Recess

Slice of Life hosted by https://twowritingteachers.org/I am participating in Slice of  Life Challenge hosted by Two writing Teachers.  Every Tuesday and during whole month of March, we write & share, we visit other participant’s  blogs, we use comments as mini-conferences to connect.  Today’s slice is germinated from  walking home in recess  by Joanne Toft.  Won’t you come & join us too?

 

Walking Home in Recess

 

SOL#18 Lunchbox series-

Walking Home & Trouble

Joanne, you talked about it

As a punishment with sweet end

You are making me think: 

 

Do kids walk home from School during recess anymore?

Or is it too much trouble? 

Releasing the charges, half an hour or more?  

It is not heard anymore.

 

I remember, 

I remember, the days when kids were free

To re-access in Recess

 

Free, Free, Free

To tumble, to jumble and just be

Recess was a joy to be.

Read in a corner? Go ahead & be

Playing to your heart’s desire, Why not?

Talking, joking, Recess is the time to be

Racing home in recess? You are free.

 

Free, Free do do what you want

Playing time, Rapping time, Napping time,

Jump ropes, Satodiyu & Whatever you do, 

Just come back to class with bell ringing

 

I remember, 

The recess, the joy!

Sharing our lunchboxes,

in school garden, on terrace,

where ever one wish to sit.

No cafeteria food to consider

Mom’s lunch was the wonder.

 

 

Recess Re-access

While I sat & read in corner, 

My cousin did her numbers (in mathematics)

Sis was the one to play 

friend or two ran home to feed the pet.

 

Glorious recess. 

Where are you?

Without any minders, 

Let kids be kids.

So they can remember 

Recess as a time of wonder.

– Purviben K. Trivedi-Ziemba

 

 

 

 

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12 thoughts on “Recess

  1. If everything could still be so carefree! I would worry though giving my group of kids what their recess would come to look like… it is a nice thought though when things were simpler and more carefree.

  2. Thanks for visiting and sharing.

    Yes, things were simpler and more carefree once upon a time. We were protected from vices of world by not having television and access to some stuff. Small town living has a charm though.

    Some of the charm still exist – including kids walking home without fear of being abducted or ran over.

    What is your blog? If you share it, we can visit you as well.

    Best wishes. Come again.

  3. I used to work at a school where lots of kids walked home for recess. At my current school, there isn’t a single family who would live close enough to do that. But I am now wondering what would happen if we let them have a 40 minute eat/play at your leisure outdoor time instead of 20 minutes in and 20 minutes out. I wonder how they’d spend the time and if the grown-ups would regret this arrangement!

    • Lisa,

      The elementary schools in our district lets kids go out after 15 minutes of lunch (15 min in for lunch + 15 min free time outdoor). The kids without electronics often walk, goof around, read, play and connect with friends. The kids with electronics and their friends without one congregate around the device – it is not always bad though. They do have supervision and it works well.

  4. This would be great if it could still happen. I know kids can’t go home for lunch in our elementary. They do get a nice long lunch recess though and our playground also has a walking track, a gazebo, benches, plus the normal playground equipment.

  5. No one leaves for lunch at my school. What a different feel that would be! I wish we could squeeze a bit more recess into our school day.

    • My middle grader and his schoolmates is robbed of 15 minute of his lunch. Like I said in comment below, they have 15 min lunch, 15 min learn. I guess they are being coached for high school where there is no recess.

  6. Deb,
    Your school district is listening to the kids and giving them some flexibility. YE

    Long time ago, when I was subbing in NJ, with parent permission they were letting the kids go home for lunch, not anymore.

    In our school district, it is up & down depending on the grade. Juniors and Seniors with acceptable grades and good behavior have TOPS privilege- Parents have to give permission at the beginning of year & can rescind any time. The Jr & Sr students can leave campus during lunch or their study hall; they have to sign in/out and make sure to come back before next class. Students with Tops privilege can go home early if last period is study hall or skip 1st period if that is study hall.
    On good days, Elementary kids can leave lunch after 15 minutes and play in supervised playground. Middle school were letting kids eat outside on sunny days or go outside after 15 minutes, them the curse of Lunch-n-Learn attacked. Now kids have 15 minutes of lunch and 15 minutes of learn = at end of first 15 min of lunch, they have to run to their “Learn” classroom or they are marked tardy. Uggh

  7. Your bouncy, inquiring lines capture the joy of unstructured time. At my school, few students live within walking distance of school, so no lunchtime homegoers.

  8. Love you writing and fun to read all the comments this generated today about recess and lunches at schools. All very interesting! Thanks for letting me know about your post.

    • Joann,

      I have also linked your post on my tweet and on my FB post for “Teachwritetribe” post with hope that your beautiful story will be shared with more readers.

      Your post is the one that started the wheel turning in my head. So Thanks all around,

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