Playing under Watchful Eyes

1. Playing under Watchful Eyes MyeongHwa Cha MSEd Course 615 University of New England

2. Recess offers learning opportunities for students Students are exposed to physical and emotional safety through interaction with other children. (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 1997)

3. Physical skills, such as gross motor skills, coordination, strength, and balance are developed, and social skills, such as negotiation & problem-solving skills, are practiced while interacting with other children (Leff, Power, Costigan, & Manz, 2003). Research suggests social skills get “more evolved and elaborate as games and competitions abound on the playground” (http://www.habitat-systems.com/files/kit/Age_Appropriate.pdf).

4. A student’s attention level may • increase after outdoor playtime.(Pellegrini & Bjorklund, 1996) • Academic development takes place in classroom, and social and physical skills get developed and practiced on the school courtyard. It is important for adults to supervise this outdoor learning environment and maintain safety for children.

5. Accidents & Misbehavior During Recess

6. Minor or serious injuries and misbehaviors may be prevented under adult supervision. Injuries occur from falling or physical interaction with other children. Adults are to set positive courtyard behaviors through active supervision such as praising positive behaviors and intervening in antisocial behaviors.

7. Without adult supervision , students may create their own “behavioral norm”. They may experience or be reinforced by negative behaviors such as fighting, name-calling, excluding others, or other antisocial behaviors that will influence a student’s school life. (http://www.cfchildren.org/programs/hot-topics/safeschool/playgounds/)

8. Negative courtyard experiences may influence a student’s academic motivation and hinder successful school experiences.

9. What does our school need to improve?

10. √ Age-appropriate Playground Equipment Our school has two 15-minutes recesses each day for the students aged 6 through10. Our school facility doesn’t supply any playground equipment. Age- appropriate playground equipment for the students who have lots of physical energy would provide an opportunity for physical exercise as well as developing social skills for the students.

11. √ Appropriate Supervision We need to make sure there are enough adults on the playground during recess. The school should provide a recess duty schedule that guarantees a certain children-to-teacher ratio of supervision. Standing around the playground doesn’t necessarily mean supervision. On-duty teachers need to be trained in safety and first aid procedures to ensure student safety. “This includes circulating continuously through an assigned area, praising positive behavior, and helping children problem solve.” (http://www.cfchildren.org/programs/hot-topics/safeschool/playgounds/) Occasional interventionmay be needed in case of negative physical contacts.

12. √ Parental Involvement: The school can adopt parent volunteer system for recess supervision. Parental involvement is highly encouraged to build a professional learning community. √ Fall Surfacing: Currently, we have children running unsupervised on the brick surfaced courtyard and marble hallways. Serious injuries may occur from falls on this hard surface. According to the National Program of Playground Safety “Improper surfacing is cited in 70% of playground accidents”. A cushioned surface material should be placed in the school courtyard. (http://www.ptotoday.com/pto-today-articles/article/217-is-your-playground-safe)

13. Reference School Safety (J. Snell, Committee for Children research scientist.) Retrieved on Feb 15th, 2011 fromhttp://www.cfchildren.org/programs/hot-topics/safeschool/playgounds/ Is Your Playground Safe? (D. Ciardi) Retrieved on Feb 15th, 2011 from http://www.ptotoday.com/pto-today-articles/article/217-is-your-playground-safe Age Appropriate Play Equipment Retrieved on Feb 17th, 2011 from http://www.habitat-systems.com/files/kit/Age_Appropriate.pdf