Withholding recess in 1st grade - ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious: What do you think the teacher should do for kids who do not finish their work or misbehave?

Great Question! No one has answered it. I agree with taking recess. Or would you prefer taking lunch, centers time or give after school detention? What other consequences for bad behavior are there? And if your precious child does not listen to you at home - what do you do?

It's only a great question if you lack critical thinking skills, imagination and experience. There are many things a teacher could do instead of withholding recess. First, the kid could walk laps instead of playing with her friends. During free time in class - when a kid gets to choose the activity she wants to do - she could instead to her homework. The kid could do homework during lunch (eat and work at the same time). If misbehaving, the kid could eat lunch at a different table away from everyone. The kid could eat lunch in the office or with the guidance counselor. There are many other ways work and misbehavior could be addressed depending on the issue and age of the child. If the only thing you know how to do is withhold recess, you have no business being in the teaching profession.

This would be a consequence I could totally support -- kid has enough energy to goof off, kid should use up some of that energy, now maybe kid will be able to sit quietly and attend to the lesson -- however as was discussed upthread parents also have huge problems with this consequence too *shrug*.

[Anonymous]

In the meanwhile, other teachers including myself are taking recess because YOU, the parent have not taught the importance of doing homework at home nor have created the structure in your home to get it done. The hope is that your child will miss recess enough to teach themselves that they must do their homework because the loss of recess is a consistent reminder that they want to play and need to do their homework. Believe me, it will get done after awhile. Lesson learned.

BRAVO! Common sense. It works. Contrary to what the poster who claims that "research" trumps experience.

[Anonymous]

ps. I'm not suggesting that a child miss recess every day. But, in my experience, student starts finishing work pretty quickly.

[Anonymous]

An experienced teacher knows that trying to make a child do homework during centers time and make sure that it's done with a class of 25 other children is IMPOSSIBLE!
An experienced teacher also knows that making a child eat and do homework in a chaotic cafeteria at a separate table (if there is one) and make sure that it's done is IMPOSSIBLE.
An experienced teacher knows that in public schools, there is NEVER anyone who can sit in their office and watch children. Everyone in a school building has lunch or recess duty along with a hundred other responsibilities- none of which include making sure your child does their homework.

When you enter the teaching profession and realize how truly limited your resources and time are, come back and post on this thread!

In the meanwhile, other teachers including myself are taking recess because YOU, the parent have not taught the importance of doing homework at home nor have created the structure in your home to get it done. The hope is that your child will miss recess enough to teach themselves that they must do their homework because the loss of recess is a consistent reminder that they want to play and need to do their homework. Believe me, it will get done after awhile. Lesson learned.

I am a teacher (FCPS) and what was described above is what we do at my school. It's not at all impossible. It's not even difficult especially if you coordinate with your teaching team. There's a table set up in the front office that kids can sit and have lunch as needed. There's also a table in the cafeteria for kids who need to sit separately for behavioral reasons. We also send kids to another teachers room if they need a change of scenery of if they need to work on an activity. Our school has a definitive policy on recess and it's never to withhold it. In elementary school, homework is not counted as part of the grade and given the challenges many of our families have, we cannot penalize the kids for incomplete 'homework'. Most of it is done 'in class' or in one of the places I just described. I know you're very dismissive of the research regarding recess and it's likely your dismissive of the research regarding homework - that it's not effective or necessary at the elementary school level. Frankly, it sounds like you're burned out and should consider taking a break.

[Anonymous]

I am a teacher (FCPS) and what was described above is what we do at my school. It's not at all impossible. It's not even difficult especially if you coordinate with your teaching team. There's a table set up in the front office that kids can sit and have lunch as needed. There's also a table in the cafeteria for kids who need to sit separately for behavioral reasons. We also send kids to another teachers room if they need a change of scenery of if they need to work on an activity. Our school has a definitive policy on recess and it's never to withhold it. In elementary school, homework is not counted as part of the grade and given the challenges many of our families have, we cannot penalize the kids for incomplete 'homework'. Most of it is done 'in class' or in one of the places I just described. I know you're very dismissive of the research regarding recess and it's likely your dismissive of the research regarding homework - that it's not effective or necessary at the elementary school level. Frankly, it sounds like you're burned out and should consider taking a break.

Not the PP: but I understood this to be work that was not completed in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

I am a teacher (FCPS) and what was described above is what we do at my school. It's not at all impossible. It's not even difficult especially if you coordinate with your teaching team. There's a table set up in the front office that kids can sit and have lunch as needed. There's also a table in the cafeteria for kids who need to sit separately for behavioral reasons. We also send kids to another teachers room if they need a change of scenery of if they need to work on an activity. Our school has a definitive policy on recess and it's never to withhold it. In elementary school, homework is not counted as part of the grade and given the challenges many of our families have, we cannot penalize the kids for incomplete 'homework'. Most of it is done 'in class' or in one of the places I just described. I know you're very dismissive of the research regarding recess and it's likely your dismissive of the research regarding homework - that it's not effective or necessary at the elementary school level. Frankly, it sounds like you're burned out and should consider taking a break.

You do know that there is more than one teacher on here who is challenging what you say, don't you?

[Anonymous]

As to what to do about behavior in general, check out PBIS. Positive Behavior Supports and Incentives. Bring your homework for x days and get a prize. That sort of thing. It is backed by research. Much better than withholding recess.

[Anonymous]

I am a teacher (FCPS) and what was described above is what we do at my school. It's not at all impossible. It's not even difficult especially if you coordinate with your teaching team. There's a table set up in the front office that kids can sit and have lunch as needed. There's also a table in the cafeteria for kids who need to sit separately for behavioral reasons. We also send kids to another teachers room if they need a change of scenery of if they need to work on an activity. Our school has a definitive policy on recess and it's never to withhold it. In elementary school, homework is not counted as part of the grade and given the challenges many of our families have, we cannot penalize the kids for incomplete 'homework'. Most of it is done 'in class' or in one of the places I just described. I know you're very dismissive of the research regarding recess and it's likely your dismissive of the research regarding homework - that it's not effective or necessary at the elementary school level. Frankly, it sounds like you're burned out and should consider taking a break.

Thanks for the information. What grade do you teach? Have you used some of these tools?

[Anonymous]

I am a teacher (FCPS) and what was described above is what we do at my school. It's not at all impossible. It's not even difficult especially if you coordinate with your teaching team. There's a table set up in the front office that kids can sit and have lunch as needed. There's also a table in the cafeteria for kids who need to sit separately for behavioral reasons. We also send kids to another teachers room if they need a change of scenery of if they need to work on an activity. Our school has a definitive policy on recess and it's never to withhold it. In elementary school, homework is not counted as part of the grade and given the challenges many of our families have, we cannot penalize the kids for incomplete 'homework'. Most of it is done 'in class' or in one of the places I just described. I know you're very dismissive of the research regarding recess and it's likely your dismissive of the research regarding homework - that it's not effective or necessary at the elementary school level. Frankly, it sounds like you're burned out and should consider taking a break.

Wow! Who supervises the kids in the lunchroom or office?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I am a teacher (FCPS) and what was described above is what we do at my school. It's not at all impossible. It's not even difficult especially if you coordinate with your teaching team. There's a table set up in the front office that kids can sit and have lunch as needed. There's also a table in the cafeteria for kids who need to sit separately for behavioral reasons. We also send kids to another teachers room if they need a change of scenery of if they need to work on an activity. Our school has a definitive policy on recess and it's never to withhold it. In elementary school, homework is not counted as part of the grade and given the challenges many of our families have, we cannot penalize the kids for incomplete 'homework'. Most of it is done 'in class' or in one of the places I just described. I know you're very dismissive of the research regarding recess and it's likely your dismissive of the research regarding homework - that it's not effective or necessary at the elementary school level. Frankly, it sounds like you're burned out and should consider taking a break.

Thanks for the information. What grade do you teach? Have you used some of these tools?

I currently teach 4th grade but have also taught 3rd and 6th. I don't know what 'tools' you are referring to.

To the PP who asked about who watches the kids, there are 3 administrative staff in the office that has the table where a kid can sit. There is always at least one person in that room when a child is there. As far as the lunchroom, there are always staff supervising students having lunch. Having a student sit at a vacant table requires no additional supervision.

I'm wondering what kind of grade level teaching teams those of you who are challenged at finding alternatives to withholding recess have. Do you not discuss these issues with your team? We talk about challenges like this all the time, particularly when there are kids who are having signfiicant challenges.