Where did my recess go?

I really enjoyed reading Tom Barlett's "A Case for Play" for the LEEP weekend class day. While reading this, I was really separating my response into two: one as a mother and one as a teacher. In both instances, I found myself nodding over and over again in agreement for the "Case for Play."

As a teacher, the thought "The emphasis on standardized testing, on attempting to constantly monitor, measure, and quantify what students learn, has forced teachers to spend more of the school day engaged in so-called direct instruction and has substantially reduced or eliminated opportunities that children have for exploring, interacting, and learning on their own" resonates (Bartlett). Let me first define what I believe to be "exploring, interacting, and learning on their own" at the high school level, since the idea of "play" has a different definition in high school teaching than in elementary teaching. My idea is that "exploring" and "interacting" in the high school English classroom is becoming intimately involved with literature. Students need to read and re-read, discuss and re-discuss the texts that they are reading (which should most often be fiction) in order learn the skill of reading. This exploration does not exist by only teaching the test taking skills of main idea, detail, paraphrasing, and summarizing. These, of course, have their place, but I am finding more and more, that the literature and the exploration of this, is taking a backseat to skill building. Sometimes, literature is not even in the car. We must have a balance. I do not believe that "Free Play" should be exclusive at any level, especially not in the high school, but exploration is ultimately very important. What are the skills even worth if students do not know how to use and explore these on their own when they are not in a testing situation? Problem based learning, in many ways, is the "play" at the high school level. This philosophy has many benefits to the students, which I would argue are the same or similar to the "play" that is argued young children need. Just as play is "a critical part of childhood," so too is the exploration in the minds of high school students.

As a mom, I cringe for the future education of my students. The concept of "'drill and kill'" that Bartlett speaks about is an ominous idea that lurks in the future. I can already see and agree with the idea "That ability to think abstractly is a huge mental lead forward, and play can make it happen." I see this in my own son. Just a few days ago, he used a paper towel roll as a boulder to reach the high wall outside a castle, which was being attacked by a dragon. He also used an old broom stick as a damaged road that this Hot Wheels cars had to navigate to get to where they were going. Later, he used the same stick to reach a ball that had rolled under the couch because he knew that his arm couldn't reach it, and daddy wasn't home to move the couch. He was thinking abstractly about multiple items, and using the multiple items in different ways. He learned all of this through playing. I game him no guidance in any of this. It is an absolute wonder to see how his imagination soars, and at the same time, it is an absolute learning experience.

I also wanted to look a bit further into the "Ultimate Block Party" idea. This is a wonderful, and interactive way to not just say "Hey our kids need play," but to create an interactive platform for this idea to be seen and heard. After finding that New York City hosts an Ultimate Block Party, I took some time to visit the different areas of their website (http://ultimateblockparty.com). On this website, there is a great "Resources" tab that includes a mountain of books, articles, and more. There was one resource that I particularly like because it had some astounding statistics on it, that lead to my "mom" fears. It is said in this resource that "In a recent report, 25% of kindergarten teachers surveyed said they had no time at all for free play in their classrooms." It is also reported by the American Academy of Pediatricians that the "eight hours of free play a week...lost...in the last two decades" is "'a national crisis." My son will be in kindergarten in a year! Should I assume that he will not play and explore in his classroom? Furthermore, "40 million elementary school children will have no arts or music training in their schools this year [2009]". I am awestruck by these facts and statistics.

I am a firm believer that everything should happen in moderation. As a teacher, I am not naive enough to believe that one can ignore the tests and keep her fingers crossed. We should address these tests, but realize that play and exploration have an important place as well. As a mom, I want my son's and daughter's teachers to prepare them for these important exams. At the same time, though, I was these teachers to show my children that learning is a fun, exciting a thought-provoking experience that can last a lifetime.

Bartlett, Tom. "The Case for Play: How a Handful of Researchers are Trying to Save Childhood." The Chronicle of High Education. February 20, 2011.

"The Case for Play: Get the Facts." Ultimate Block Party - October 3, 2010 - Central Park - New York City - the Arts and Sciences of Play - UltimateBlockParty.com. Web. 28 Feb. 2011. .