Transition to kindergarten and less physical activity

[Anonymous]

My daughter is in her last year of full-day preschool, 9am to 5:30pm. They do an enormous amount of physical exercise-- trip to the playground every day and 1-2 times in the gym to run around for over an hour.

As I understand it, DCPS kindergarten will have 1 PE, and daily 30-minute recess. I don't know how much of after-care is physical play. I'd like to know that about DCPS aftercare.

Is the transition to less energy-burning activity tough for the kids (and the parents who have them in the evening)? What do you do to help your child with this?

[Anonymous]

My kids don't go to DCPS, but they are very very very active. Honestly, they are so busy in school, it has not been difficult at all. My kindergartner used to only sleep for about 7 hours a night when he was in pre-k but now sleeps for 11 or 12 on weekdays and 12 to 14 on weekends.

The teachers are trained to realize when kids' attention is slipping and are good at changing activities or just taking a minute out of what they are working on to stretch or do jumping jacks. It's pretty impressive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids don't go to DCPS, but they are very very very active. Honestly, they are so busy in school, it has not been difficult at all. My kindergartner used to only sleep for about 7 hours a night when he was in pre-k but now sleeps for 11 or 12 on weekdays and 12 to 14 on weekends.

The teachers are trained to realize when kids' attention is slipping and are good at changing activities or just taking a minute out of what they are working on to stretch or do jumping jacks. It's pretty impressive.

I don't think you will find this in your typical DCPS kindergarten though.

[Anonymous]

I agree w/ the PP. Teachers have a set amount to cover in too short periods of time. My friend teaches K and says they don't have recess daily (apparently it isn't required in our MD county). Ask the principal of the school if recess is mandatory and if there is a specified amount of time for it. And what reasons would there be not to have it (too cold, too wet, etc). It is a crime really to expect these 5 yr olds to not expend some energy during a 7 hr day.

[Anonymous]

Bring Back Recess!

Kids won't get it if parents don't demand it.

Read this, bring it and other documents to the attention of your child's principal, staff, PTAs and board of education members.




http://www.fortbend.k12.tx.us/campuses/documents/activities/activities_20080516_0820.pdf

[Anonymous]

Thank you 12:40!

We are entering K next year too, and I am worried.

[Anonymous]

You are welcome!

Check this out from the link:

This news article reports on action research in schools that links exercise during PE classes with
academic gains on standardized tests. When students with low test scores participated in early
morning PE sessions, followed closely in time by learning support classes, their subsequent test
scores increased significantly more than similar students who had the learning support classes
only. In another reported study children were assigned to 40-minute after school daily workouts,
20-minute after school workouts, or no workouts. After 14 weeks, those in the 40-minute sessions
made twice the gains that those in the 20-minute sessions made. In a third study reviewed in the
article, children who got good marks on an aerobic fitness measure and a measure of body mass
index had higher scores on state exams in reading and math. Connections are made between
physical activity and recent research on brain development, especially the link between exercise
and the brains production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF encourages
development and connections between brain cells considered critical for learning.

Most teachers and principals want kids to have more recess, they just can't figure out how to sqeeze enough instruction into the day and they are worried about test scores. Despite the fact that parents SAY they don't care all that much about test scores, parents in reality DO care about test scores -- it's one of the first things parents want to know about a school when they are lookig for one for their child! Principals, school superintendants and teachers need to know that parents care about recess, and also they need to feel that by having more recess, kids will not lose ground on those test scores.

One thing to ask when you are looking at schools about recess is this: Is recess ever taken away from a child as a disciplinary measure? Make sure schools know that parents oppose this practice. If exercise is considered CRITICAL TO LEARNING (as it should be) then shilcren should not be deprived of it for misbehaving -- just as you would not deprive a child of math or reading instruction if he forgot his homework or goofed around in class or threw a spit ball. Nor would teachers deprive a child of lunch. Schools need to come up with some alternate behavior managment systems that do not remove recess for poor behavior and atitude.

[Anonymous]

And a lot of "poor behavior" esp in boys is a direct result of not enough recess! I taught 4th grade a few yrs ago and was appalled that the kids' recess was the last period of the day for just 20 mins! Those poor boys were dying all day long sitting in desks. Some days they didn't even get recess w/ all of the work they were expected to do. Then the other teachers would make them stay inside if they didn't do their homework (I didn't b/c I thought the punishment didn't fit the crime so to speak).

[Anonymous]

In my daughter's charter school, they have recess everyday, as well as gym twice a week. During the fall before it got dark, we would usually go to the playground for an hour or so around 5ish, or just play outside. She is very active, and I've found the school does a good job of letting the kids expend energy when they need to.

[Anonymous]

Our kindergartener gets a half hour of recess or so every day, but if the weather's bad they spend that time in the classroom. It definitely seems on those "indoor recess" days that he needs to run around a little more, but other than letting him run around the house we haven't really figured anything out.

[Anonymous]

I found my kindergartner to be even more tired. They don't get a nap and the curriculum is really quite taxing (learning to read).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my daughter's charter school, they have recess everyday, as well as gym twice a week. During the fall before it got dark, we would usually go to the playground for an hour or so around 5ish, or just play outside. She is very active, and I've found the school does a good job of letting the kids expend energy when they need to.

Hear! Hear!

Among the (many) great features of charter schools is the ability to make decisions like this (how much recess does my class need?) AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL. When parents are happy they can voice their approval. When parent are unhappy they can make suggestions and martial support (among other parents) and make change happen. And schools are actually responsive to parents instead of bureaucracy.