Boys thrive on risk: the importance of play
October 21 2011 by John Stewart, Headmaster
As highlighted in the Sydney Morning Herald article 21 October 2011, and supported by an opinion piece in The Age - and from the many phone calls and emails of support received, we need to promote more challenge and greater opportunity for play. Learning is not just classroom bound test-taking skill and drill. Learning stretches far and wide, especially for boys.
High stake testing has negative side-effects. We start to see the importance of teaching test-taking and 'recall' as more important than creativity, evaluation and synthesis (all higher order thinking skills). Filling in a dot on a multiple choice test is not as much fun as hitting a spot with a mud-ball, riding a bike, or flying a kite! All are lessons.
Having playtime bring with it social clashes should not mean we 'ban' the opportunity. We must see these challenges as authentic lessons for life.
Childhood is a life in itself - not an apprenticeship to work!
Worryingly, we have playtime being reduced. Many research findings are highlighting the issues caused by greater reductions and more pressure from risk and compliance manifestations. Research such as in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2009 is correlating diminishing recess time to an increase in behaviour incidents.
Look at the findings -
Schools cut Recess
http://www.livescience.com/15555-schools-cut-recess-learning-suffers.html
All Work and No Play
http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/10/all-work-and-no-play-why-your-kids-are-more-anxious-depressed/246422/
Exercise improves academic results
http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/exercise-link-to-higher-test-scores-20111007-1ldh0.html
http://journalstar.com/article_0e4f2ea5-6ccc-5317-90f5-7e73c31151a7.html
Play is for emotional growth
http://www.cdsforum.org/play-is-kids-work-for-healthy-child-development.html
Importance of Recess
http://www.canada.com/Recess+essential+well+being+students/5614593/story.html
The five secret benefits of Recess
http://www.playworks.org/blog/five-secret-benefits-school-recess
I Failed Recess... because I don't play
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/finding_common_ground/2011/10/i_failed_recessbecause_i_dont_play.html
Value of Recess
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/schooled_in_sports/2011/10/principal_stresses_value_of_recess_for_student_achievement.html
Chicago and schools cutting recess
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-cps-playground-20111013,0,6382250.story?page=2
Kentucky: Taking away recess isn't the answer
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/01/3242899/joe-robertson-taking-away-recess.html
Focus needs to be on physical activity in primary schools: ABC interview 2003
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/sportsf/stories/s887883.htm
Benefits of physical exercise on being 'happy' - ABC 2010
http://makingaustraliahappy.abc.net.au/physicalactivities.php
More Scientific
Bone development - the importance of physical play on the first two decades...
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/helthrpt/stories/s32316.htm
Better for cognitive understanding - older generation but still relevant and recent! 2011 Science Daily
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110719101755.htm
More academic - Finnish study on decline in physical activity - and this from a country held high as excellence in education!
http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/2000/09000/Decline_of_physical_activity_from_youth_to_young.15.aspxj
Be worried - more research highlighting the benefits and the worrying trends. We have to ACT!
http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/8/1/117/abstract
NY Times discusses how exercise improves intelligence
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/magazine/how-exercise-could-lead-to-a-better-brain.html?_r=1
Risk needs to be assessed on the loss of a learning opportunity - not just the risk of injury. It is via the challenges of climbing a tree, tackling a friend, falling off a bike that we learn confidence, compassion, persistence, patience and resilience.
Tudor stands up for boys’ learning… no… all kids’!
Character needs people to ‘act’ not ‘react’!
Let's stop schools banning cartwheels, soccer games, marbles and the like. It is not only negative it is detrimental!
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June 13 2012 - 9:02:am
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About Mr John Stewart
For ten years, Mr Stewart taught in the United Kingdom at famous schools, such as Hill House International School in Knightsbridge, London; and St John's College School, Cambridge... Read more
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Boarding Old Boy, 1930-33"Apart from schoolwork, we were taught the importance of good manners, respect to women and our elders – and in sport to be gracious when winning and to take defeat with a smile. Personally, I will never forget my Tudor years. They were by far the best schooldays of my life."
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