Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I just know where this question is coming from. There is apparently a group of parents in Greener Grass Elementary that is trying to advocate for recess of the olden days. You know, 15 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes after lunch and 15 minutes in the afternoon.
There is NO way that teachers can teach what needs to be taught and students can learn everything they need to learn with an hour of recess every single day! I think that kiddos need to have exercise on a daily basis and HECK! That's how I get in some of my daily exercise requirements. I would be okay with P.E. for 30 minutes each day, but 1 hour everyday is pushing it to the limit.
The standards that students are expected to master is growing every day. The ages at which they are expected to master these things is getting younger and younger. Raise your hand if you remember learning about multiplication in the 2nd grade? Were you expected to be ready to read or add and subtract by kindergarten? I know that I wasn't!
I get having high expectations, but subjecting students who aren't developmentally ready for more abstract concepts is just a frustration! I don't hold any children back from learning all they can learn, but I pay close attention to the signs showing me they are ready to move forward.
Anyway, I got sidetracked. So, Principal is asking me about recess. Here is my response...
"Being in my classroom is like having recess all day. I write into my daily lessons times where the children can talk to a partner or a group of kids, games that promote good times AND learning, moving and grooving, rhyming and chanting, silliness and goofiness. We get 15 minutes during recess time. Since it is winter, it takes 10 minutes to get out the different "recess activities." That leaves them with 5 minutes to play and puts us 10 minutes behind schedule each and every day. Indoor recess is challenging. Students will NEVER be able to achieve that release they are looking for during indoor recess. They cannot scream or run indoors without bothering other classrooms. So, instead of wasting time setting up and breaking down recess activities, we try and have a little bit of recess after every subject. When it is nicer outside, will we be outside all the time? Yes. I don't ever deprive the children for an opportunity to be outside and run off some steam."There may be many of you out there that think my way of thinking is wrong, but if you ask my classroom if we do fun and interesting things everyday, each one of them would be able to give you an example of why it ROCKS to be in Mrs. B's classroom!
I am a freakin' AWESOME teacher and it really bothers me that Principal can indirectly pass judgement on me and my teaching style. Principal has NO CLUE what goes on in my classroom because the last time an observation has been done on me was at the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year!
Principal is notorious for catering to some families in Greener Grass Elementary and stiffing other families. I am all about fairness and the only reason this subject is being brought up is because this committee is made up of privileged, PTA parents and Principal doesn't want to upset those parents.
It really just annoys me when someone tries to make little issues into HUGE deals! Let me be so that I can do my job. Good grief!
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