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Category: Education Lessons

Written by Chris Cotter

According to a study released this week, unruly children in schools may simply suffer from too much work and too little play.  The study examined more than 10,000 elementary school children between the ages of eight and nine in the US, and discovered that children behaved markedly better when allowed at least a fifteen-minute break during the school day.  More recess resulted in children who were even better behaved.

The researchers conducting the study surmised that children use creativity and imagination when on the playground.  Kids further learn how to socially interact with one another, as well as develop problem-solving skills.  Therefore recess plays a paramount role in the education of children.  Child psychiatrists agreed with the study's findings, describing the learning environment engendered when children are at play.

In recent years, though, recess has gotten the axe at many schools, in part because of an increased emphasis placed on tests.  More attention has been placed on academics, especially when standards were compared on an international level and American children were found wanting.  Thus was No Child Left Behind created by the Bush administration in 2001 in an attempt to help US kids become more academically competitive with their international peers.  Schools with poor test results were penalized.  Unfortunately, as a result to boost scores, students studied more and played less.

As a result of the study, another discovery was also made.  The schools with the shortest amount of breaks tended to originate from areas with lower incomes and lower education levels.  Therefore, these already disadvantaged children were further harmed with little or no playtime at school.  All work and no play can thus be viewed as a path to poorer social skills, poorer behavior in the classroom, and poorer test scores overall.