Recess has been a mandated part of an elementary school student’s day for decades.
However, according to NBC news, a reported 23 elementary schools across Orange County have been replacing time meant to be spent playing outside, with class time to prepare the young students for the required common core exams.
“It is very disheartening that the policy makers, who are often not educators, consider only the academic growth of the child important”, said Kimberly Campese, Associate Director at the Creative School for Children on UCF Campus.
Common Core Exams are at the heart of why teachers are limiting recess time to teach and can sometimes determine a teacher’s salary or career. Additionally, according to afloridapromise.org, a site funded by the foundation for Florida’s future, further explained common core exams: we have them because we are in a tough global market and they give our students a “competitive edge”.
In a world where competition is inevitable and standards only escalate, the future of recess for both today’s generation and the next remains unknown.
