I do not disagree that recess and fall break attribute to more focused learning but I think that Westminster sudents had a bigger problem with not having fall break this year because it was taken away from them. Knowing that we had ensemble weeks and fall breaks in the past it just gives us something to blame the stress on when it is taken away from us. Let's think about it the other way around. What if the norm was to have classes striaght through with no break or no recess and all of a sudden the state decided to put breaks into our semesters. I am sure that students would be annoyed and not understand why their educational flow needs to be interupted. As for the social aspect of children in the elementary schools, recess isn't exactly the most comfortbale atmosphere for those lacking social skill. If anything, recess can cause more problems for a student in a classroom. The last thing a teacher needs is a student not being motivated to do her work because no one would play with her in recess. Even when we are on break for one month for winter. We plan on getting ahead of the game before the new semester. We hope to practice atleast once a day, read text for upcoming classes, and get a lot of personal errands out of the way so they won't have interfer with the new semester. But it never happens. We appreciate the break but never does it benifit us. Some of us rush back to the residence halls because of the rush to get classes started again while others feel worse than when break started because they didn't get anything done over break. Puting a break or recess in someone's schedule CAN be very benificial but it depends on how we choose to use those breaks.
posted by ejames @ 8:17 PM
3 Comments:
School breaks are a very important thing to have though. Yes, some people waste their breaks, but many people get many things accomplished that they would not be able to do while being a full time student...at any age this is true. Breaks give students the much needed refueling time. If students were to continuously be in school they would not have a chance to breathe. Being at student at any level can be very stressful. I am sure that almost all of you have had to take a mental health day once in your life. School is not easy, that’s why it keeps getting harder every year that you are in it. It is supposed to be constantly a challenge. Just like in music we have tension and release which makes the music interesting, we need this in schooling as well! The breaks represent the release that is needed in order for learning to occur. It gives the students time to re-center themselves and get back into the mode for learning.
I think that Ed's point is really interesting about how breaks, especially at a younger age can also be very harsh realities for students that may not be adjusted socially, or to a new environment. I moved to New Jersey before 4th grade and I did not have any friends, and being shy was not quick to make new friends. Upon moving to New Jersey I started playing the viola in my elementary school, during recess every day because I didn't have friends, I would stay inside and practice. Looking back on it, I know that at the time I was happy to be doing something that I enjoyed doing, but at the same time I realize that I was driving more space between myself and my classmates, in this way I almost feel that recess in elementary school was not beneficial. As for our situation at Westminster, I think that with the immense course load that many students (especially music education majors) take on, it is HIGHLY beneficial to us to have at least a few days off during the semester. I know that personally, it was by far the longest semester of my college career, not having a few days to unwind and calm down made the semester more difficult to handle.
If a student is having some kind of social problem, is the reason the existence of recess? Recess may bring the issue to the fore because it is so socially driven, but will the absence of recess take away the problem? Will limiting social interaction eliminate, or simply hide the problem?
I think it is important for children to have the opportunity to interact socially. A structured & supervised recess can guide students away from behaviour that harms others, and encourage healthier interaction than if they were left totally to themselves.
A student taking time to his/herself for an activity they enjoy in lieu of joining the other students is not a negative thing in itself. The need to be away from others could be problematic, and teachers should be vigilant enough to identify and rectify a problem if there is one. But it is also just the nature of some to prefer their own company.
All that being said, at the elementary stage of human development, physical activity is crucial. Most children just have a need to run around and move around. Without this release, as I have definitely witnessed during practicum, children can get antsy and irritable, and lose concentration. I think that it is a disservice to young children to take that opportunity away.
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