We got back from our indoor park day today to find a link to this article about experts agreeing that recess improves children's behavior and academic performance. Which left me scratching my head thinking, well, duh!
I felt like calling up the experts and saying really loudly, 'how would you like it if you were allowed no time to stretch your legs or breathe the free air all day?' I mean, is this a surprise to anyone, that kids need recess to be at their best?
While I had those experts on the horn, I'd also mention my concern that they seem to think that kids ONLY need recess to behave better, perform well academically, or "resolve conflicts" on the playground, as one expert helpfully points out in the article. What's the matter with kids having recess because it's FUN and they are KIDS?
That may be my biggest beef with public education today: nobody's allowed to do anything just for the fun of it. Everything must have some higher purpose, some lesson learned, some Important Point. Do the experts not realize that kids at their creative, curious, problem-solving best got that way by either daydreaming or enjoying something so much that they just had to know more about it?
As you may have noticed, this is a topic that I feel passionate about; kids are KIDS, not robots that can be programmed to behave or perform.
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| From The Stone Age Techie |
3 comments:
Karen, you rock -- I totally agree -- and I wish to heck they still had recess at the high school level - 23 minutes for lunch is just NOT enough down-time -- for them AND US! You're an amazing mom!
Hi! I just wanted to let you know that I read your entire blog today :) I am a elementary education student at Salem State so we are neighbors! I have been looking into homeschooling recently and was on a site for mass homeschoolers and found your blog! I commented on a few of your other posts - the science museum one and the thrift shop! Your kids are adorable and I think that it is great that you homeschool! I can't wait to learn more about it!
Thanks for reading, girls!
De, you're an awesome mom too :-)
Blayne, I love your frames - if you ever do a show towards Cape Cod, let me know, they're wonderful.
Cheers -
K
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