldn’t have learned to value the few friends I had. When the few friends I had turned out to be shallow idiots, I learned that everyone makes mistakes. I don’t think I’m being stupidly optimistic either. I’m not completely happy with how things have turned out, but I know that they could be a lot worse. I could be dead or someone else could be dead. I’m fairly content on how I myself managed to turn out, for the most part.
There definitely needs to be free time to run around outside, but it needs to have some structure. Not the gym class “okay everybody do this now” kind of structure, because not everybody can “do this now”, not at the same time and the same rate, and sometimes not at all. I mean structure in the form of a responsible adult who stays nearby, and intervenes when things get out of hand. Say if a bigger kid decides to start being a bully, the adult would come in and say “You can’t do that, here, do this instead.” There should always be a “do this instead”.
The problem with recess is staffing. Most of the time, the only people willing to watch the kids during recess are the IAs, instructional assistants, who tend to be either moms of kids in the school who need an extra bit of income, or empty nester moms with nothing better to do. Substitute teacher types, the same ones that push the wheelchairs and take notes for the special education kids, with little training and one of two demeanors. The first is the coddling demeanor, in which they overprotect everyone to the point where the kids can’t do anything without her stepping in lest somebody gets a scrape or a bump. The second is the apathetic demeanor, in which they simply don’t give a crap. She’s got her paycheck coming whether she does her job or not, and she’s got her magazine to look through while the kids run riot and kill each other. What you need is an actual teacher to watch the kids, preferably someone with a background in education, or at least some social skills.
Garen | 1 year, 7 months ago
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I know teachers need to watch kids
I agree with Garen!
valentina | 1 year, 7 months ago
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Not It
I am going to get right to the point and not beat around the bush. It is absolutely insane the way things have gotten with regard to our over protective attitudes with children. Don’t let them do this – don’t let them play that!! Now they shouldn’t play normal children’s’ games like tag?? Now they can’t play dodge ball? Give me a break!!
I am 54 years old and have a very great brain on my shoulders and did not die or become emotionally freaked out from playing tag and dodge ball when I was a child. As a matter of fact my coordination became much better FROM playing games like dodge ball. If we continue this kind of what we have the stupidity to call protection, we are going to have a bunch of timid, scared children instead of just plain-old kids!
William Jay | 1 year, 7 months ago
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"Super-Vision" needed—not a play ban!
I believe it was former Governor Ann Richards of Texas who said:
“You know, life is tough. If we don’t tell kids that, we’re setting them up!”
Seems to me that banning recess is just the opposite of what is needed. Instead, let’s try more adult “super-vision” at recess (and also before and especially after recess) to point out how relationships and fair play can be improved based on the kids’ own vivid experiences. Let’s not take away their experiences…or their fun and an important source of learning, as well as a change of pace!
Peter B. DuMont
Peace Philospher & Public Educator
Berkeley, California
www.STARALLIANCE.org
Peter B. DuMont | 1 year, 6 months ago
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crazy idea
I recall playing tag when I was in school. There was nothing wrong with it then. I truly feel parents and some educators are way off base here. Heck, being ‘IT’, was the best because you could chase everyone around.. I have watched my youngest son (my fiance’s son) play tag and it was like he had no clue what to do, not sure if he was allowed to play at his old school or with his mom or what. It was kind of sad, he turned to me and said ‘mommy what do I do?’ I had to tell him how to play tag.
Jenn G | 1 year, 5 months ago
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Heck, Even Grown-Ups Need Playtime!
I was a hyperactive kid with Asperger’s Syndrome. I had some pretty serious problems with social skills, and got picked on a lot as a result — and while much (but not all, or even most) of this took place during recess breaks, and it sometimes did hurt my feelings, I would have launched a full-scale protest if anyone had tried to take away my recess in school.
Even now, as a nominal grown-up, the only way I can get through a work day is to go outside and take a brisk walk or a bike ride during lunch. As a kid, a day without a break to run around and burn off some steam would’ve been like a day in a prison camp.
Unstructured play is critical to childrens physical and mental development. These days, kids have precious few opportunities for unstructured play. Recess is one of them.
Yes, there will always be unpopular kids. Yes, feelings will get hurt on the playing field sometimes — but banishing recess for fear that someone’s self-esteem might be damaged is an ill-conceived folly.
Self-esteem is the most over-valued character trait in our arsenal, and is only really gained through unconditional love at home and success in meeting real challenges elsewhere. Even the most unpopular kid in school can feel good about himself if his family loves him and he experiences — and overcomes — real challenges in his life (like the ones kids encounter in learning martial arts, musical instruments, and sports).
Recess helps kids develop initiative, creativity, imagination, and real-life skills like negotiation, problem-solving, and resource-sharing. Take these traits away from our future leaders, and what kind of America do you think they’ll lead?
Asher | 1 year, 1 month ago
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I think these bans are extreme and should be aboli
I think that we need to go back to the original recess activities ASAP. I think that kids should be able to go out and have some fun at recess. I think that the jungle gym should certainly be there. I remember that back in the day we had a metal gym and there were no problems. Also, we were allowed to play tag, freeze tag, basketball, volleyball, soccer, kickball, tetherball, go on the swings, run, and other things.
Yes, there were some rules of courtesy like being kind to other kids and don’t hurt others, and to play fair in terms of sportsmanship, and to take turns on things like the slides, swings, and monkey bars. You were allowed to socialize and get to know other children and make friends. Recess was loosely structured, as there were some rules for safety and courtesy and there were boundaries to the play area but nothing like what was in this post.
I think we need to rethink some of these things. First of all the insurance industry and the courts should not impose extreme limits on childhood. Next of all, I think that the threshold for what constitutes “negligence” “gross negligence” in terms of minors for liability should be adjusted. A simple bruise or scrape from doing a minor error or accident on the jungle gym or game on the playing field should not be a lawsuit waiting to happen, but instead a visit to the school nurse. After all, getting a scrape or falling down is part of the learning process and 99.9% or higher of these injuries are not life or death. Many of them don’t even require going to the hospital. I think that we should break out of the fact that anytime a child steps off of their home property that someone else is at risk of being sued for any minor thing. I would propose a reasonable standard for liability in regards to children that takes into account the following:
Last of all, in regard to the bullying issue, activity restrictions should be affect all. This is a MANNERS problem, not a recess activity problem. Kids should be taught to use common courtesy and show respect to each other on the playgrounds and playing fields. In regard to games in which one competes, there is a proper way to lose a game and not feel bad about it. The same is true with the conflict within games like tag. There is natural reaction to getting tagged and becoming it and that is the fun part. However, kids can learn to play games in ways that don’t compromise the concept of friendships and being kind to another even if they are competing against others.
Stephen Hinkle | 11 months ago
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What is wrong with competition
I don’t understand what is wrong with competition. It is incredibly necessary and it’s what this country was founded on. I’m sick of being told that capitalism and competition are bad; they encourage people/kids to learn the value of hard work and that things aren’t always going to come easy to them.
Sarah Hoeben | 10 months, 4 weeks ago
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childhood competition suppressed
Well, I played at recess like all of my peers learning how to interact with others in fair competition. However, recess today is being banned. Why? Corporations stifle and destroy competition at all costs. They don’t like to compete, they want to eliminate all competition so they can create the world in their own image. Young people who compete are young people who question the status quo. In the corporate world, that’s not good. Kids who do not learn to compete at an early age will not know how to compete when they get older, hence they are able to be controlled that much easier by our corporate masters.
Bruce Brooker | 10 months ago
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Teacher
Bucky Covington says it all in his song “A Different World”. Check out the lyrics. Be responsible for yourself. Teach your children to be moral, responsible adults. So you don’t get picked first for baseball. As a plaque in my friend’s house reads “Put your big girl panties on and deal with it.” There will come a time and place when you WILL be chosen first. I was never chosen first for sports but when our class had any kind of group project that involved art, they argued over whose group I’d be in. Censoring recess is teaching kids to be whiny and lazy. Amuse yourself. Learn to deal with the “boring” moments. Life is not out there to entertain you 100 % of the time. Life is what YOU make of it.
Cheryl Butchko | 2 months ago
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