As part of the research my colleague Dr. Dale B. Fink and I are doing, we surveyed and interviewed teachers about their perspectives on recess. 100% of the teachers indicated at least one benefit of recess, but many still take it away. Nearly all of these teachers wish they had other ways to motivate their students, as they clearly do not question the intrinsic value of recess time. Teachers expressed a need for support in developing alternatives to withholding recess.
It is imperative for schools (and teacher education programs) to address this: to include recess as an integral part of a child’s learning, and to provide teachers with the time, the support and the skills to ensure recess time is a non-negotiable part of the day—right up there with reading and math. Read more in our article “Ready for Recess” published in American Educator.