Middle School Recess Implementation Flashcards

New Recess Policy at Medway Middle School

• Medway Middle School has implemented recess for seventh- and eighth-grade students for the first time.

• This change followed a realization by town officials regarding the inherent benefits of play for developing youth.

• Previously, the school district discontinued recess for all students once they moved past the sixth grade.

• Seventh- and eighth-graders are now permitted $10$ minutes after their lunch break to socialize outdoors.

• Superintendent Armand Pires stated that this specific session is designed both to help students release energy and to align with the district’s social-emotional learning objectives.

Social-Emotional Learning and Leadership

• $4$ years ago, Medway Public Schools created the position of Director of Wellness and hired Ryan Sherman to fill the role.

• Ryan Sherman focuses on social-emotional learning (SEL) within the classroom environment.

• The district has emphasized SEL over the past several years, with an aim to integrate personal feelings, empathy, and understanding into every academic lesson.

• Social-emotional learning is not treated as an independent course; rather, it is viewed as a moral skill-set embedded within all subjects, ranging from Algebra to Shakespeare.

Research and the Wellness Task Force

• Ryan Sherman participated in a task force that included educators, parents, and various stakeholders to research the benefits of unstructured learning time.

• The research focused on how different age groups respond to unstructured time.

• Findings indicated that younger students thrive academically after expelling pent-up energy during recess periods.

• Research identified that fifth- and sixth-grade students benefit specifically from "extended-time recess."

• For older students in the seventh and eighth grades, having $10$ minutes of daily relief time outside provides necessary physical activity and socialization.

Impact on Student Behavior and Academic Focus

• Unstructured time during recess can often be more beneficial for youth development than time spent behind a desk.

• Research showed that students who are given recess are able to maintain their attention for longer durations during class.

• Following the implementation of recess, students were found to be less fidgety in the classroom.

• The introduction of recess has led to a decrease in behavioral issues in the classroom.

• Although $10$ minutes appears to be a small increment of the day, Armand Pires notes that it represents a significant amount of cumulative time over the course of a school year.

Recent Changes in Elementary Recess

• During the previous year, the duration of recess for elementary students was increased from $15$ minutes to $25$ minutes.

• According to Superintendent Pires, this extension has proven beneficial for classroom performance.

• Teachers at the elementary level have reported a notable improvement in the attention span of students following the longer break.

Perspectives from School Administration

• Superintendent Armand Pires personal experience informed his support for the change; when he entered seventh grade, recess was eliminated, creating a void in his learning experience.

• Pires recalls struggling specifically in the middle of the school day, around lunchtime, to maintain focus.

• In his current professional life, Pires finds that he still requires movement breaks to ensure he remains productive during long work hours.

• The decision to add recess was driven by deep interest from the community, with parents and educators advocating for students to have time for unstructured activities.

Text-Dependent Questions

• Question $1$: Which statement best expresses the central idea of the article?

  • Option A: Many teachers have expressed disappointment with the idea of adding recess to middle school.

  • Option B: Medway Public Schools decided to add recess to middle school because students were asking for it.

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

  • Option D: Since seventh graders started having recess they have learned less and had more behavioral problems.

• Question $2$: Which statement best describes the author's purpose in the article?

  • Option A: to inform readers about a new shift in education

  • Option B: to persuade readers to take more daily exercise breaks

  • Option C: to explain a debate that is happening in middle schools

  • Option D: to convince readers that recess is not an essential part of school

• Question $3$: The word "void" as it is used in paragraph $7$ most closely means —

  • Option A: a broken object.

  • Option B: an empty space.

  • Option C: an exciting change.

  • Option D: a pleasant surprise.

• Question $4$: Paragraphs $13$ and $14$ contribute to the development of the text by —

  • Option A: showing that a small change can have a valuable impact.

  • Option B: asking questions about some of the problems caused by recess.

  • Option C: explaining that the superintendent is unsure about his decisions.

  • Option D: giving details about the types of activities students do during recess.

• Question $5$: According to the article, how does recess benefit middle school students?

Discussion Questions

• Question $1$: After reading the article, do you think you have enough unstructured time in your school day? Why or why not? How much more unstructured time would you want to have and what would you do with it?

• Question $2$: The article lists several reasons Medway schools added recess to middle school. Which reason for recess was most compelling to you and why?

• Question $3$: Who do you think benefits from recess more, teachers or students? Why?