Anonymous
03/14/2015 11:49
Subject: Still inside for recess?
I'm a teacher and I cannot stress thus enough--if you want your kids outside for recess, even in less-than-ideal weather, flex your typing fingers and email the principal. Tell other parents to do the same. In many schools, the recess aides make the call, but the principal can absolutely give the guidelines (such as sprinkling rain is ok, wet blacktop is ok, anything above 32 is ok, muddy path to blacktop is ok, etc) and make sure the aides follow them.
Our school DOES send kids out whenever possible, yes even in the sprinkling rain. There is a small overhang that kids can sit/stand under and socialize if they don't want to get wet, but very few do. There were some snow piles even this week, but kids still went out in the blacktop and were instructed to leave the snow alone.
If a school really "can't" send kids out when it's muddy due to a lack of concrete path to the playground, I would make it clear that that's unacceptable. There is unlimited research supporting the need for children to play outside. There are solutions.
Our school DOES send kids out whenever possible, yes even in the sprinkling rain. There is a small overhang that kids can sit/stand under and socialize if they don't want to get wet, but very few do. There were some snow piles even this week, but kids still went out in the blacktop and were instructed to leave the snow alone.
If a school really "can't" send kids out when it's muddy due to a lack of concrete path to the playground, I would make it clear that that's unacceptable. There is unlimited research supporting the need for children to play outside. There are solutions.
Anonymous
03/14/2015 10:37
Subject: Re:Still inside for recess?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Perhaps it's not just a matter of the blacktop surface itself, but also the pathway the children take to get to such area. When my children were in elementary school, they had to walk around the building on the grass to get to the playground, and I wouldn't have wanted them walking through mud to get there.
It is going to be muddy for the next 2 weeks. Heck most of March/April it is muddy. Put your little snowflake in play clothes and boots. There is no way kids should be inside everyday because of a little mud.
Playing in the mud and soggy grass, while very fun, does even more damage to the grass. It's a facilities consideration.
Can you reread the post, they needed to walk to the playground in some grass, not play in the grass. We have a catholic school up the street from us. They have coned off part of the parking lot and have been playing in there. Why can't the schools do this? Lazy!
I think we are at the same school. I think it has to do with the paraeducators. They hate going outside when it is cold, or, wet, or really, ever. Have you ever volunteered at recess? All they do is stand there. They don't interact with the children at all.