Recess: like personal loans for a child’s future
Parents may take out personal loans from time to time to help purchase materials to help their children excel in the “Three Rs,” but they (and school administrators) tend to forget the fouth “R”: recess.
The New York Times’ Tara Parker-Pope reports that new research shows that playtime may be as important as reading, science and math to a child’s development. Regular recess tends to lead to better fitness and concentration, which it turn would tend of help children achieve better grades.
The journal Pediatrics studied about 11,000 children, aged age 8 and 9. Those with more than 15 minutes of recess each day showed better behavior and an increased ability to concentrate in class. It’s as if brief rests from focusing are necessary to recharge the brain.
Bingo!
Lead researcher Dr. Romina M. Barros said the findings were important because “many schools do not view recess as essential to education.” Thus, many have cut back or eliminated the outdoor break time children receive.
One thing Dr. Barros found to be illogical is teachers taking away recess as a form of punishment. “Recess should be part of the curriculum,” she said. “You don’t punish a kid by having them miss math class, so kids shouldn’t be punished by not getting recess.” Without math, things like the interest rate on personal cash loans are impossible to figure out.
Rest is essential for development
Psychiatrist Dr. Stuart Brown cities studies of young rats. When they’re denied free play time, they tend to develop social problems that follow them into adulthood. Similarly, children who don’t receive ample playtime do not “learn to handle life in a resilient, vital way.”
To Dr. Brown, play is “a fundamental biological process… it’s a major public health issue. Teachers feel like they’re under huge pressures to get academic excellence to the exclusion of having much fun in the classroom. But playful learning leads to better academic success than the skills-and-drills approach.”
Go now. Play.
Children and adults alike could benefit from the findings of these studies. When I was in elementary school, recess was a regular period that occurred twice per day, 15 minutes at a time. Children today deserve just as much time. America and the world entire is crying out for more well-adjusted, social adults who live and love happily. As a by-product, these people will tend to be more productive in the workplace. Greater productivity could mean greater job advancement. It could also mean a few less personal loans to cover for emergencies. But most importantly, taking the time to play should remind us that we are human beings. Our purpose is to live… now!
One again…a little common sense. It is the law that every employee working a regular 8-hr shift is entitled to two/15-min breaks and a 30-min lunch. Shouldn’t our children we get at least that much time from their hard work.
Right on, TJ. It’s true that you need a break every few hours, otherwise you just won’t be able to concentrate. Kids should be allowed recess, although I note that its doubtful that children would feel punished by forcing them to skip math class.