Middle School Recess coming to FCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ and I also have a daughter who has her period. She asks a teacher to use the bathroom during class when needed.

She misses class time and potentially important information. She is at a disadvantage to the boys who don't need to leave the classroom to use the bathroom on a regular basis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD at Franklin has a half hour recess. She said they basically walk around the field (girls) while the sporty fast boys who get to the basketball courts first play basketball. She hates it bc it messes her hair up and she's freezing cold (her words not mine) (and don't try to say wear more appropriate clothes unless you want your head bit off).

Your daughter probably complains about a lot of things that are good for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD at Franklin has a half hour recess. She said they basically walk around the field (girls) while the sporty fast boys who get to the basketball courts first play basketball. She hates it bc it messes her hair up and she's freezing cold (her words not mine) (and don't try to say wear more appropriate clothes unless you want your head bit off).

She can just be cold if being cute is so important. Millions of teen girls choose cute (I know I did a few times and decided to be warm…. And find cute warm things to wear)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Awesome idea. They need to work with guidance and pe staff to create activities kids can do so it’s just not standing around talking. Need some structured options for kids that might not have friends or be invited to do things with groups. Like walking, dancing, music, meditation, labyrinth on pavement, jump rope, equipment for basketball, daily recurring themed activities like chalk drawing or gardening etc. There are a lot of cool ideas out there across our country. I hope they survey communities to explore what can be as each school may have unique interests based on space. This group has good tips for younger grades and could be adapted for middle school: https://www.actionforhealthykids.org/activity/active-outdoor-recess/

There is nothing wrong with kids having to stand there talking to each other and learning to socialize in a way that is not adult led. In most countries, kids learn to organize themselves a lot earlier than in the US.

As for the phones, that is another story. I am a firm believer that phones should be taken away during school hours. I'm apparently in the minority but if you don't want your kid to spend their recess on their phone, don't send it with them. But don't cancel recess just because you think your kid will spend it on his/her phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ and I also have a daughter who has her period. She asks a teacher to use the bathroom during class when needed.

She misses class time and potentially important information. She is at a disadvantage to the boys who don't need to leave the classroom to use the bathroom on a regular basis.

This is bizarre to me. Every girl in middle school/high school has their period. How is this some big problem? You do realize boys also have to go to the bathroom too right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD at Franklin has a half hour recess. She said they basically walk around the field (girls) while the sporty fast boys who get to the basketball courts first play basketball. She hates it bc it messes her hair up and she's freezing cold (her words not mine) (and don't try to say wear more appropriate clothes unless you want your head bit off).

That sounds great. I hope my DC gets that next year.

(I was always cold because I chose cute over warm. C'est la vie.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ and I also have a daughter who has her period. She asks a teacher to use the bathroom during class when needed.

She misses class time and potentially important information. She is at a disadvantage to the boys who don't need to leave the classroom to use the bathroom on a regular basis.

This is bizarre to me. Every girl in middle school/high school has their period. How is this some big problem? You do realize boys also have to go to the bathroom too right?

Boys do not need to go to the bathroom several times during the day for 3-5 days during each month. What is hard to understand about that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ and I also have a daughter who has her period. She asks a teacher to use the bathroom during class when needed.

She misses class time and potentially important information. She is at a disadvantage to the boys who don't need to leave the classroom to use the bathroom on a regular basis.

This is bizarre to me. Every girl in middle school/high school has their period. How is this some big problem? You do realize boys also have to go to the bathroom too right?

Boys do not need to go to the bathroom several times during the day for 3-5 days during each month. What is hard to understand about that?

DP. I don't get how this is a huge (or new) problem. Girls have periods. They/we deal with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ and I also have a daughter who has her period. She asks a teacher to use the bathroom during class when needed.

She misses class time and potentially important information. She is at a disadvantage to the boys who don't need to leave the classroom to use the bathroom on a regular basis.

This is bizarre to me. Every girl in middle school/high school has their period. How is this some big problem? You do realize boys also have to go to the bathroom too right?

Boys do not need to go to the bathroom several times during the day for 3-5 days during each month. What is hard to understand about that?

DP. I don't get how this is a huge (or new) problem. Girls have periods. They/we deal with them.

The new problem is actually the lack of time to go to the bathroom.

Until a few years ago, kids in schools had recess/breaks. Then there was this big push to spend more time on academics and less time on frivolous things like going to the bathroom and socializing. Science has now shown that focusing solely on academics is actually counterproductive, puts girls at a disadvantage and is not good for anyone's mental health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ and I also have a daughter who has her period. She asks a teacher to use the bathroom during class when needed.

She misses class time and potentially important information. She is at a disadvantage to the boys who don't need to leave the classroom to use the bathroom on a regular basis.

This is bizarre to me. Every girl in middle school/high school has their period. How is this some big problem? You do realize boys also have to go to the bathroom too right?

Boys do not need to go to the bathroom several times during the day for 3-5 days during each month. What is hard to understand about that?

DP. I don't get how this is a huge (or new) problem. Girls have periods. They/we deal with them.

The new problem is actually the lack of time to go to the bathroom.

Until a few years ago, kids in schools had recess/breaks. Then there was this big push to spend more time on academics and less time on frivolous things like going to the bathroom and socializing. Science has now shown that focusing solely on academics is actually counterproductive, puts girls at a disadvantage and is not good for anyone's mental health.

This is a thread about adding/keeping additional break time in middle school. Are you posting on the wrong thread?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ and I also have a daughter who has her period. She asks a teacher to use the bathroom during class when needed.

She misses class time and potentially important information. She is at a disadvantage to the boys who don't need to leave the classroom to use the bathroom on a regular basis.

This is bizarre to me. Every girl in middle school/high school has their period. How is this some big problem? You do realize boys also have to go to the bathroom too right?

Boys do not need to go to the bathroom several times during the day for 3-5 days during each month. What is hard to understand about that?

DP. I don't get how this is a huge (or new) problem. Girls have periods. They/we deal with them.

The new problem is actually the lack of time to go to the bathroom.

Until a few years ago, kids in schools had recess/breaks. Then there was this big push to spend more time on academics and less time on frivolous things like going to the bathroom and socializing. Science has now shown that focusing solely on academics is actually counterproductive, puts girls at a disadvantage and is not good for anyone's mental health.

This is a thread about adding/keeping additional break time in middle school. Are you posting on the wrong thread?

Have you not read above?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As one of the early proponents of Middle School recess, this is why I think it's essential.

1. Right now, my daughter gets to school at 7:15 in the morning and doesn't see the sun until 2:15 in the afternoon. She goes from Algebra to science to English without even a small break. As an adult, I can't go from meeting to meeting to meeting without a small break to clear my head.

2. All these people who say no one should get a break because a small segment of the population might have sex or get into a fight on school grounds are wrong. First of all, fights are going to happen - its better if it happens where adults are around to deal with the consequences. If kids are having sex on school grounds as 13 and 14 year olds, then a lot of failures happened. Recess is not going to change that and let's not punish the vast majority who will use that time constructively.

3. Most importantly, girls are getting their periods at that age. Right now, my daughter has one 30-minute break during those 7 hours. She sometimes has to choose between eating lunch and going to the bathroom. That is not a fair choice.

4. All over this country, kids in middle school are having recess. In California, we had 2 breaks - 20 minutes brunch and a 40-minute lunch. Kids learned how to interact with their peers, used the time to study if they needed to and went outside for fresh air. Middle Schools in FCPS treat the kids like they are one step away from Rikers. It's not healthy for anyone.

It's your duty as an American to make your kids suffer in school. Surely if they get breaks in school, they'll want breaks when they're at work when they're adults? Then they'll want paid vacation and maternity leave.

Life is not fun. Your child needs to learn this as soon as possible. If it's work-life balance you're after, Europe is that-a-way (points thumb in the direction of Europe).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As one of the early proponents of Middle School recess, this is why I think it's essential.

1. Right now, my daughter gets to school at 7:15 in the morning and doesn't see the sun until 2:15 in the afternoon. She goes from Algebra to science to English without even a small break. As an adult, I can't go from meeting to meeting to meeting without a small break to clear my head.

2. All these people who say no one should get a break because a small segment of the population might have sex or get into a fight on school grounds are wrong. First of all, fights are going to happen - its better if it happens where adults are around to deal with the consequences. If kids are having sex on school grounds as 13 and 14 year olds, then a lot of failures happened. Recess is not going to change that and let's not punish the vast majority who will use that time constructively.

3. Most importantly, girls are getting their periods at that age. Right now, my daughter has one 30-minute break during those 7 hours. She sometimes has to choose between eating lunch and going to the bathroom. That is not a fair choice.

4. All over this country, kids in middle school are having recess. In California, we had 2 breaks - 20 minutes brunch and a 40-minute lunch. Kids learned how to interact with their peers, used the time to study if they needed to and went outside for fresh air. Middle Schools in FCPS treat the kids like they are one step away from Rikers. It's not healthy for anyone.

It's your duty as an American to make your kids suffer in school. Surely if they get breaks in school, they'll want breaks when they're at work when they're adults? Then they'll want paid vacation and maternity leave.

Life is not fun. Your child needs to learn this as soon as possible. If it's work-life balance you're after, Europe is that-a-way (points thumb in the direction of Europe).

What a helpful post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does the article on this show a bunch of kids looking at screens? Is that what recess is going to be?

Do you expect 8th graders to play on a playground?

They should be. Kids grow up way too fast and screens aren't helping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't this the purpose of PE?

PE isn't usually fun though and let kids be kids.