Parents, educators, and legislators are focused on post-COVID “learning loss” instead of healing and learning from the loss. When my brain is too tired from constantly working for hours, I give it a break. There is a coffee/tea break, lunch break, and break-out sessions at work. When winter strikes, the plants and trees in my garden take a break. Even nature takes a break in four seasons. As adults, we agree that short breaks during an entire workday are essential for our overall well-being, more so now than ever before.
What about school children? Should we prioritize or sideline recess when they return to school? Do they deserve a break during the state-mandated 5-6 hours of structured learning?
What is School Recess?
Recess in its true sense during the school day is a short window of time for unstructured free play. It is that sacred time of the day when children could unwind, slow down, breathe deeply, rest, reflect, socialize, jump around, be a free spirit, or do nothing.
Why is School Recess Important?
The role of recess in children’s physical, mental, emotional, and academic development has been a topic of much research and debate. The American Academy of Pediatrics has published a policy statement on the cognitive, academic, social, emotional, and physical benefits of recess on the whole child. CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends critical strategies for planning recess during the school day. It has taken decades for the National PTA to pass resolutions on the benefits of school recess. Studies have proven that unstructured recess during the school day leads to creativity, social responsibility, and less disruptive classroom behavior.
How did School Recess Become Dispensable?
With demands growing each year on public schools to raise test scores, school boards and educators have undervalued recess as a waste of time instead of instruction. In addition, there are issues concerning the management of recess time. Schools face budget constraints to engage paraprofessionals to supervise recess. Responsible volunteers are difficult to find to manage recess. Liability concerns from unstructured playtime and potential legal action from children hurting themselves are some of the justifications for cutting recess time. Lurking stranger danger during recess on public school grounds could also be a concern. Further, bullying could be avoided when students are given little to none outside classroom time, helping to avoid areas such as hallways, locker rooms, playgrounds, and bathrooms. These are only a handful of the “convenience” concerns against school recess – ones that pale in comparison to its actual importance and value.
A School Recess Policy? Really!?
Believe it or not, Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes the child’s right to rest and leisure and engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to their age. Interestingly, the United States is a signing party not bound by ratification of this Convention.
A monumental effort was required to force state legislatures to either mandate or suggest a school recess policy of 20 precious minutes. It is a shame that we need to legislate upon something so obvious and essential. Although states have recess policies in place, it is primarily up to the school districts to implement them.
Does Illinois Have a School Recess Policy?
Somewhat rewardingly, effective July 1, 2013, the 98th Illinois General Assembly passed a bill requiring public schools to provide a minimum of 20 minutes of recess for children grades K through 5 for unstructured outdoor (weather permitting) or indoor play that may include organized games. It is up to the school board to provide a daily recess for students in grades 6 through 8. School boards are prohibited from withholding recess as a disciplinary action. High school students are not even under the tent for any recess, let alone policy. Is this efficient and sufficient? How about a minimum of 60 minutes of recess spread out during the school day, including a 25-minute lunch break?
Remote Learning and Recess Loss?
Remote learning has turned recess upside down and non-existent. There are plenty of virtual recess ideas, but are those the same as unstructured outdoor or indoor recess? In the remote learning model, outdoor recess is either nil or limited to the back yard or front yard. Indoor recess is mostly doing chores or moving about from one room to another. Recess during the pandemic and remote learning is stressful for both students and parents, mainly working parents.
Should Reopening Schools Skip Recess?
Absolutely not. School recess is more critical now than ever before. School recess should be prioritized during the post-pandemic return to school. The Global Recess Alliance has created a list of suggested adaptations for recess. When children return to school, they will bring mixed emotions of excitement, exhaustion, isolation, anger, trauma, nervousness, confusion, and anxiety. Recess would be an excellent outlet and buffer for children to express themselves freely and adjust to the new norms of in-person, remote, and hybrid learning environments.
With CPS Reopening, is it Recess or Timeout?
The CPS reopening FAQ page mentions recess as a sub-heading with zero information. CPS is gearing up to welcome back its students to the district’s novel school term with in-person, remote, and hybrid learning modules. A CPS mom, who is also my colleague at work, expressed anxiety and concern about the school’s recess policy under the hybrid learning module. She knows that her 2nd grader will get 45 minutes of recess during the 7-hour school day for two regulated bathroom breaks, a lunch break, and some free playtime. Recess does not include any unstructured outdoor or indoor free play. Students should remain at their desks in the homeroom during recess. They can only stand by their desk and no walking or running around. Students should bring their toys, books, and things to self-play during recess. Students should use a sneeze guard at their desks and wear masks all day except during lunch. This type of recess policy seems more like a timeout than recess which would deter parents from the in-person learning module.
School Recess Cohorts and Pods! Brilliant!!
I hope that by now, you will all recognize and realize the healing power of recess. The pandemic has kept students confined and hibernating at home for several months. Recreational screen time dominated unstructured indoor or outdoor playtime. Students returning to the hybrid learning environment will bring with them plenty of pent-up cabin fever. Returning students will now be more stressed than ever and anxious to figure out how to socialize with their peers safely. During the pandemic, some returning students may have experienced the loss of loved ones, suffered displacement, experienced trauma, and other socio-emotional issues. Both parents and students are worried about how they will adjust to the new learning system’s demands. Therefore, it is more critical now than before to prioritize recess for students.
Under the new cohort or pod instructional system at CPS, educators, legislators, and community members should consider integrating “recess” pods. A recess pod or cohort would consist of a designated space for a small group of peers for a short time window of 25 minutes. Teachers and staff could use a phone app to customize and reserve the recess pod depending on the student’s peer group. Recreational, unstructured activities that exclude screen time or simple, organized games should be the recess pod’s primary focus. Any activity from simple stretches to small talk would suffice. The recess pod would be available on a rotational basis so that every student, teacher, and staff could join a small group of their peers for some unstructured, safe free playtime during the school day. The recess pod may exist indoors or outdoors in designated sanitized areas of the school playground or gym or through a partnership with the local library or park district or community gym sponsorship. After all, a modern fundamental right to recess is the need of the hour.
Viswa Senthilkumar is a student at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and wrote this blog post as part of the Education Law Practicum.
