Art For Recess: A Fair Trade?

Finding a Place for Art

At many of the top public schools throughout New York City, students are spending what would be recess time rehearsing plays, learning to play the tuba or designing video games. While impromptu kickball games and hopscotch may be fun, the students are choosing to take part in more focused learning opportunities. They're making the choice because there isn't any other space to give.

The kids are sacrificing recess with the full support of parents, teachers and administrators. At P.S. 188, for example, the parents association raised $12,500 last year to support lunchtime clubs. In fact, that school's principal runs a musical theater club and multiple book clubs. In most cases, teachers supervise the activities, which can cover topics as diverse as comic book design, knitting and magic.

Short-Term Success

Thus far, the experiment of trading recess for art is a popular one. The students report enjoying the options and challenges. Perhaps more significantly, they like that the activities usually consist of small groups. In schools where class sizes can exceed 30 students, the opportunity to learn a new skill alongside a small handful of peers is unique and cherished.

The schools are also going to great lengths to ensure that student participation is voluntary and based on sincere interest. At many schools around the country, students are sent home with forms detailing the possible clubs and activities in which they can participate. Parents may then choose for the students based on the activities the parents believe are most important. At P.S. 188, for example, no forms go home. This leads to kids signing up based on their own curiosity.

The Need for Recess

Recess isn't required in New York City public schools. But perhaps it should be. The city's Department of Education recommends at least 20 minutes of recess, preferably in an outdoor setting. Also, a 2009 study in the medical journal Pediatrics found that children's behavior and academic performance improves when recess is a part of their day.

Learning pottery may be enriching, but the unstructured and mentally relaxing time of recess is critical. While the schools that are trading recess for art classes may be reaping the benefits in the short term, they risk overly taxing their students. Evidence of that strain may take time to become apparent, but the importance of recess shouldn't be underestimated.