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Recess

Its Role in Education and Development

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Series: Developing Mind series.

Writing a book about recess could be a very questionable endeavor for a serious academic psychologist. At first blush it seems to be a pretty trivial topic. It's the time during the school day where there's a break from what's typically considered the most serious work of the day--reading, writing, and arithmetic. Reflecting this trivial tenor, it's also that time of the school day that kids--perhaps only half jokingly--say is their favorite part of school. This perception has lead many schools to question the role of recess in the school day. This book is an attempt to broach two views of recess--the perceived value of recess and the movement to eliminate or reduce the school recess period from the primary school day.

Due to tightened school budgets and the emphasis on testing, many elementary schools eliminate recess, gym classes, and play periods to the developmental detriment of the very children the schools are supposed to serve. Author Anthony Pellegrini has conducted a number of careful studies regarding student attentiveness and performance within programs that have recess periods, and those that don't. The data show that students need recess in order to blow off energy and interact with each other in the unstructured recess environment in order to grow socially. The goal of Recess is to help readers realize the importance of recess and counter the trend to eliminate it from schools.

This book appeals to academics, teachers, administrators, and parents.

Table of Contents

Contents: Preface. The Debate Over Recess: A Sad Tale of the Disjuncture Between Educational Policy and Scientific Research. A Brief History of the Place of Play and Recess in American Schools. The School Playground as a Venue for Children's Social Development. The Two Worlds of the Playground: Gender Segregation at Recess. Gender Differences in Preference for Outdoor Recess. Children's Play and Rough-and-Tumble Play on the Playground. Children's Games on the Playground at Recess. The Role of Recess in Children's Cognitive Performance in Classrooms. Summing Up: What Are the Implications of Recess for Children in School?