Middle School Recess Vocabulary

Implementation of Middle School Recess at Medway Middle School

• Medway Middle School has introduced recess for 7th and 8th graders specifically to improve student well-being and academic performance.

• This change marks a shift in policy, as recess in the district previously ended after the 6th grade.

• The newly implemented session provides 7th and 8th graders with $10 \, \text{minutes}$ of unstructured time after their lunch break to socialize outside and release energy.

• The initiative aligns with the district's broader social-emotional learning agenda, viewing play and breaks as beneficial to student development.

The Role of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

• Medway Public Schools established the role of Director of Wellness four years ago, hiring Ryan Sherman as the town's first person in this position.

• Social-emotional learning is not treated as a standalone class; rather, it is a "moral skill-set" embedded into every academic lesson, ranging from subjects like Algebra to Shakespeare.

• The goal of SEL is to integrate personal feelings, empathy, and understanding into the classroom environment.

• Empathy is defined as identifying with or sharing the feelings, situations, or attitudes of others.

• Integration involves bringing together different elements to unite them into a whole.

Research and Findings on Unstructured Learning Time

• A task force composed of educators, parents, and other stakeholders conducted research on the benefits of unstructured time across different age groups.

• The research demonstrated that younger students thrive in a classroom environment after expelling pent-up energy during recess.

• Key findings regarding different grade levels include:

  • 5th and 6th graders: Benefit significantly from extended-time recess.

  • 7th and 8th graders: Benefit from the "relief time" of $10 \, \text{minutes}$ daily, which allows for physical activity and socialization.

• Elementary schools in the district previously extended recess from $15 \, \text{minutes}$ to $25 \, \text{minutes}$ last year.

• Teachers reported a notable difference in the attention span of students following the longer break.

Academic and Behavioral Benefits of Recess

• The addition of unstructured time is considered more beneficial for youth development in some cases than traditional desk time.

• Data and observation from the district show that students provided with recess:

  • Can hold their attention longer during lessons.

  • Are less fidgety in class.

  • Display fewer behavioral issues.

• While $10 \, \text{minutes}$ may seem negligible in a single day, it represents a significant accumulation of time over the course of an entire school year.

Personal and Professional Perspectives on Movement

• Superintendent Armand Pires noted that he did not have recess starting in the 7th grade, and he believes that "void" (an empty space) negatively affected his personal learning experience in middle school.

• Pires recalls struggling to maintain focus in the middle of the day around lunchtime during his own schooling.

• The need for movement breaks persists into adulthood; Pires finds that even as a professional working long hours, taking breaks is essential to completing tasks effectively.

Key Vocabulary and Definitions

• Enlightened: Having been awakened to knowledge or truth.

• Socialize: To engage in activities with others, usually friends.

• Beneficial: Having a good effect.

• Comprised: To be made up of.

• AKA: A common abbreviation for "also known as."

• Significant: Large or important.

Questions & Discussion

Text-Dependent Questions

• Question: Which statement best expresses the central idea of the article?

• Answer: Recess provides a break from learning that can have a positive effect on students' minds and bodies.

• Question: Which statement best describes the author's purpose in the article?

• Answer: To inform readers about a new shift in education.

• Question: What does the word "void" most closely mean as used in paragraph 7?

• Answer: An empty space.

• Question: How do paragraphs 13 and 14 contribute to the development of the text?

• Answer: By showing that a small change can have a valuable impact.

• Question: According to the article, how does recess benefit middle school students?

• Answer: It allows them to expel pent-up energy, socialize, gain relief time for physical activity, hold their attention longer in class, reduce fidgeting, and decrease behavioral issues.

Discussion Prompts

• Reflection on personal experience: Do students feel they have enough unstructured time in their own school days? If given more time, how would they choose to use it?

• Compelling reasons: Which reason cited by the district (social-emotional health, focus, physical activity) is the most persuasive?

• Beneficiaries: Who benefits more from recess: the teachers or the students?