With poll: Schools experiment with recess before lunch
The New York Times had an article Monday about how some schools are switching up the traditional lunch, then recess routine, and the benefits brought about by the change. From the article:
Can something as simple as the timing of recess make a difference in a child’s health and behavior?Some experts think it can, and now some schools are rescheduling recess — sending students out to play before they sit down for lunch. The switch appears to have led to some surprising changes in both cafeteria and classroom.
Schools that have tried it report that when children play before lunch, there is less food waste and higher consumption of milk, fruit and vegetables. And some teachers say there are fewer behavior problems.
“Kids are calmer after they’ve had recess first,” said Janet Sinkewicz, principal of Sharon Elementary School in Robbinsville, N.J., which made the change last fall. “They feel like they have more time to eat and they don’t have to rush.”
Later in the article, a principal is quoted as saying they gained 15 minutes of instructional time after lunch because students returned to class calm and ready to work, instead of pumped up from recess.
At my daughter's elementary school, the fourth and fifth graders have recess first, then lunch, while the first, second and third graders go to lunch first, then recess. (The lunchroom isn't big enough to accommodate all students at once.) In her first grade class, students are allowed to finish their lunches when they come back to class after recess; their teacher recognizes that many kids rush through lunch to get to recess.
What happens at your child's school? If they have lunch before recess, does your child usually bring home a half-full lunchbox?
Jen Eyer is on the Community Team at AnnArbor.com. She oversees the Parenting and Home & Garden sections, and writes feature stories, blog posts and opinion pieces. She can be reached at 734-623-2577 or jeneyer@annarbor.com.
Comments
CLX
Sun, Jan 31, 2010 : 8:37 p.m.
Either before or after, the real problem is that kids are given too little time to eat. If they dare to get a milk from the long line, they can have just 7-10 minutes left. Even bringing water from home, there is not enough time. Going home for lunch is impossible. I loved going home for lunch. It's sad that it is no longer possible. Lunch/recess is no longer a real break. Kids don't get enough time to eat or play.
News Watcher
Thu, Jan 28, 2010 : 8:02 a.m.
No, I don't think recess before lunch is a good idea. Kids who are all worked up from playing tend to gobble and shovel their food instead of eating at a decent pace, leading to all sorts of upset stomachs that can disrupt the classroom. Hungry kids also tend to grab foods that they like first (chips, sweets) instead of eating the more nutritious parts of their meals first. With recess after, the activity helps promote better digestion, instead of being sedentary for the rest of the day with a full stomach. This is a BAD idea.
Lokalisierung
Wed, Jan 27, 2010 : 2:03 p.m.
"i am more concerned about some schools in our area doing away with recess" Is that true? Man that would be the worst!
Jake C
Wed, Jan 27, 2010 : 12:06 p.m.
Given our nation's problems with child obesity, maybe some "food waste" isn't such a bad thing. The article mentions that kids who have recess first consume more milk, fruits and vegetables, but what about chips and tater tots and other less-than-healthy items? It's true that there is a correlation between eating slower and having a healthier weight (since it gives your stomach a chance to let your brain know it's "full"), but like Jen Eyer said, some schools don't have the scheduling luxury of always putting recess before lunch. How about schools trying something like "Your lunch period is 20 or 30 minutes and you can't go outside to recess until that bell rings, no matter how fast you wolf down your baloney sandwich."
KarenH
Wed, Jan 27, 2010 : 11:52 a.m.
Yes, yes, yes! Our son claims to often not have time to finish his lunch with it coming before recess. (Only second grade, which he is in, has lunch before recess at his school now.) I'm sure that if he were to work up an appetite prior to lunch, he would have no issue finishing it.
PittsfieldTwp
Wed, Jan 27, 2010 : 11 a.m.
I think this is a good idea. I am more concerned about some schools in our area doing away with recess altogether whether its a school policy or teacher choice. Skipping recess is not just a physical health issue, but many kids just can't concentrate that long without a break.