Canopus Report post Posted September 14, 2005 I have just calculated that I have wasted 70 days of my life at breaktime at junior school. This isn't counting an average of 15 minutes a day eating. I hated breaktimes. The school would just throw everbody out into the playground for 20 minutes each morning and afternoon and 60 minutes at midday. There was naff all to do as there was no playground equipment or similar things to play with. It was boring as hell and I frequently got bullied. Quite often I would get up to mischief just to be made to stand outside the head's office. At least you didn't get bullied there or freeze to death in winter. Is it really acceptable for kids to have to spend an hour outside in the freezing cold each day for something that isn't of benefit to their education? There were no breaktime clubs or activities and the school wouldn't let any kids come inside to do extra studying, read books in the library, or use the computers. It was no fun studying in a cold or wet playground with nowhere to sit down. I wonder what I could have done with all that time had I been allowed to use it constructively? Is it still the norm for primary schools to throw kids outside for such long periods of time nowadays, or do they encourage other activities? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phasmid Report post Posted September 14, 2005 I can only speak for my school and those local to me. We run clubs etc at lunchtimes. So do most of the others. 1 has hired a Playleader for lunchtimes. The issue of lunchtime play and the way it influences post lunchtime behaviour was the subject of my BA year 2 research study last year. 10, 000 or so words later I can say that the importance of this time of the day (for all children) is being taken seriously these days - not everywhere admitedly - but it is happening. To an ASD child playgrounds/playtimes are simply warzones with no rules. We can't change the past Canopus but, we can learn from it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted September 14, 2005 Judging by my son's experience, it still seems to be the norm to be chucked outside in midwinter because Fresh Air Is Good For You. But when it's hot, they are made to stay inside because Sun is Bad For You. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canopus Report post Posted September 16, 2005 I can only speak for my school and those local to me. We run clubs etc at lunchtimes. So do most of the others. 1 has hired a Playleader for lunchtimes. The issue of lunchtime play and the way it influences post lunchtime behaviour was the subject of my BA year 2 research study last year. 10, 000 or so words later I can say that the importance of this time of the day (for all children) is being taken seriously these days - not everywhere admitedly - but it is happening. To an ASD child playgrounds/playtimes are simply warzones with no rules. We can't change the past Canopus but, we can learn from it. What irritates me is that the gear wheels of education reform turn so slowly. I never understood the logic of chucking kids outside for such long periods of time other than to give the teachers peace and quiet so they could hob nob over cups of tea in the staffroom or get on with their marking and admin duties. Playtime issues were one of the first things to go into my first statement, yet the school would not arrange alternative activities for me because they said that if they allowed me inside, they would have to allow everybody inside on the grounds of equality. I always wanted it to pour down with rain because they would allow the kids to stay inside and I could use the time constructively. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CarerQuie Report post Posted September 17, 2005 I don't think that much has changed.xx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
