You are definitely not wrong. I also teach 8 and 9 year olds. I could not imagine not having recess. There is so much research based articles that state recess is a good thing. You should look up some of those articles and take it to your administration. Also, do your students' parents know. I have a feeling, if they knew their 8 year old children were not getting recess, they would not be happy. I know with the CCGPS things are very rigorous, but if a student and teacher doesn't get a break, they will get burnt out very fast.

Research shows that children having unstructured break time reduces stress, anger, and behavioral issues. Children having recess is a great thing, and you wanting them to have a break is also good. However, most teachers think of recess as outside activities and kids running around the playground. Actually, recess can consist of any activity that is not mandated or structured. For example, computer time on a learning website or playing games around the classroom. Happy, relaxed students learn more effectively and retain information better.

You are not wrong and there is research proving the importance of exercise and recess in school. I would present this information to your administration and do what is right for your students.

I agree with the above posts! You should check out GoNoodle.com, this site provides quick interactive "brain breaks" for students. Videos are only about 2-3 minutes and students really enjoy them. You could do a few of these to get students moving throughout the day. Also trying having students move around during transitions. For example, call tables to the carpet by having them frog hop or skip. It is so unfortunate that administrators have taken such a valuable time from students!

There are a lot of days that we are not able to go to recess due to weather. The kids really act out during this time. The teachers at my school try gonoodle. com brain breaks. I haven't tried but I have heard good things. I want to start using this. When we do not have recess it becomes harder to teach. Kids need to move and have a break from learning. They can not work all day and not have any breaks. Gonoodle is option.

No, you have the right idea! Recess is NECESSARY. It is researched based and proven to needed for better learning as well as physical wellness. My school is similar. We are limited to 15 minutes (in which travel time to and from the field is included)! I often have to sneak a few minutes here and there. I have a class of about 25 students and 18 of them are boys!

Wow! I cannot even imagine no recess! To help combat all of the pent up energy I would incorporate movement in as many of my lessons as I could. When counting, jump. Any movement at all in your lessons might help the students stay focused.

No, you are not wrong for believing it is good for students to move around and have brain breaks throughout the school. I have taught at a school where recess was frowned upon for 2nd-5th grade students. In order to incorperate movement into their day, I would create lesson that could be done outside in which students got to explore and learn while moving. For example, for a perimeter and area introduction, we went out side and walked around the field when I yelled perimeter and they would run around in the middle of the field when I called area. I hope this helps!

You could incorporate movement into activities. You could set aside a a moment in the day to play silent speed ball or 4 corners in the classroom or even simon says. I am sure there are many other things you could use by looking online. Kids definately need to burn of energy during the day.

You are not wrong at all! I have volunteered at elementary schools that does not have recess everyday which made the kindergartners pretty restless. The teacher I was observing would have dance breaks and little games she would organize to get some of their energy out. It worked well and got the students more focused on learning. I think it's a great replacement for recess!

No, I would ask administration what you are allowed to do, or present you solution to them. I give my students five minutes after lunch as well to just kind of take breath and get their minds back in the right place.

I understand where the administration is coming from, however, they should change their rules to only days that students have P.E. no recess. I have seen schools do this very often. If the students have P.E. they have the time to have a structured method of play, which is the same method that GoNoddle.com produces. I would have the students have break within the classroom where there is a fun lesson they could do.

One big disservice that we do to our children is to have them think that breaks are a waste of time. Your administration need to understand that giving kids recess is very important to their developmental process. I don't even subscribe to withholding recess as a means of punishment. The kids will learn better if their activities are distributed with breaks rather than concentrated. Not having breaks will in effect hamper learning.

You are not wrong at all. Your students definitely need a break. Maybe try to create a math game out of points earned or creating groups for just dance and the winner wins extra points on a test this way your just dance can be relevant to learning and can be more justifiable to an administrator.

It is very important to let the kids have recess. You are not wrong for wanting your students to have a break. I would find out how the district feels about this and as a parent I would be upset. There are many activities you can do in the classroom that include learning and movement.

No kids need break time to reboot. When I was doing observation hours the kids only had recess on Wednesdays and Fridays and the other days of the week they would take their kids outside themselves and let them play for 20 minutes. it really seemed to help. I'm sure you're not the only teacher feeling this way so maybe you could talk to other teachers and together bring the problem to the administrators and ask for a change. Take them outside to run for 20 minutes and you guys as the teachers can come up with the schedule around that. That way the administrators only have to approve it and not do anything else. If none of this works then come up with an activity in class that could be seen as educational as well so you don't feel like you're sneaking around. Maybe let the students run in place next to their desks for a while and go in a circle doing dances/stretches/or jumping activities. Do a review with those activities, go around the room ask the students to state a review of old lessons or something and then if they're right let them pick an activity to do next to their desk that everyone has to mock. Go around the room doing this.

You should not feel like you need to hide the fact that you are giving your students a brain break. Everyone needs them even adults. Being in class all day having to focus and study makes it hard to pay attention. Students need to release their energy. There has been plenty of research to prove this. I interned at a school that had 30 minutes of physical education and 30 minutes every day.

I do believe that students need a break as well. Students need time to release stored energy. I teach at a school where my student do not receive recess or PE.

You are not wrong for wanting to give the students a break. It is hard for students to focus on school without a break for how ever long the school day is (Depending on the school). One idea is to have a few minutes to let the kids just talk quietly or get up and stretch in the classroom, while you prepare for the next lesson. Even though they cant go outside, at least you are allowing them to have a very short mental break.

You are absolutely not wrong. I find it ridiculous with all the research out there that this is even an issue with our schools today. I suggest incorporating indoor play. Find different activities that are acceptable to do indoors that allow he students to release energy. See if you can find activities that can be considered educational if you are "caught".

No, I agree that students need a break more than once a week. Having silent read time is also a good break. Maybe make a space in the classroom for students to unwind and relax will help too.

I would use some brain breaks incorporated into daily instruction. Add the movement to help them wiggle it out.

You are not wrong, the students need to move around. I would incorporate activities into your lesson, this way the administration will see the students are still learning but they are moving around as well. I have seen a lot of teachers implement activities into their lessons. For instance, while reviewing sight words you can create a PowerPoint. The students would spread out around the classroom, you can include a slide of "jumping jacks; arm circles; running in place; and other various activities) to keep the students engaged and get them moving around a little bit.

you are not wrong i would do the same thing. children deserve time to play and let their excess energy go.

No, I do not think you are wrong in any way for wanting your students to have a break. Students need a break from work every so often. It will help them stay focused and engaged in the lesson. Especially with 25 - 8 year olds, they need a break.

No, I do not think that you are wrong for wanting to give your students a "brain break", I think you and the other teachers on the team should bring this situation to the administrator attention. Let him/ her know that it is difficult to have those teachable moments that you need when the children are bouncing off of the walls.

You are absolutely not wrong. I teach 9 and 10 year olds and I could not imagine them not having recess every day. The students and you need a break and it is so important that they are able to get some of that energy out during the day, so that they are able to focus more throughout the rest of the school day.

i do not believe you are wrong and it may be a good idea to get responces from parents if they are okay with this just dance idea

Students that young NEED breaks throughout the day to get their wriggles out. It is definitely not wrong and I would continue to do this. If there is a problem, I would discuss it with the admin and bring any necessary material (research, references, etc) to back up the fact that 8 year olds are not supposed to be working nonstop for 7 hours.

I agree that you are not in the wrong. We were all 8 once and know the challenge of being still and quiet all day. I fully agree that kids need time to release energy and enjoy their school day in a different way.