The Importance of Recess in Your Child’s Education

If you follow current events in the world of education, you likely already know that many Florida parents are fighting for their children’s’ rights to take a break during the school day. Recess, which was once an everyday occurrence in education, is now a topic up for debate. Is it really that important to your child’s education?
Recess is a valuable commodity
Protected time for unstructured play within your child’s day can impact them in many ways. Both their learning and their physical health and development are influenced by daily recess. Time to go outside and play can be just as important as instruction in math and reading.

Unstructured play allows children to use their imaginations, build relationships with their peers, and pursue their interests. Physical activity gets their blood pumping, boosting their energy and getting fresh oxygen to their brains. Recess is a worthwhile break from structured academics that is different from regular physical education classes because the value of recess isn’t just about exercise. The benefits of recess are directly related to your child’s ability to choose their activities. The bottom line is that students are children, and as such they deserve to take a break from the hard work of learning and that break should be spent doing whatever they want.

The Fight for Recess
One of the benefits of providing your child with a private school education, is the fact that these smaller private schools are typically much more responsive to student needs. The lack of red tape and oversight make it easier for parents to influence their child’s school day. Right now, the parents of public school students are fighting for their child’s right to have a break during their school day. With the ever growing focus on test scores and data pressuring public school teachers to make the most of every moment of the school day, they aren’t always able to allot time for recess. Many schools don’t even include recess in the schedules that teachers are made to follow.

While the local school board is considering mandating protected recess time, at the insistence of parents, St. Barnabas Episcopal School already provides 20 to 30 minutes of protected recess time during each and every school day. By taking a break during the day, we know that your child will return to the classroom reenergized and ready to take on new learning opportunities. Choosing a private education for your student will provide them with the opportunity for rigorous learning, without overshadowing their need for childlike play. Contact us today to schedule a tour or to learn more about our school.

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