Amy Lanou, PhD, senior nutrition scientist for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine; assistant professor of health and wellness for the University of North Carolina–Asheville.
Areva Martin, Esq., co-founder and president of Special Needs Network, Inc.; attorney and advocate for families of children with autism in Los Angeles.
Harley Pasternak, MS, celebrity trainer and author of 5-Factor Fitness and 5-Factor Diet. He has appeared nationwide promoting fitness and nutrition and is active with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.
Jennifer L. Caputo, PhD, co-coordinator of exercise-science programs for Middle Tennessee State University; member, Youth Sports and Health Committee of the American College of Sports Medicine.
Rochelle Davis, founding executive director of the Healthy Schools Campaign; founding director of Generation Green; co-author of Fresh Choices, a cookbook exploring the link between food and children’s health.
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Comments (3)
Healthiest Schools Comment:
Anthony’s ES gets praised for offering… “a daily 45-minute structured recess, during which students rotate between three different games (participation is mandatory). This active break is a hit among the kids.”
By “kids” you must mean “a few” think it is a hit because I would bet my house the majority of these kids would prefer a REAL recess. The one which by definition: “in elementary school, a scheduled period of relaxation or play.” or…In education, “recess” is the North American term (known as “playtime” or “break” from normal activity.)
What the Anthony school advocates along with your “experts” (?) Caputo and Pasternak who must have forgot what it was like to be a kid…fits more along the lines of a STRUCTURED CLASS and certainly not a break from the normal activity of say…uh… structured CLASSES!
Somehow none of you equated “MANDATORY PARTICIPATION” with a “STRUCTURED CLASS.”
More from the web…
Unstructured recess play is when students are “free” to choose their own activities. In the structured recess model, the students and teachers are involved in the same activity at the same time with the same goals and purpose.”
Gee…maybe it is just me as an award winning Physical Educator but that structured description sure sounds like a normal class and NOT recess! Anthony ES deserves the accolades but not for turning FREE PLAYTIME/RECESS into just another mandated class. Would love to know the last time either of your quoted and noted experts in this article ever taught in an elementary school?
Sam- Good Point. Sounds like work for the kids.
I wish our school had PE more often (once a week then every fourth week twice) but I am relieved that they have two recesses a day. I think my daughter would be very unhappy if she didn’t have any unstructured time. It’s a good time to work on the social skills and exercise in a spontaneous way.
Did you include Alaska and Hawaii in this study? Bet the stats would change if you did. I know that a lot of studies do not include Alaska and Hawaii but, these two states should be included in any U.S.A. studies. Don’t discriminate against any State otherwise, it’ll be on your consciences. Don’t fret, you could do another study. How’s about it guys, be fair, alright?