Did you know students can’t focus in class without recess? I believe that the Minneapolis public schools need 30 minutes of recess because it makes kids healthier, kids pay more attention in class, and it helps them retain what they learn and the ability to learn more.
One of the most important reasons why we should have longer reasons is children’s health. One out of every six children is obese, according to AAP (The American Academy of Pediatrics). Our district can help fight this obesity academic by giving each school up until 8th grade a proper 30 minute recess. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “Even minor movement during recess counterbalances sedentary time at school and at home and helps the child achieve the recommended 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day. A standard strongly supported by the AAP.”.
Another very important reason why we should get longer reason is attentiveness. It is shown in various studies that kids pay more attention after longer recess. Recess is a chance for kids to burn off all of their excess energy. According to an expert on this topic from a non profit organization called Edutopia “An adequate amount of recess can directly affect a child’s ability to pay attention, self-regulate, socialize intelligently, master complex learning skills.”.
The final reason to have a longer reason is their ability to retain what they have learned and to learn even more. According to AAP’s lead author, Robert Murray, M.D. “In essence, recess can help students retain knowledge they learn.”. Scholastic also said “Recess makes kids more on task, less fidgety, they learn negotiation, leadership, and conflict solving skills. A study also showed that when kids get their recess taken away from them for long periods of time, often those exact kids are the ones who can’t concentrate and do their work and need recess the most.”. I think recess would directly help the kids test scores and their overall grade.
All day, everyday kids are told to sit still and be quiet. Kids need recess to help their health, attentiveness, and their ability to learn. Kids must get longer recess!