Why should breaks be longer in school?

 

Hi my name is Zaria and I think schools should give more/longer breaks. So here are my reasons why schools should give more/longer breaks. I hope people read this writing piece and agree with me because after all my research this is what I found.

 

Experts say that there’s more to learning than just books. While academics are important and help shape the minds of our children, it has been found that there are some important life skills that can mostly only be learned through free play and interactions with other kids. 

 

Recess is a time of the school day that kids look forward to the most. When you’re a kid, playtime never seems long enough; something we’ve all been familiar with in the past from when we were kids. Recess sees kids playing many games that often mimic real-life scenarios. These kinds of creative games allow them to learn how to communicate, negotiate, resolve disagreements and solve problems. Recess is a great time for kids to express themselves.

 

Some schools have cut back on recess, and many kids in  school sit in the same classroom all day. Meaning students must go extended times without a break. Schools concerned about test scores and ratings may eliminate break time to accommodate more teaching or test prep, but studies show that breaks and exercise may actually improve grades and test scores for students. Here are 3 benefits students will enjoy when given the chance to take a break.

• Longer breaks help improve attentiveness:

The longer the lesson goes, the harder it is for a student to remain on task. According to a 2014 study published on Science Direct, longer instruction times lead to fewer students paying attention. Researchers found that “On-task behaviour declined as instructional duration increased from 10 to 30 minutes.” So I think, when students get a short break or an opportunity to go to recess, their brains get a much-needed rest. When they come back, their attention span resets and they’re ready to learn.

• Breaks help students concentrate on their learning: 

Research from the 1800s proves that work with breaks and down time is more  structured than work in long periods of time without breaks. This shows that kids need breaks in order to learn better. At most schools, you just barely finish lunch with 5 minutes to spare to go outside. This is obviously not enough time to get all of your energy out. I think that the school should have longer lunches so there is enough time to eat and go outside. A longer break in school gets kids more focused. 43 children became more on-task and less fidgety on days when they had recess. This shows that when kids have more recess, they stay focused, and will improve academically (benefits of recess).

• Breaks help reduce students stress:

Students can get overwhelmed when they’re expected to spend the entire day focused on classroom instruction. They have little time to enjoy play, think creatively, or reset their brains. This combination can lead to stress, which has short- and long-term impacts on their health and learning capabilities. Once they have regularly scheduled breaks, they can take that time to de-stress and relax before it’s time to focus on learning again. Which is why I think we schools should have more/longer recess.

 

This is why I think schools should give more or longer breaks. Let go over the main points and ideas one more time – I hope schools change their minds after reading my reasoning behind why should breaks be longer in school?

• Longer breaks help improve attentiveness: I think, when students get a short break or an opportunity to go to recess, their brains get a much-needed rest. When they come back, their attention span resets and they’re ready to learn.

• Breaks help students concentrate on their learning: 43 children became more on-task and less fidgety on days when they had recess. This shows that when kids have more recess, they stay focused, and will improve academically (benefits of recess).

• Breaks help reduce students stress: Once they have regularly scheduled breaks, they can take that time to de-stress and relax before it’s time to focus on learning again.