alternatives to withholding recess2

7/24/2019 Alternatives to Withholding Recess2

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lternative School Discipline Options to

Withholding Recess

In a national survey of principals, more than three-quarters state that students in their schoolsare punished by withholding recess,1but evidence shows that this is the wrong tactic. Taking

physical activity away from children decreases their attention spans andability to focus in the classroom and increases behavior problems andtrips to the principals office.2,3,4Furthermore, with todays childhoodobesity epidemic, it is more important than ever for children to bephysically active throughout the school day. According to the CDC,children need 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Recess can helpstudents reach that important health goal.5,6,7

Benefits of Recess

8,9,10

Improves attention and reduces fidgeting later in the school dayo Over 80% of principals report that recess has a positive impact on academic

achievemento Two-thirds of principals report that students listen better and are more focused in

class after recesso 96% of principals believe recess has a positive impact on social development and

97% believe it has a positive impact on well-being1

Provides a mental and physical break from the academic challenges of the school day

Allows students to be active and release energy

Creates an opportunity for students to be social and use their imagination

lternative Discipl ine OptionsBelow are some alternative disciplinary options to taking away recess.Disciplinary actions should be appropriate and match the level ofmisbehavior. They should be age appropriate and punishment shouldincrease in severity over time with repeat offenses.

Child gets a strike for each time he/she misbehaves. Have adifferent consequence for each strike (i.e., strike 1: warning, strike 2: parent receives acall from the teacher, strike 3: child is sent to the principals office)

Student must clean up the mess he/she made (pick up toys in the classroom, put awaybooks in the library, or pick up trash outside while others play during recess)

Student must write a letter of apology explaining what he/she did wrong Student must write an essay on what he/she did wrong and how to behave better next

time (good for reflection and self-evaluation)

Student is given extra homework

Have the student and teacher call home together to report misbehavior to family

Send a note about misbehavior home, have it signed by parent and return it the nextschool day (try to involve parents with improving students behavior)

Do community service

Stay late after school/afterschool detention

Have the student miss a class trip or school event if he/she cannot behave properly


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Other Tips to Manage Classroom Behavior

Include students in establishing expectations and outcomes early in the year, and reviewthose expectations and outcomes frequently

Be consistent with enforcing behavioral expectations within the learning environment

Reward compliance with rules

Offer positive feedback and catch students doing thingsright

Wait for students to be attentive before providing directions11

Reinforce Positive Behavior

Social rewards, such as positive attention, praise, a pat on theshoulder, or thanks, are often more highly valued by children than a toy or food andaffirm a childs self-worth

Recognize student with a ribbon, certificate, announcement on the school-wide morningannouncements or school website, a photo on a recognition board, or a note to studentor note home to parents

Reward student with special privileges (going first, choosing a class activity, helping theteacher, extra recess, eating lunch with teacher), stickers, stamps, small toys, trinkets,

or school supplies Provide a sticker to students for good behavior. The student with the most stickers after

a certain amount of time gets a prize (i.e. extra recess time, small toy, special classroomprivileges, a homework pass)

Students receive tickets for good behavior. Teacher puts all tickets in a basket and pullsout a ticket at the end of each week, as in a lottery. The student whose ticket is pulledreceives a small prize

Reward the whole class by placing a marble in a jar when the class behaves well. Oncethe marbles reach a certain point in the jar, the class gets a reward (e.g., extra recess, amovie, free time, no homework over the weekend)

See http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/constructive_classroom_rewards.pdffor more ideas for healthy rewards forclasses and individual students.

For more information, contact the Center for Science in the Public [email protected], (202) 777-8352

___________________References

1 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The State of Play: Gallup survey of principals on school recess, Princeton, NJ: RWJF, 2010.http://www.playworks.org/files/StateOfPlayFeb2010.pdf2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Association between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education, and

Academic Performance, Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010. 3 Turner L, Chaloupka FJ, Chriqui JF and Sandoval A. School Policies and Practices to Improve Health and Prevent Obesity: National ElementarySchool Survey Results.Princeton, NJ: Bridging the Gap, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,2010.http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/bridgingthegap20101123mongraphrevised.pdf4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State-LevelSchool Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS), Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department ofHealth and Human Services, 2006.5 Shore SM, Sachs ML, Lidicker JR, et al. (2008). Decreased Scholastic Achievement in Overweight Middle School Students. Obesity, vol. 16, pp.1535-1538.6Geier AB, et al. (2007). The Relationship between Relative Weight and School Attendance. Obesity, vol. 15, pp. 2157-2161.7 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Activity for Everyone: How much physical activity do children need? Atlanta, GA: U.S.Department of Health and Human Services, 2011.www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/children.html8Jarrett OS, et al (1998). Impact of Recess on Classroom Behavior: Group effects and individual differences. Journal of Educational Research,vol. 92, pp. 121-126.9 Ridgway A, et al. (2003). Effects of Recess on the Classroom Behavior of Children with and without Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.School Psychology Quarterly, vol. 18, pp. 253-268.10 Pellegrini AD, Bohn CM. (2005). The Role of Recess in Childrens Cognitive Performance and School Adjustment. Educational Researcher,vol.34, pp.13-19.11 National Association for Sport and Physical Education. Position Statement: Physical Activity used as Punishment and/or BehaviorManagement. Reston, VA: NASPE, Association of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 2009.http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/standards/upload/Physical-Activity-as-Punishment-to-Board-12-10.pdf
http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/constructive_classroom_rewards.pdfhttp://www.rwjf.org/files/research/bridgingthegap20101123mongraphrevised.pdfhttp://www.rwjf.org/files/research/bridgingthegap20101123mongraphrevised.pdfhttp://www.rwjf.org/files/research/bridgingthegap20101123mongraphrevised.pdfhttp://cspinet.org/new/pdf/constructive_classroom_rewards.pdf


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Peaceful Playgrounds - January 2007 - RIGHT TO RECESS CAMPAIGN

60 Alternatives to Withholding Recess

Given the value of recess in a students physical and

social development, and the need for periodic breaks from

classroom instruction, using recess as punishment isinappropriate. Listed below are some alternatives to

withholding recess.

ZERO-COST ALTERNATIVES

1. Sit by friends2. Watch a video3. Read outdoors4. Teach the class

5. Have extra art time6. Extra music and reading time7. Homework coupon8. Coupon for prizes and

privileges9. Enjoy class outdoors10. Play a computer game11. Read to a younger class12. Get a no homework pass13. Make deliveries to the office14. Listen to music while working

15. Play a favorite game or puzzle16. Earn play money for privileges17. Walk with a teacher during

lunch18. Be a helper in another

classroom19. Eat lunch with a teacher or

principal20. Dance to favorite music in the

classroom21. Get free choice time at the

end of the day22. Listen with a headset to a

book on audiotape

23. Have a teacher performspecial skills (i.e. sing)

24. Have a teacher read a specialbook to the class

25. Recognition with morningannouncements

26. Chat break at the end of class27. Taking care of the class pet28. Extra recess29. Small playground equipment

to check out30. Leading the class to lunch,

recess, library or otheradventure

31. Music concert at school

32. Walk break from class33. Have lunch or breakfast in the

classroom34. Private lunch in classroom

with a friend35. Show-and-tell36. Play favorite game37. Teacher performs special

skill: cartwheel, guitar playing38. First to line up.39. Teachers helper.


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Peaceful Playgrounds - January 2007 - RIGHT TO RECESS CAMPAIGN

LOW-COST ALTERNATIVES

40. Select a paperback book41. Enter a drawing for donated

prizes42. Take a trip to the treasure box43. Get stickers, pencils, and

other school supplies44. Receive a video store or

movie theatre coupon45. Get a set of flash cards

printed from a computer46. Receive a mystery pack

(notepad, folder, sports cards,etc.)

47. Certificate/trophy/ribbon/plaque

48. Gift certificate to local foodmerchants

49. Free pass to sporting event orplay

50. Pencil toppers51. Stickers52. Pencils

53. Stars or smiley faces54. GAME DAY: Students earn

letters to spell gameday...after the letters havebeen earned, we play readingor phonics-type board games.Kids love Game Day!

55. FRIDAY FREE TIME:Students have thirty minutes atthe beginning of the week andthey can earn or lose free timeaccording to their behavior. Use atimer and turn it on (they canhear it) if they are too loudworking, lining up, etc. Add timewhen their behavior is good.

Adding time is the most effective.You will save time by not waitingfor them to settle down so theirfree time is really reclaiming timethat would have been lost.

Discipline Alternatives

56. Write a letter of apology to the person who has been wronged andDiscuss with teaching the importance of apologies

57. Write a letter to parents/guardians explaining why behavior isinappropriate or disruptive and stating what student will try to do tochange behavior58. Take away privilege of choice for class or individual activity whenchoice is built into activity59. Do make up work during free choice time60. Have students sit away from the group to do class work and have

them earn their way back into the group activities61. Have student work with teacher to develop a plan for behaviorchange tied to incremental privileges62. Create a behavior charts with students that identifies a targetbehavior and agreed upon reinforcements and rewards for chronicbehavior issue

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