A very interesting article was published this month in the Health section of the New York Times suggesting that recess might be as important to a child's academic experience as reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic. Dr. Romina M. Barros, a pediatrician and an assistant clinical professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, was the lead researcher for this study and concluded that the findings were important because many schools do not view recess and exercise as essential to education.
From my experience in the field of Physical Education, I can readily agree with Dr. Barros on her thought that many educators do not view recess as an essential need in a student's academic setting. I know that many teachers continually hold students out of Physical Education classes and recess either as punishment or as a means to have children make up tests or missed work. When a teacher holds a child out of Physical Education class, what does that say about the teacher's view of Physical Education? It says that the teacher does not view Physical Education as important. It says that the teacher does not respect the Physical Education teacher's discipline and does not understand that the PE teacher also has goals and objectives that are to be mastered. They also don't understand that physical activity can energize the mind to make learning in the classroom more engaging, often leading to enhanced memory skills. Teachers need to understand that physical activity can be their best friend, as the physical break will help to keep their students on task academically. It amazes me that some teachers and administrators do not understand that children's brains need a break to rejunenate just as they need a break in order to rejunevate their ability to teach in a meaningful way.
Let's join together and return to the old premise of educating the whole child: socially, emotionally, physically, and academically.
