October 19, 2010

Recess

Oh recess...what a love-hate relationship I have with you...

Let me clarify, we are talking about the extra 10-15 minute recess I sometimes take my kiddos out for in the afternoon (not the lunch recess).

I LOVE:
-a breath of fresh air
-getting a chance to glimpse blue sky and green grass rather than cinder block walls and brownish-orange carpet
-seeing my kids run around and actually act like the 10 year olds they are, rather than the 18 year olds they try to be
-how excited they are outside
-how some days they are SO ON when we come back in, just because their brains and bodies got a break

I HATE:
-how some days it takes so much time to settle down once we come back inside
-when the kiddos complain that i am taking them in earlier than they think i should be
-when they COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAIN that I don't take them out enough (they seem to feel recess is a RIGHT rather than a PRIVILEGE, no matter how frequently I stress the contrary!)


Usually I make the kids earn recess with good behavior throughout the school day, spelling the letters RECESS on the board.  Today, I looked at the clock with 10 minutes left in our writing time, decided it wasn't worth starting somethign new, and announced, "We have 10 minutes left.  I think...we should go outside."

The kids' incredulity was priceless.  "What?? Are you serious?? YES!!!"  It was actually kind of cute to see how shocked they were, and to catch them in a moment when they weren't begging for recess.  Now, tomorrow, when they beg, I will remind them that sometimes I surprise them with recess when they are just being good and not asking for it.  Stealthy teacher trickery at its finest. ;)

Extra exciting moment of the day: box of day old bagels from panera sitting in the lounge this morning, including special october  pink ribbon bagels!  yum!  :)

3 comments:

  1. wait - your school doesn't just automatically have afternoon recess? I thought it was a given! Do you have morning recess in Illinois?
    (this is elmo, by the way)

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  2. we have 20 minutes recess as part of the lunch time break, no other recess built into the schedule unless I choose to take them out.

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  3. Well, no wonder the kids there get antsy! Here, it's 15 minutes each of morning and afternoon recess, and then 40 minutes to an hour (depending on the school) of outdoor playtime at lunch.
    Do the administrators really think that you and a pile of children can go half a day without a break?

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