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AASA Write on Demand 2

Last updated 11 months ago
2 questions
Your principal is considering eliminating recess from the schedule in
order to make more time for academics. Write an essay for your principal
to give your opinion about whether or not recess should be eliminated.
Use information from the passages in your essay.
Manage your time carefully so that you can
• read the passages;
• plan your response;
• write your response; and
• revise and edit your response.
Be sure to include
• an introduction;
• support for your opinion using information from the passages;
and
• a conclusion that is related to your opinion.
Your response should be in the form of a multiparagraph essay. Write
your response in the space provided.
Source 1: The Case Against Recess
by George Feeny
Schools nationwide have been wrapped up in a debate about recess. Some states including Virginia and Florida have passed laws requiring recess. While others feel that recess no longer has a place in the school schedule. There are various reasons why people are against recess. Below you will find four main arguments:
Recess is a waste of time.
There is a big focus on standardized testing in US schools. The scores determine teacher pay, school performance, and even whether or not a student moves on to the next grade. The tests begin as early as March in some school districts. School leaders worry about whether or not they will be able to cover all of the standards before the test. Since recess takes away from academic instruction time, many feel it is not a good use of time.
Recess is dangerous.
School playgrounds are generally safe. Yet, where there are groups of children playing freely, there are always possibilities of injuries. A student may fall from the monkey bars or crash into another student while playing tag. Although most playground injuries are just typical “kid stuff,” principals worry about lawsuits that parents could file against the school. They feel that recess is simply too dangerous to continue.
Recess increases bullying.
Recess is usually an unstructured time where multiple classes of children are playing together. Teachers typically supervise recess from a distance. This means they may not see or hear everything that goes on at the playground. This could open doors for bullying. Bullying often occurs secretly, outside of the eyes and ears of responsible adults. By the nature of recess, there is more time for bullying to occur.
Recess is not necessary.
Most people, even those opposed to recess, understand the benefits of breaks in the day, play, and physical activity. Opponents simply believe that it is not the school’s duty to provide these to students. There is plenty of time for rest and play before and after school. According to an article by Gloria Goodale, some educators believe, “Play may have educational value, but it's not our responsibility.” From danger and bullying to simply being unnecessary or a waste of time, there are many arguments against recess. This leaves many wondering about the future of this childhood pastime. Will recess soon be a thing of the past?
Source 2: According to Pediatricians, Recess is Best
by Cory Matthews
The American Academy of Pediatrics, or the AAP, is an organization made up of pediatricians, or doctors who specialize in treating babies, children, and teens. The
mission of the AAP is to keep its patients of all ages as healthy and safe as possible.

You might wonder why a bunch of doctors would chime in on the recess debate. It turns out, they have a lot to say on this matter. They strongly believe that students need recess, and they consider recess “a crucial and necessary component of a child’s development.” Some people believe that recess takes away from academics. However, the AAP argues it benefits a child’s cognitive abilities, which means it actually improves how well a student does academically. Brain science tells us that in order for new learning to cement itself in the brain, people need a break or a rest from focused concentration. Recess provides just this break. Also, when students are required to sit still for too long, they have a harder time focusing and paying attention to important details. Recess is a much needed break in the structure of the day.

In addition to cognitive or academic benefits, recess also improves social and emotional skills in children. Recess gives students the chance to interact with their
peers on their own terms, without the structure and rules of the classroom. They learn valuable communication skills. They also have a chance to practice cooperation, negotiation, and sharing. By giving children a chance to tackle physical and social
challenges, recess improves perseverance and self-control as well. These are all skills that will benefit students for the rest of their lives.

Another major benefit of recess is that it promotes a healthy, active lifestyle. Whether climbing, swinging, or just walking with friends, recess gets kids moving.
While not all children run races at recess, it still gives kids a chance to move for the fun of it. Recess has different benefits than a PE class in that it is unstructured. Unlike PE class, kids get to choose how and when they practice their motor skills. Recess
also encourages creativity and play. Moreover, students spend a lot of class time sitting in desks. This can contribute to a sedentary, or inactive, lifestyle. Recess can counteract this and help students develop more active habits.

According to the AAP, “Recess is a necessary break in the day for optimizing a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.” It should be safe, supervised, and given to all children regardless of their behavior or whether or not they handed in their homework. The AAP is dedicated to the health of children, and it strongly believes that recess is a must.
Source 3: Texas School Triples Recess
by Topanga Lawrence

Debbie Rhea, a college professor in Texas, was studying schools in Finland. She learned that the schools perform well, and the students score high on tests. She also discovered that students in Finland have frequent short breaks throughout the day where they go out and play. She wondered what would happen if we tried that at a school in the US.

Eagle Mountain Elementary in Fort Worth, Texas was willing to try it out. This was a typical public school where students had twenty minutes for recess each day. When they partnered with Debbie Rhea, they tripled the recess for kindergarten and first graders. This means, those students got one hour of recess each day. The hour was divided into four fifteen-minute blocks spread out in the day.

When they first heard the new recess schedule, teachers were concerned. They did not know if they would have enough time to teach all of the required materials. They were worried that having four transitions outside would be disruptive. They feared that students would not be able to come back in and focus on their work right away.

Still, they tried the program, and many teachers were surprised. They said, “The kids are actually learning more because they’re better able to focus in class and pay attention without fidgeting.” Students don’t just focus better, but they have also shown greater independence, and they are better at following directions. Additionally, students tattle less, and there have been fewer discipline problems overall.

Parents have even noticed positive changes in their children at home as well. Kids are more creative and independent in their free time after school. They have more friends, and they seem happier. Social skills have also improved since they have more unstructured times to practice by simply playing with their peers.

With so many positive effects, the school hopes to extend the additional recess
time to other grades. Who knew that just letting kids be kids would have such
phenomenal results?!
Your principal is considering eliminating recess from the schedule in
order to make more time for academics. Write an essay for your principal
to give your opinion about whether or not recess should be eliminated.
Use information from the passages in your essay.
Manage your time carefully so that you can
• read the passages;
• plan your response;
• write your response; and
• revise and edit your response.
Be sure to include
• an introduction;
• support for your opinion using information from the passages;
and
• a conclusion that is related to your opinion.
Your response should be in the form of a multiparagraph essay. Write
your response in the space provided.
Required
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