Reading, 'Riting, 'Rithmetic... Recess

According to this New York Times article by Tara Parker-Pope, kids who had more than 15 minutes of recess a day showed better behavior in class than those who had little or none.

Did this really surprise anyone? Adults who exercise (i.e. play) are happier, healthier and more productive. Why should kids be any different?

Dr. Romina M. Barros, a pediatrician and an assistant clinical professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine was the lead researcher for the study. The article quotes her as saying, “Sometimes you need data published for people at the educational level to start believing it has an impact. We should understand that kids need that break because the brain needs that break. Recess should be part of the curriculum.”

Not only are many kids not getting as much recess time as they used to (the article states that a recent survey by a Children Advocacy Group found that 40% of schools had cut back on recess periods), those that do have it, often have it taken away as a penalty for bad behavior. As Dr. Barros points out in the article, if we wouldn't think of stripping kids of math class for bad behavior, why recess?

In light of the results of the study, denying kids recess because of poor behavior is more akin to taking a kid out of math class because he or she was having trouble with numbers. It's giving up on them. Don't our kids deserve better?