Recess in schools

                                                                           



"The playground as a classroom" is an article that describes the importance of recess.  It expands on many different ways that recess betters a child such as learning social skills, getting exercise, learning to create, and most importantly recess allows the child to be a more attentive student. 
            The article develops the theory that recess can be a creative learning environment.  It goes one to say that children, while exploring their natural world, are able to create their own worlds by creating forts, collecting rocks, and digging.  Children have shown that they succeed best when they are given choices.  On their own they are able to create and explore and learn from each other.  " The outdoors is a classroom of the students' own construction." 

            Current U.S. Department of Education reports that  18 percents of students in grades one through six are only get 15 minutes of free time each day.  While 40 percent have taken recess out completely because to allow for students to get the maximum amount of time spent on academics.   Left behind are the social skills, exercise, and creativity students learn from recess.

                Research shows that students who get the opportunity to play outdoors are more attentive and less restless in the classroom.  More in depth studies of the brain show that breaks in-between learning sessions provides the student with better recall abilities. Recess is also proven to have a huge impact in the students social abilities throughout his or her life.  " Pellegrino, Kato, Blatchford, and Baines found that primary school children's reciprocal social play predicts their social competence on year later."

            Recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service children over the age of 2 should get around 60 minutes of exercise a day.  In only 30 year the obesity rate has nearly doubles.  Almost 15 percent of children in the U.S. are obese and over 80 percent of the obese children will become obese adults.

            Children obviously need recess to succeed not only in academics but for their social skills and their health.

Even though research has shown again and again that students are more likely to pay attention and be less restless after having recess, some believe that recess should be taken out of school in order to have more time for learning.  Pellegrini and Davis have found that the longer a child sit the less attentive they become. In more in depth research of the brain, studies have shown that students without breaks do poorly on assignments and tests.  To me the obvious thing to do is have recess.  So, why are others insisting that it would benefit the children to have more class time when it is proven that is not true? I believe that physical activity should always be incorporated in a school day.  Not only will it help prevent the scary amount of child obesity, it will also help the children to pay attention during lessons and succeed academically.

 

Move Me

Recess Physical Activity Packs in Elementary Schools

Chapter one

In chapter one of Personal Learning Networks, Using the Power of Connection to Transform Education the main concept is bringing the classroom into the 21st century. They claim,  "Students are better prepare for life and work in the 21st century" if children are introduce and experience technology in the classroom.  This is obviously true because it will enable the students to be very skilled at many different programs that could be beneficial to the work force.   They also claim that learning online opens the door to an unlimited amount of teachers.  The students can read knowledge from all around the world with a couple clicks.  The book states, "Today we can turn to all sorts of professionals and collaborators from any where in the world to help us answer out questions, connect us to relevant content and resources, or just share their own experiences."  In English class this semester our professor asked if we believed getting on the Internet to look up a question, and how easy it is, is a good thing or a bad thing.  I automatically believed it was a good thing.  I wrote a short belief statement about how the other side of this argument didn't even make sense. How would it be a bad thing to have unlimited access to all your questions? The next day I was surprised on how many people said that it was a bad thing.  As I listened to their reasoning I began to change my view. Having access to the Internet in the classroom takes away the process of thinking, coming up with an idea, and questioning.  So children instead of coming up with ideas on the answers it might be instead they look it up online.  They get a simple answer to their question without any effort.   Without effort I do not believe that students are truely taking in the information.  I have googled many questions and I can honestly say that I do not remember the questions I have asked nor do I remember the answer.


The book also claims that the students will also become more engaged in the classroom.  I do not fully agree with this.  Although they would be able to make PowerPoint's and look up  information pertaining to the subject, I believe the students would be very distracted if we allowed students to always be connect to the Internet.

I think there are many good ideas on how technology can enhance the classroom experience but I do not think it should be 100% technology all the time. Even though the "traditional"classroom may not be 21st century it still has many qualities that technology can not cover.

Powerpoint

The PowerPoint that was assigned in SEDU 183 was very straight forward.  The assignment sheet gave step by step directions of how to complete the assignment along with the rubric of how we were going to get graded.  I thought the assignment was very easy. The only complication I had was that I was unable to link a word document (that I was going to use for a smartboard activity) onto the PowerPoint.  To solve this I made the document into a simple website and linked the website on my PowerPoint.  I thought the assignment tested our abilities in PowerPoint and allowed us to get to know a tool that will be very helpful within the classroom. Although I do think I need a lot more practice and instruction in order to successfully make lesson PowerPoints more advanced.
Extra Credit

Twitter

I think that bring Twitter into the classroom is a bad idea.  The fact that students already have twitters to have socail interaction makes it almost impossible to incorporate it into the classroom. Students will be distracted and teacher will not be able to tell if the student is actively participating or tweeting to friends.  I understand that the concept of Twitter may be useful within the classroom but using a site made for social networking in the classroom would be a disaster. If there was another site simular to Twitter I would definantly consider using it within my class.