Playground lessons still resonate
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Recess was my favorite.
- Sorry, Mom and Dad.
Yes, but: Maybe I'm not wrong?
Between the lines: After decades of diminished recess time, nearly half of all states now require some mandatory physical activity.
- Colorado, too.
My colleague Carly Mallenbaum says that from 2001 to 2019, weekly recess time in U.S. schools dropped 60 minutes, consulting company EAB found.
- One oft-cited factor for the decline? The 2002 signing of "No Child Left Behind," which led to more focus on reading, math and school testing.
Why it matters: Recess is child's play, but researchers and pediatricians say it's crucial.
Case in point: Me
I moved to Parker in 1986 and didn't have friends ... until Chris Christman tossed me a football the first day of fourth grade at Pine Lane Elementary.
- We're still buddies.
One afternoon, I was running Chris ragged on the playground, trying to coax another touchdown catch. Our sixth-grade teacher, Mr. Kieft, pulled me aside and said I was being a jerk who'd lose friends if I didn't ease up.
- That stays with me today.
I often pass my old school. I don't think about math or social studies.
- But I do think about one day 40 years ago, when I made a friend at recess.