During the 2015-2016 school year, I spoke with a 10-year-old fifth grade student who had a few recess times taken away at her public school because she hadn't perfectly completed homework designed for 'gifted' students. Yes, the girl is a straight-A student! Because there were times when she didn't get ALL of the answers correct on a gifted assignment, she had to miss recess a few times to work on getting every answer 100 percent correct.
I'm a former fifth grade teacher and find this type of in-school academic 'discipline' deplorable. With respect to the gifted, straight-A student, the teacher withheld recess because the student didn't perform perfectly. It wasn't a matter of the assignment not being fully done or not at all, but rather that it wasn't done perfectly!
The American Academy of Pediatrics, in its Policy Statement entitled "The Crucial Role of Recess in School," states:
“On the basis of an abundance of scientific studies, withholding recess for punitive or academic reasons would seem to be counterproductive to the intended outcomes and may have unintended consequences in relation to a child’s acquisition of important life skills.”Many schools around the country have implemented policies that limit or eliminate teachers' ability to take away recess time. Their efforts have been bolstered by district policies and state laws that place renewed emphasis on physical activity and by increased public involvement in the creation of district wellness policies.
The topic of withholding recess has caused friction between some parents and teachers. When parents in Berkeley, California, pushed for a policy to eliminate withholding recess, teachers pushed back -- those teachers believing that taking away recess time is an appropriate solution in some circumstances. Some school boards have passed policies that maintain the ability of teachers to restrict recess time for a maximum of 10 minutes per day after first considering other disciplinary alternatives and providing a verbal warning.
The National Association for Sport and Physical Education outlines in a position statement that “students should not be denied recess so that they can complete class work or as a means of punishment.”
I agree. Come on teachers -- find another way! I've had classrooms of elementary students and never had to resort to taking away a boy or girl's recess time.
From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),
Paul J. Staso
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Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek
Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:
- United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
- Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
- Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
- Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
- The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
- Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
- Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
- Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
- Some Cycling Moments From The Past
