Elementary school student advocates for longer recess in RI
By Ana Bottary
@anabottary
Recess, a time for kids to put down the books and let out some energy. It’s something 5th grader George Pipers looks forward to every day.
"Waiting to go outside, I’m just like any minute now, any minute now!" Says George.
George is a student and member of the student council at the Hugh Cole elementary school in Warren. In years past students had a 10-minute recess before school began. But, this year that changed.. When the school was required to begin the day earlier. Cutting recess time back, to 15 minutes before lunch.
"I was very upset. That was the time that I had before school just to gather myself and all of my friends and know who is here and what was happening with the day,” George says.
George feels less time out here, creates more problems in the classroom.
"If someone is misbehaving and a teacher keeps them in for recess it makes the child more angry so the teachers aren’t necessarily helping their situation."
Adding, he also feels it affects students socially.
"If you’re inside the classroom and you can’t talk it is very unlikely you are going to make as many friends as if you’re out on the swing set."
George’s concerns are not going unheard. Principal Cythia Sadler says she agrees students need more time to get some exercise during the day.
"We are working with the school committee and looking at different possibilities of what we might do to give kids more exercise in the morning," Principal Sadler states.
Lawmakers in Rhode Island are also behind the mandatory recess idea as well. Representative Kathleen Fogarty introduced a bill this month, to require at least 20 minutes of free play each day for all students grades K-5 in the state.
"No matter what the age….No matter what the size, recess helps everyone,” George says.
© WLNE-TV / ABC6 2016
