Middle school adds recess for 7th and 8th graders Vocabulary Study
Implementation of Recess at Medway Middle School
Medway Middle School has officially implemented a recess period for 7th and 8th graders following a decision by town officials.
Prior to this change, recess in the school district was discontinued after the 6th grade.
The new schedule provides 7th and 8th graders with minutes of time after their lunch break to socialize outside.
Superintendent Armand Pires identified three primary purposes for this session:
Providing a beneficial outlet to release pent-up energy.
Offering opportunities for students to socialize, which is defined as engaging in activities with others, particularly friends.
Aligning with the school district’s established social-emotional learning (SEL) agenda.
The Role of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
Medway Public Schools created the position of Director of Wellness approximately years ago, hiring Ryan Sherman as the town’s first individual in this role.
Sherman’s primary focus is the integration of social-emotional learning into the classroom environment.
Social-emotional learning involves bringing together and uniting personal feelings, empathy (identifying with or sharing the feelings and attitudes of others), and understanding into a cohesive whole.
Sherman describes SEL not as a standalone class, but as a "moral skill-set" that is embedded into every academic lesson, ranging from technical subjects like Algebra to literary studies such as Shakespeare.
Research on Unstructured Learning Time
The decision to add recess was informed by a task force made up of educators, parents, and various stakeholders who researched the benefits of unstructured learning time across different age groups.
Research findings indicated that younger students thrive in a classroom setting after they have the opportunity to expel pent-up energy during recess.
Specific benefits identified for different grade levels include:
5th and 6th graders: Significant benefits from "extended-time recess."
7th and 8th graders: Relief time outside daily for approximately minutes provides necessary physical activity and social interaction.
The task force found that unstructured time is often more beneficial for youth development than a corresponding amount of time spent sitting behind a desk.
Professional and Personal Perspectives on Movement Breaks
Superintendent Armand Pires noted that his own personal learning experience was negatively impacted by the lack of recess starting in the 7th grade, describing the absence of a break as a "void" or empty space.
Pires recalled struggling to maintain focus during the middle of the school day, particularly around lunchtime.
In his current professional life, Pires finds that movement breaks are essential for maintaining productivity during long work hours and for ensuring tasks are completed effectively.
The community, including parents and educators, expressed a deep interest in providing students with time for unstructured activities (recess) during the school day.
Quantitative Improvements in Classroom Performance
In the year prior to the middle school change, recess at the elementary level was extended from minutes to minutes.
This change resulted in notable improvements in student attention spans according to classroom teachers.
Research cited by Ryan Sherman suggests that students provided with recess demonstrate several positive behavioral outcomes:
The ability to hold attention for longer periods of time.
Reduced levels of fidgeting in class.
A decrease in general behavioral issues.
While minutes may seem like a small amount of time in a single day, the cumulative effect over an entire school year is considered a significant and valuable impact on student development.