Life Lessons Learned on the Playground
However, beyond the love of recess there are also many life lessons that are learned on the playground.
Parents are beginning to understand how important recess is to a
child’s development. The American Academy of Pediatrics said in a
policy statement last year, “that recess represents an essential,
planned respite from rigorous cognitive tasks. It affords a time to
rest, play, imagine, think, move and socialize.” And, perhaps more
important, “students are more attentive and better able to perform
cognitively” after recess.
I
visited Japan a few years ago and had the opportunity to visit a number
of schools there. Do you know that many Japanese schools require that
students take a break after EACH 60 minutes of instruction. In this
year’s Learning Curve global education rankings, Japan is second. It’s
unlikely that recess is the sole secret to Japan’s success, but it’s not
unreasonable to suggest that “frequent breaks” deserves a spot on the
list of “best practices.” Read More....
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