Schools have more at hand now than they used to. The academic expectations are indeed overwhelming from these institutions. Along with following the curriculum set by the board, schools today also have to focus on fringe futuristic subjects, extra-curricular activities, skill development, and so on. As evident, the elements of overall education have increased in quantity. But the time schools have in a day remains the same. Naturally, and unfortunately, it is the recess that sees a compromise. It is easier to establish that 10 minutes extra worth of STEM education is better than giving it to the children as recess.
True that society has become demanding. True that children of the 21st century have to learn a lot more in as little time as possible than their previous generation. But all these developmental and progressive activities cannot come at the expense of recess and the Best Play Schools in Sonipat will always acknowledge that. Just as there are researches that show the beneficial sides of STEM education and extra-curricular activities, there are also convincing studies that lay out the importance of recess in schools.
The true definition of recess
Psychologists and pediatrics around the world define the term recess as the period of time in school when children can engage in “free, unstructured, and active play”. Thus, merely non-academic sessions cannot be termed as recess. Neither can the structured physical fitness sessions or extra-curricular activities that happen in between regular periods. Recess must include the element of freedom, sometimes be unproductive, and allow children to explore the surroundings in their own ways without strict supervision. This is when students can participate in “unstructured and active play”, even conversations with peers, anything that is not defined by some routine or rules.
The benefits of a proper recess
Renowned pediatrician Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg noted back in 2007 that students showed increased attention span, better levels of concentration, higher performance, and enhanced response immediately after a session of proper recess. He also stated that such students were less fidgety during lectures, showed improved overall behavior, and learned about self-conduct all by themselves. Other studies also showed that a daily and healthy session of recess during school hours directly impacted the students’ cognitive and motor development and also taught them skills that were previously thought could only be achieved through extra-curricular activities.
The best play school in Sonipat are thus better managers of time. Rather than cutting down on recess, such schools find alternative routes to include the entire curriculum within the slotted time. By engaging in interaction with peers during recess, students fulfill their social needs. By participating in unstructured play, they learn skills of teamwork, problem-solving, negotiation, and more. Plus, the factor of physical activity is always there as no amount of it can be enough for children of any age.
There is also an obvious academic benefit of recess, which surfaces in the form of improved performance in regular classes and end-of-session exams. No human mind can consume information at long lengths. Extended sessions of productive activity deplete energy and attention span reduces with passing time. Hence, recess acts as the recharging session of the mind where, by engaging in effortless activities, the brain rests and stores the information previously consumed. Understandably, this resting time must be ample. The mind will need that much time to relax as it is spent concentrating. Structured recess is again produced in a way. Here, the mind still has to follow instructions. Only in the unstructured form can it not pay that much attention and truly rest to gear up for the next session.
Recess is as important as education itself
If a forty-minute recess is cut down to thirty to accommodate a productive session, the students will not have enough time to recharge to be able to absorb the ensuing information. Plus, they will lose enthusiasm over time owing to overwork and depleted energy and no curriculum in the world can effectively help them. In the top Sonipat schools list, you will always find that a proper priority is given to recess, complemented by large corridors, expansive campus, safe environment, and delicate supervision. Students get the freedom to explore and be unproductive.
Swarnprastha Public School is such an institute where the progressive mindset is not absolute. The school performs as its students receive their deserved rest. Recess is unstructured in SPS, play is both active and free, and students work in a curriculum that balances academics and rest. In today’s fast-paced world, the recess must gain more prominence than any other educational feature. Productivity and performance only peak when they are backed by proper sessions of recess.
