Unstructured Recess Does NOT Equal Unsupervised Recess
In some cases, educators mistakenly equate unstructured recess with unsupervised recess. While recess should absolutely give students the freedom to navigate the real-life lessons that naturally emerge through play, that freedom does not mean adults can step away. Educators need to be present, engaged, and attentive.
Recess is not a break for adults to grade papers, catch up with colleagues, scroll through social media, or simply check out.
Too often, adults assigned to recess duty lose sight of their purpose, or simply don’t realize how important their role is during a child’s free and unstructured play.
What is the teacher’s role while on recess duty? Top 10 tips to guide you
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1. SPREAD OUT – Establish Supervisor Zones
Teachers need to spread out and actively observe. Think of recess supervisors like lifeguards at a busy beach or water park. They don’t gather together in one spot. They spread out, scan their surroundings, and remain alert to what is happening throughout the area.
The same should be true at recess. Adults should position themselves strategically around the play space, keep their heads on a swivel, and avoid the temptation to stand or sit together and socialize. Spreading out gives us a much better view of student interactions and allows us to respond quickly when support is needed.
2. BE CONSISTENT WITH RECESS EXPECTATIONS
Every school should have a clear, shared set of recess expectations and boundaries. Teachers assigned to recess duty need to know those expectations and, just as importantly, consistently enforce them.
Few things are more frustrating for students and teachers than inconsistency. If one group of teachers strictly enforces a rule while another group takes a much looser approach, students quickly learn that the expectations depend on who is supervising.
As educators, we need to be consistent, fair, and predictable. Clear expectations work when everyone is committed to reinforcing them in the same way.
3. GIVE STUDENTS A CHANCE TO RESOLVE CONFLICT ON THEIR OWN
Conflict is inevitable during recess. Whether it’s a heated football game, a disagreement over the rules, or a group of students excluding someone from their tribe, challenges are bound to arise.
And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Conflict, when handled appropriately, can be an important part of growing up. It gives students opportunities to practice communication, problem-solving, compromise, and resilience. For that reason, recess supervisors should resist the urge to jump in and solve every problem for students immediately.
Give students the space and opportunity to work things out on their own.
Of course, there will be times when adult intervention is necessary. Some situations require a teacher to step in, facilitate the conversation, and help students develop the tools they need to resolve the current conflict and, ideally, handle similar situations more independently in the future.
Our goal isn’t to eliminate conflict from recess. It’s to help students learn how to navigate it.
4. KNOW THE “HOT SPOTS”
While on recess duty, some areas of the playground always demand more attention than others. A good recess supervisor should quickly identify these “hot spots” and position themselves accordingly.
For example, if a large portion of the class is playing in the Gaga pit, that area obviously deserves some extra attention. First, there’s the sheer volume of students packed into a relatively small space. Second, Gaga Ball has a unique way of testing student integrity. Disputed hits, questionable calls, and the occasional “It didn’t hit me!” are all part of the game.
Know where the action is—and put yourself in a position to see it.
And if you’re wondering what Gaga Ball has to do with integrity, stay tuned for a future post: Gaga! Welcome to the Integrity Ball!
5. BE PRESENT, ALERT, AND RESPONSIVE
Scan the entire playground from your assigned position. Even if you’re supervising fifth-grade recess, remain aware of what is happening throughout the entire play area. You may be called upon to assist students from other grade levels, even when they aren’t technically under your direct supervision.
Just because a student isn’t assigned to your class doesn’t mean they aren’t part of your responsibility while you’re on recess duty. Be present. Stay alert. Be ready to respond.
6. PROVIDE TOOLS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
Let’s imagine, hypothetically, that a group of students is struggling to play football together day after day. They can’t agree on teams, arguments constantly break out, and the games regularly spiral out of control.
It can be tempting for teachers to become frustrated and simply ban the students from playing football.
But there’s a better approach.
Instead, monitor the games and give students repeated opportunities to work through their challenges. When necessary, provide the tools they need to be successful. Discuss strategies for choosing teams, ways to settle disagreements, and ideas for communicating when conflicts arise.
It may not be easy, and it certainly won’t be fixed overnight. But these are exactly the kinds of real-life challenges that make recess such a valuable learning environment.
Don’t just solve the problem for students. Teach them how to solve it themselves.
7. USE RECESS TO GET TO KNOW YOUR STUDENTS
Recess duty is an opportunity to discover something new about your students. You may already know that a particular student loves to read but struggles with math. But did you know that the same child also loves running around the playground and catching insects?
Those little discoveries matter.
Recess gives us a window into students that we don’t always get to see in the classroom. Pay attention to what they enjoy, who they connect with, what makes them laugh, and what they’re passionate about. Use those discoveries to build relationships and strengthen connections with your students.
Sometimes, a five-minute conversation about catching bugs can tell you more about a child than a week of classroom interaction.
8. FIRST TO ARRIVE, LAST TO LEAVE
Punctuality is essential. Students should never be left unsupervised, not even for a few minutes.
Whether you’re picking students up from their classroom or meeting them on the playground, they deserve every minute of their allotted recess time to run, play, explore, and interact with their peers.
And when recess is over, the job isn’t finished until every student is safely lined up and has made their way back into the building.
Be there when recess begins, and stay until every student is safely where they need to be.
9. REDIRECT CHILDREN TO APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES
Kids are naturally curious. Most have an innate desire to explore, experiment, and try new things—even when that curiosity occasionally pushes beyond the boundaries of recess expectations.
Often, students become so engaged and focused on what they’re doing that they don’t realize they may be creating a problem. For example, you might find a group of students organizing a soccer game right in the middle of an established football game.
Rather than immediately shutting things down, allow the students to work it out. If the overlap continues, you may need to step in and help the soccer players find another safe area to play.
It’s easy to assume bad intentions when students are breaking rules or pushing boundaries. Instead, take a breath and approach the situation calmly. Talk with the students and try to understand what they’re attempting to accomplish. If necessary, redirect them toward an appropriate activity or location.
Often, the students’ original idea doesn’t need to be eliminated. It simply needs a little tweaking to make it work safely within the recess environment.
10. BE PREPARED FOR EMERGENCIES
Student and teacher safety should always be a top priority during recess. While we hope emergencies are rare, every adult on recess duty needs to be prepared to respond quickly, calmly, and appropriately when something unexpected happens.
7 EMERGENCY READINESS STRATEGIES
- Know your school’s procedures for responding to both minor and serious injuries.
- Know the nurse’s phone number and keep it readily accessible on your phone.
- Keep your CPR and First Aid certifications current.
- Know where the school’s AED is located and be prepared to direct someone to it immediately.
- Review your school’s emergency procedures for severe weather, intruders, and other potential emergencies.
- Know who is on recess duty with you and make sure an appropriate student-to-teacher ratio is maintained.
- When an emergency occurs, be proactive. Stay calm, assess the situation, follow protocol, and take action.
“Recess Makes Kids Smarter | Scholastic.” Scholastic Publishes Literacy Resources and Children’s Books for Kids of All Ages, http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/recess-makes-kids-smarter/.
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