- Target:
- National Education Association
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- www.sciencedaily.com
All adults realize the fundamental need of taking a break during the work or school day in order to think and concentrate more clearly on their tasks. Yet our children - people with boundless energy - are, more often than not, relegated to spending less than 10 minutes a day at recess, if at all. They are also, sadly, spending approximately the same amount of time at lunch.
Millions of dollars have been used to research and implement "programs" to teach nutrition to our youngsters, yet they are not given any time to actually eat their (hopefully) healthy meal during the school day. Millions more are being spent on programs to teach "socialization skills" to elementary school children who would be much better served by the simple opportunity to play and "be kids." And yet - studies are also put forth every day showing that people of any age - but especially children - need to expend some of that excess energy in order to be able to focus.
The need for accountability in our children's educational progress is inarguable, but the lasting effects on little children of concentrating only on schoolwork will be just as vast. Academics and common sense do not need to be mutually exclusive - our children willl only suffer if we continue to act as though they are.
Please see the following articles for evidence of the negative effects of decreased recess and lunch time:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090126173835.htm
http://www.peacefulplaygrounds.com/right-to-recess.htm
http://www.journal-news.com/news/hamilton-news/study-shows-importance-of-recess-during-school-day-299259.html?cxntnid=dlh-091509&imw=Y
Current and future parents of school-age children are very concerned about the effects of diminished recess and lunch times in elementary and secondary schools, and the lack of balance that this shift produces.
The basic needs of fresh air, play, and food for all children are universal - classes teaching the benefits of such cannot take the place of the actual fresh air and food. Our children will need far less help from government programs to counteract the lack of these fundamental needs if they are simply given a legitimate break - and the money from those programs could be spent on other needs that are not as easily met.
Why make an entire generation of kids wait while we do studies to learn what common sense already tells us - the simple practices of exercise and eating, while very important themselves, have many more far-reaching effects that our children need for healthier, well rounded, and productive lives.
Please consider restructuring our children's school day to include proper "old fashioned" lunch and recess periods.
Thank you for your time and attention.
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The Give Kids a Break petition to National Education Association was written by georgia johnson and is in the category Education at GoPetition.