2-Alternatives to the Great Recess Takeaway

I recently read a blog post that bashed, sledgehammered, bludgeoned the idea of taking recess away from students.  I GET it, recess is an essential component of our students’ school day.  Our students look forward to this energy-expending time of day.  They need time to socialize and WE need to give them time to move about, play, and interact with one another in a safe and monitored environment.  BUT, what happens when we have students that refuse to use time wisely in class, don’t complete classwork that needs finishing, or struggle to interact positively with peers and wreak havoc within the classroom setting?  If we can’t take recess, how can we hold students accountable for their actions?

Whether you teach BIG KIDS or little kids, the struggle is R.E.A.L, and it can be extremely frustrating at times.  As teachers, we ABSOLUTELY want what is best for our students, but at times, our hands are tied.  We need to hold students accountable, but we need to come up with creative ways to get the results we are looking for.

This well-intentioned blog post went after the idea that teachers would even consider taking away recess, but didn’t offer up alternatives.  As a 6th grade teacher with some years under my belt, I want to jump in.  if you are a teacher that is in need of a few more tricks to add to your already overflowing toolkit, here are two strategies that worked for my team…

Don’t take away recess.  Instead have a…

If you have students that are in need of more time to get a task completed, invite them to join you in the classroom for lunch.  In my building we have recess and then lunch.  Our team decided that giving students time to get outside for recess was essential.  If something needed completing or we needed to discuss an issue, we could tackle it during lunchtime.   Students eat first and work second.   I have found that students either enjoy working lunches, or they quickly change their behavior in order to avoid missing time to socialize with friends.

Don’t take away recess, come up with clever…

Years ago, we were struggling in my school district with so many issues: classwork completion, disrespectful behavior, fighting, bullying, etc.  We needed an entire overhaul of our behavior management system district-wide, and the district delivered.  We adopted CHAMPS and the consistency of the expected behaviors around the schools quickly changed.  It wasn’t overnight, but through CHAMPS, teachers had a common language that translated successfully with each grade level of students.

One component of CHAMPS is a reward-based system with incentives that students can earn for exhibiting expected behaviors that have been taught and prompted on a consistent basis.  Students thrive when (1) they know what is expected and (2) they have something meaningful to work toward.  This can be an end of quarter recognition ceremony or a weekly trip to a student incentive store.

I have created this FREEBIE resource below that will give you all of the tips, tricks, and ideas you need to start an incentive based system that your students will love.  As teachers, we like to be recognized for the outstanding work we do, and so do our awesome students.  If your students are feeling uninspired, here is an idea that worked for our instructional team…

Teaching is hard work. PERIOD. Most days are rewarding, but some can be overwhelming and make you feel as though you are standing on an island with no options for when misbehavior occurs or work is avoided.  As you enjoy these summer months, rejuvenate and reflect on all of those amazing moments from this past year.  You are the reason your students had an unforgettable year!

I would love to hear any tips and tricks you have that help your BIG KIDS make the best choices to help avoid the great recess takeaway.  Keep me posted!