1 00:00:00,930 --> 00:00:03,690 Heidi: This is episode 192 of Teacher Approved. 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,210 You're listening to Teacher Approved, the podcast helping 3 00:00:09,210 --> 00:00:12,990 educators elevate what matters and simplify the rest. I'm 4 00:00:12,990 --> 00:00:13,530 Heidi. 5 00:00:13,740 --> 00:00:16,890 Emily: And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story 6 00:00:16,890 --> 00:00:19,860 Window, where we give research based and teacher approved 7 00:00:19,860 --> 00:00:22,470 strategies that make teaching less stressful and more 8 00:00:22,470 --> 00:00:25,890 effective. You can check out the show notes and resources from 9 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:27,780 each episode at secondstorywindow.net. 10 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:31,440 Heidi: We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to 11 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:32,010 the show. 12 00:00:36,450 --> 00:00:39,480 Emily: Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's 13 00:00:39,480 --> 00:00:43,380 episode, we're tackling some of the most common recess problems 14 00:00:43,590 --> 00:00:46,230 with advice for solving them from our teacher approved 15 00:00:46,230 --> 00:00:46,920 community. 16 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:50,880 Heidi: Let's start with a try it tomorrow, where we share a quick 17 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:53,430 win that you can use in your classroom right away. Emily, 18 00:00:53,430 --> 00:00:54,480 what is our prompt this week? 19 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:59,100 Emily: Try ending your day with a one good thing share. So 20 00:00:59,100 --> 00:01:01,740 before dismissal, ask students to think of one good thing that 21 00:01:01,740 --> 00:01:05,190 happened during the day, like something they learned something 22 00:01:05,190 --> 00:01:08,220 kind a classmate did, even something that made them laugh. 23 00:01:08,610 --> 00:01:11,850 Give students 30 to 60 seconds to think of something, and then 24 00:01:11,850 --> 00:01:14,850 let a few students share out loud, or let everyone share with 25 00:01:14,850 --> 00:01:17,670 a partner. Or they can write their good thing on a sticky 26 00:01:17,670 --> 00:01:19,170 note for a quick class display. 27 00:01:19,590 --> 00:01:22,260 Heidi: That is such a sweet way to end the day on a positive 28 00:01:22,260 --> 00:01:26,460 note, and it helps students and you notice the good even when 29 00:01:26,460 --> 00:01:29,310 the day maybe felt a little wild. Plus, it gives your 30 00:01:29,310 --> 00:01:31,920 classroom community a little boost of connection before 31 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:33,030 everyone heads out the door. 32 00:01:33,630 --> 00:01:36,120 Emily: And if you like this idea or anything else we share on the 33 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:39,450 podcast, would you please take a second and give us a five star 34 00:01:39,450 --> 00:01:41,790 rating and review on Apple podcasts. 35 00:01:42,810 --> 00:01:48,330 All right, let's talk about recess. So in theory, recess is 36 00:01:48,330 --> 00:01:52,440 this wonderful time where everyone gets a break. Kids get 37 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:56,640 to run around, and teachers get to take a deep breath. But let's 38 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:00,720 be honest, recess often comes with its own set of challenges. 39 00:02:00,750 --> 00:02:04,650 And judging by what we heard when we asked all of you in our 40 00:02:04,650 --> 00:02:07,860 community how recess was going, you are all feeling the same 41 00:02:07,860 --> 00:02:08,160 way. 42 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,630 Heidi: Oh, my goodness, the stories we heard, everything 43 00:02:11,870 --> 00:02:16,040 from students arguing over tag rules. Oh, the eternal struggle. 44 00:02:16,580 --> 00:02:19,310 You know, soccer games are ending in tears, and, of course, 45 00:02:19,310 --> 00:02:22,160 the classic, the full on meltdown about who was out in 46 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:27,260 Gaga ball. I swear whoever invented Gaga ball had no idea 47 00:02:27,290 --> 00:02:29,480 of the emotional turmoil that they were unleashing on 48 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:30,770 elementary schools everywhere. 49 00:02:31,010 --> 00:02:33,500 Emily: I remember when my son's school got Gaga ball and they 50 00:02:33,500 --> 00:02:36,170 were all so excited about it, and how frequently he would come 51 00:02:36,170 --> 00:02:39,560 home and mention, Oh, we didn't get to do the Gaga pit today 52 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,610 because everybody was fighting. Yeah, it is like the hunger 53 00:02:43,610 --> 00:02:48,080 games out there sometimes. And don't even get me started on 54 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:52,190 coming back inside afterwards. Nothing says ready to learn like 55 00:02:52,220 --> 00:02:56,870 25 red faced, sweaty kids who are either crying or tattling or 56 00:02:56,870 --> 00:02:57,350 both. 57 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:02,550 Heidi: Oh, the memories. Yeah. Randa told us that even though 58 00:03:02,550 --> 00:03:05,250 she doesn't have recess duty, she still deals with all of the 59 00:03:05,250 --> 00:03:08,250 drama. Because, of course, it carries back into her classroom 60 00:03:08,640 --> 00:03:11,670 and she's left sorting through the mess. Stacy mentioned that 61 00:03:11,670 --> 00:03:14,430 her students return from recess telling her all of the problems 62 00:03:14,430 --> 00:03:17,490 instead of telling the duty teacher. You know, it's like 63 00:03:17,490 --> 00:03:20,850 they just save up all their complaints just for us. We're so 64 00:03:20,850 --> 00:03:21,720 lucky, aren't we? 65 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:25,650 Emily: So lucky. Special delivery! Yeah, we have been 66 00:03:25,650 --> 00:03:29,220 there. So today we're going to focus on four of the biggest 67 00:03:29,220 --> 00:03:32,160 recess challenges that you are dealing with, and we'll walk 68 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:35,070 through some simple strategies that can help make recess less 69 00:03:35,070 --> 00:03:35,940 stressful. 70 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,720 Heidi: Because, of course, we could all use fewer playground 71 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:43,380 dramas in our lives. So let's start with what might be the 72 00:03:43,380 --> 00:03:47,130 most common challenge, recess drama that does not stay at 73 00:03:47,130 --> 00:03:51,210 recess. This is the worst. You are all ready to roll into your 74 00:03:51,210 --> 00:03:54,150 math block after recess, and then in comes the line of kids, 75 00:03:54,510 --> 00:03:57,240 where someone's crying and someone is angry and three more 76 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,360 are demanding to tell you their side of the story before you can 77 00:04:00,390 --> 00:04:01,950 even pass out the base stand blocks. 78 00:04:02,250 --> 00:04:04,350 Emily: Yeah, and Miranda put it perfectly when she said the 79 00:04:04,350 --> 00:04:07,530 drama that happens at recess rarely gets handled at recess. 80 00:04:07,770 --> 00:04:10,440 It carries back to my classroom, and I'm left to sort through the 81 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:10,890 mess. 82 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,130 Heidi: And she's not alone. Laura mentioned that conflicts 83 00:04:14,130 --> 00:04:17,160 continue into the classroom, and Jill shared about having two 84 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:21,090 very sensitive girls who were constantly saying that the other 85 00:04:21,090 --> 00:04:22,020 hurt her feelings. 86 00:04:22,650 --> 00:04:27,000 Emily: Oh yes, I guarantee that you have had this sensitive duo 87 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,210 in your class. Bless their hearts, they could be best 88 00:04:30,210 --> 00:04:33,090 friends on Monday, and they're sworn enemies by Tuesday lunch, 89 00:04:33,210 --> 00:04:35,940 and somehow, as the teacher, you're expected to play 90 00:04:35,940 --> 00:04:38,280 Relationship Coach while you're getting the rest of your class 91 00:04:38,280 --> 00:04:40,830 to work, it is too much to ask of a teacher. 92 00:04:41,340 --> 00:04:44,280 Heidi: It really is. But one thing that can really help is 93 00:04:44,280 --> 00:04:47,400 having a calm down space in your classroom just for these 94 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,370 moments, nothing fancy, you know, a stool in the corner with 95 00:04:50,370 --> 00:04:53,610 a journal or some scrap paper. It gives kids a second to 96 00:04:53,610 --> 00:04:55,920 collect themselves before jumping back into learning. 97 00:04:56,490 --> 00:04:58,740 Sometimes just writing or drawing what happens helps get 98 00:04:58,740 --> 00:05:00,330 the emotion out in a productive way. 99 00:05:00,690 --> 00:05:03,570 Emily: You can also teach your students a go to script for 100 00:05:03,570 --> 00:05:07,770 solving small conflicts on their own, something like, I felt 101 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:12,600 blank when blank and I need blank. And Carmen mentioned that 102 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,660 she teaches her students how to use I messages, saying things 103 00:05:15,660 --> 00:05:20,370 like, I don't like it when you blank, please blank. Now this is 104 00:05:20,370 --> 00:05:23,460 not magically going to stop every disagreement, but it does 105 00:05:23,460 --> 00:05:27,690 give them a tool, a way to name what's wrong and ask for a 106 00:05:27,690 --> 00:05:31,170 solution without needing an adult to intervene every single 107 00:05:31,170 --> 00:05:34,590 time. In fact, we would really like to teach them to solve 108 00:05:34,590 --> 00:05:37,080 these sort of disagreements without needing an adult. 109 00:05:37,660 --> 00:05:41,110 Heidi: And if your students are constantly getting into he said 110 00:05:41,110 --> 00:05:44,470 she said squabbles over who was out, who tagged who, who wasn't 111 00:05:44,470 --> 00:05:48,040 playing fair, Sara has this great solution for you. She 112 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:50,650 mentioned that when they have students arguing about whether 113 00:05:50,650 --> 00:05:53,350 they're out or not during handball, they have them do rock 114 00:05:53,350 --> 00:05:56,950 paper scissors to decide. She said this simple solution really 115 00:05:56,950 --> 00:05:58,810 helps reduce conflicts or recess. 116 00:05:59,110 --> 00:06:02,140 Emily: Yeah, I have to say rock paper scissors is the unsung 117 00:06:02,140 --> 00:06:05,500 hero of classroom conflict management, especially if you 118 00:06:05,500 --> 00:06:08,320 teach the kids that it's a one and done, you don't get to do 119 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:12,430 best two out of three, or whatever, it is rock paper 120 00:06:12,430 --> 00:06:13,480 scissors, move on. 121 00:06:13,990 --> 00:06:16,390 Heidi: Yeah. They will drag this out. Whoever got out will be 122 00:06:16,390 --> 00:06:19,240 like, Oh, best three out of five. They'll be in there the 123 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:19,720 whole day. 124 00:06:20,140 --> 00:06:22,930 Emily: So you got to make it one and done, and then it works for 125 00:06:22,930 --> 00:06:27,040 like choosing line leaders in a pinch, settling disputes, even 126 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:30,130 deciding who goes first in the game. It's much faster than 127 00:06:30,130 --> 00:06:33,250 flipping a coin and way less dramatic than a full on 128 00:06:33,370 --> 00:06:36,730 courtroom trial about whether Jackson was actually tagged or 129 00:06:36,730 --> 00:06:38,380 if Emma just almost tagged him. 130 00:06:38,740 --> 00:06:41,830 Heidi: Oh my gosh, the precision with which kids will debate the 131 00:06:41,830 --> 00:06:46,270 physics of tagging. My finger was one millimeter away from a 132 00:06:46,270 --> 00:06:49,480 shirt, but I felt the fabric move, so technically, I tagged 133 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:54,370 him. With my second graders. I actually ended up just setting 134 00:06:54,370 --> 00:06:57,010 the rule, and I taught this from the first of the school year. If 135 00:06:57,010 --> 00:06:59,560 someone says they tagged you, they tagged you, even if you 136 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:03,190 didn't feel it, pointing out to kids that the rule can help them 137 00:07:03,190 --> 00:07:06,310 when they are it as much as it might cost them when they're the 138 00:07:06,310 --> 00:07:08,800 ones being chased, can do wonders for just helping 139 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:09,610 everyone get along. 140 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:13,510 Emily: Oh, yes, that is brilliant, and I hope I never 141 00:07:13,510 --> 00:07:16,480 have to moderate another tag dispute in my life. 142 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:20,200 Heidi: Yeah, no joke, I think tag ruins a lot of days at 143 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:20,830 school. 144 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:25,300 Problem number two is really at the heart of so many recess 145 00:07:25,300 --> 00:07:27,670 issues. Students simply don't know how to play together 146 00:07:27,670 --> 00:07:31,090 without fighting. Elizabeth told us her fourth graders argue 147 00:07:31,090 --> 00:07:34,120 about the made up rules to games they play at recess, sometimes 148 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:37,150 to the point of physical altercations. She's had to ban 149 00:07:37,150 --> 00:07:40,300 several games already this year, and Jackie mentioned that the 150 00:07:40,300 --> 00:07:43,180 Gaga pit is particularly problematic at her school. 151 00:07:43,450 --> 00:07:45,880 Students struggle to get along and follow rules. 152 00:07:46,060 --> 00:07:49,600 Emily: Ah, that Gaga pit strikes again. Yeah, those should come 153 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:53,140 with a warning label like may cause extreme emotional 154 00:07:53,140 --> 00:07:55,480 reactions and friendship breakdowns. 155 00:07:56,470 --> 00:07:58,000 Heidi: They'll probably sell fewer of them. 156 00:08:00,220 --> 00:08:03,040 Emily: But seriously, this is probably the most common issue 157 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:05,590 that teachers mentioned, not just about Gaga, but about 158 00:08:05,590 --> 00:08:09,160 everything. Cece shared that student led organized games get 159 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:12,340 too rough. They're often resorting to physical fights. 160 00:08:12,670 --> 00:08:15,190 The students involved get restricted from playing, but 161 00:08:15,190 --> 00:08:17,320 then when the restriction is over, they're back to their old 162 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:21,310 ways before long, it's like playground amnesia or something. 163 00:08:22,620 --> 00:08:24,840 Heidi: Soccer and basketball seem to have the most problems, 164 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:27,750 based on what we heard from you. And Carrie specifically 165 00:08:27,750 --> 00:08:31,170 mentioned boys getting too physical and competitive. And I 166 00:08:31,170 --> 00:08:33,840 have definitely witnessed soccer games that start with a friendly 167 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:36,810 passing and end with someone declaring that they're never 168 00:08:36,810 --> 00:08:39,090 playing with these kids ever again as they stomp off the 169 00:08:39,090 --> 00:08:39,450 field. 170 00:08:39,870 --> 00:08:43,710 Emily: Yeah, it can be like World Cup level dramatics on an 171 00:08:43,710 --> 00:08:47,730 elementary school soccer field, like the falling to the ground, 172 00:08:47,730 --> 00:08:51,840 the clutching of possibly not even touched limbs. Yeah, 173 00:08:51,870 --> 00:08:54,240 they've got Oscar worthy performances out there. 174 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:58,230 Heidi: So what's the solution, right? One approach that we have 175 00:08:58,230 --> 00:09:02,580 seen work remarkably well is to actually teach recess games at 176 00:09:02,580 --> 00:09:05,730 the beginning of the year and throughout the year when needed. 177 00:09:06,180 --> 00:09:09,840 I know your stomach dropped when I said that, one more thing to 178 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,960 teach, who has time. But Carmen shared that this has been the 179 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:16,380 best year in terms of recess behavior in a long time, because 180 00:09:16,380 --> 00:09:18,930 at the beginning of the year, her team rotated through each 181 00:09:18,930 --> 00:09:20,910 class, teaching them recess games and rules. 182 00:09:21,170 --> 00:09:24,800 Emily: Yes, and we have shared this idea before, teaching the 183 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,070 games explicitly makes such a difference. When everyone 184 00:09:28,070 --> 00:09:30,950 understands the rules, there is just so much less to argue 185 00:09:30,950 --> 00:09:33,740 about. And it might sound like a lot of extra work up front, but 186 00:09:33,740 --> 00:09:37,070 it really pays off throughout the year when you consider how 187 00:09:37,070 --> 00:09:39,950 much less time you have to spend breaking up these recess fights. 188 00:09:39,950 --> 00:09:42,350 It's It's like spending 20 minutes teaching kids how to 189 00:09:42,350 --> 00:09:46,070 properly clean up the art center versus spending the entire year 190 00:09:46,070 --> 00:09:49,970 finding dried glue and marker caps everywhere. You know that 191 00:09:49,970 --> 00:09:52,910 investment of time is really worth in the long run. 192 00:09:53,540 --> 00:09:55,850 Heidi: For those schools with Gaga pits or other specialized 193 00:09:55,850 --> 00:09:59,090 play areas that tend to cause problems, Jacqueline mentioned 194 00:09:59,090 --> 00:10:02,270 that they do a serious tutorial for kids at the beginning of the 195 00:10:02,270 --> 00:10:04,910 year and refreshers throughout the year when things get out of 196 00:10:04,910 --> 00:10:08,150 hand. They also have a recess supervisor stationed near the 197 00:10:08,150 --> 00:10:11,450 Gaga pit to referee and address issues before they escalate. 198 00:10:11,660 --> 00:10:14,420 Students know that if they argue too much with the referee, they 199 00:10:14,420 --> 00:10:18,020 lose Gaga pit privileges for the day or even the week. That would 200 00:10:18,020 --> 00:10:18,680 be crushing. 201 00:10:19,070 --> 00:10:24,110 Emily: Oh man, the Gaga pit police. I love it. You know, 202 00:10:24,110 --> 00:10:27,050 it's serious when you need a dedicated supervisor for like, 203 00:10:27,050 --> 00:10:31,880 one little, small octagon of the playground. But what I love 204 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:34,790 about that approach is that it's proactive rather than reactive. 205 00:10:34,820 --> 00:10:37,790 You're not waiting for problems to happen and then deal with 206 00:10:37,790 --> 00:10:40,430 them. You're setting up expectations right from the 207 00:10:40,430 --> 00:10:40,730 start. 208 00:10:41,690 --> 00:10:44,480 Heidi: Angela shared a great tip for handling competitive sports 209 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:47,930 play. She watches over kickball and touch football and makes her 210 00:10:47,930 --> 00:10:51,740 presence known in a positive way by cheering and making calls. 211 00:10:52,100 --> 00:10:54,620 When she sees students getting hyped up, she pulls them over 212 00:10:54,620 --> 00:10:58,550 for what she calls an adrenaline talk and helps them breathe to 213 00:10:58,550 --> 00:10:59,450 learn to control it. 214 00:10:59,900 --> 00:11:03,230 Emily: I love that. And sometimes for students who 215 00:11:03,230 --> 00:11:06,800 really struggle with social skills, a little extra support 216 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,530 can make a big difference. Jacqueline mentioned that they 217 00:11:09,560 --> 00:11:13,040 had friendship clubs for some students to work through issues 218 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:15,860 and learn management skills at recess a few times a week. 219 00:11:16,220 --> 00:11:18,440 Heidi: Yeah, I definitely had classes where that was a 220 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:23,090 necessary part of our daily life, and friendship club sounds 221 00:11:23,090 --> 00:11:27,650 way better than you need to keep playing nicely group. Marketing 222 00:11:27,650 --> 00:11:28,820 is everything with kids. 223 00:11:29,690 --> 00:11:32,330 Emily: So problem number three is something that will surprise 224 00:11:32,330 --> 00:11:35,450 no one who works at an elementary school, the students 225 00:11:35,450 --> 00:11:39,140 are claiming they're bored. Valerie mentioned they have a 226 00:11:39,140 --> 00:11:42,440 huge yard, but according to the students, there's nothing to do, 227 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:47,210 which leads to poor choices and behavior problems. Vicki shared 228 00:11:47,210 --> 00:11:49,280 that when she has gone out with her students, they don't seem to 229 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:51,800 know how to run and play and they just want to stand around 230 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:53,150 or stand next to her. 231 00:11:55,010 --> 00:11:58,430 Heidi: Ah, the classic, there's nothing to do while standing in 232 00:11:58,430 --> 00:12:00,680 the middle of a giant playground with balls and slides ans 233 00:12:00,680 --> 00:12:03,350 basketball hoops everywhere. And then when they do find something 234 00:12:03,350 --> 00:12:07,730 to do, it's something wildly inappropriate, like trying to 235 00:12:07,730 --> 00:12:09,590 see if rocks can fly over school building. 236 00:12:10,710 --> 00:12:14,400 Emily: Yeah, exactly. Or they're using the classroom scissors 237 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:16,890 that they snuck out to dig a massive hole at the edge of the 238 00:12:16,890 --> 00:12:22,620 field for reasons, I guess. These days, it's true that kids 239 00:12:22,620 --> 00:12:25,620 are really used to being entertained, and so sometimes 240 00:12:25,620 --> 00:12:28,650 they genuinely don't know what to do with unstructured time. 241 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:31,860 Heidi: And as Angela pointed out, many kids may not have 242 00:12:31,860 --> 00:12:35,130 experience creating their own fun. She suggested teaching a 243 00:12:35,130 --> 00:12:37,650 few games and making sure that there are basic supplies 244 00:12:37,650 --> 00:12:40,560 available, like kickballs, sidewalk chalk and jump ropes. 245 00:12:40,890 --> 00:12:43,530 Emily: Melanie recommended teaching basic group games like 246 00:12:43,530 --> 00:12:46,350 duck, duck, goose or red light, green light. She also had a 247 00:12:46,350 --> 00:12:48,990 great idea about sending a notice to parents asking for 248 00:12:48,990 --> 00:12:51,960 help gathering some simple equipment that you can add to 249 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:52,500 the playground. 250 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:55,530 Heidi: That's such a smart idea. Spring is the perfect time to 251 00:12:55,530 --> 00:12:59,430 ask for donations of sidewalk chalk, jump ropes and balls. As 252 00:12:59,430 --> 00:13:01,710 Melanie pointed out, lots of families have leftovers from 253 00:13:01,740 --> 00:13:03,210 Easter baskets this time of year. 254 00:13:03,750 --> 00:13:06,150 Emily: And another approach to handling equipment, because some 255 00:13:06,150 --> 00:13:09,300 of you mentioned that's a pain point in your classroom, is to 256 00:13:09,300 --> 00:13:12,450 create a recess equipment checkout system so that things 257 00:13:12,450 --> 00:13:16,380 actually make it back inside. Your students can be responsible 258 00:13:16,380 --> 00:13:19,560 for checking out and returning items, which adds another layer 259 00:13:19,560 --> 00:13:23,940 of structure to recess time, and usually kids are more likely to 260 00:13:23,940 --> 00:13:26,190 take care of their equipment when they know it will be 261 00:13:26,220 --> 00:13:29,310 obvious if they come back in with a knotted jump rope. 262 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:33,150 Heidi: Now, problem four is a big one, inconsistent rule 263 00:13:33,150 --> 00:13:36,510 enforcement between the adults that are on duty. Kim mentioned 264 00:13:36,510 --> 00:13:38,820 this specifically. She teaches sixth grade, and said their 265 00:13:38,820 --> 00:13:41,400 afternoon recess runs smoothly because all three teachers are 266 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:45,000 on duty every day so that the rules stay consistent. But lunch 267 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,790 recess is problematic because the adults on duty don't stay 268 00:13:47,790 --> 00:13:49,800 consistent with the rules they've established. 269 00:13:50,260 --> 00:13:53,800 Emily: Oh, and that causes so much confusion. Plus, kids are 270 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:57,700 surprisingly good at figuring out which adults allow what 271 00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:02,100 Heidi: Oh, they're on to you from the jump, they know. 272 00:13:57,700 --> 00:13:58,540 behaviors. 273 00:14:02,220 --> 00:14:05,460 Emily: I swear, they have like a secret spreadsheet that they all 274 00:14:05,460 --> 00:14:09,210 are like contributors on, so that they know exactly how to 275 00:14:09,210 --> 00:14:10,050 work the system. 276 00:14:10,650 --> 00:14:13,080 Heidi: They are strategic little masterminds when they want to 277 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,180 be, but you know, not when it comes to math. 278 00:14:15,900 --> 00:14:16,710 Emily: So true. 279 00:14:17,220 --> 00:14:19,950 Heidi: This is, unfortunately, one recess issue that is very 280 00:14:19,950 --> 00:14:22,890 common, especially when you have different staff members, 281 00:14:22,890 --> 00:14:26,370 teachers, aides, administrators, all taking turns on recess duty. 282 00:14:26,790 --> 00:14:29,340 It's confusing for students when the rules seem to change 283 00:14:29,340 --> 00:14:32,370 depending on who happens to be watching them, and it can be 284 00:14:32,370 --> 00:14:35,010 frustrating for teachers who establish clear expectations in 285 00:14:35,010 --> 00:14:38,160 their classroom, only to have them undermined by other adults 286 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:39,000 during recess. 287 00:14:39,780 --> 00:14:42,030 Emily: And I'm going to be honest, this problem 288 00:14:42,030 --> 00:14:46,380 specifically is a tricky one to solve. Now the ideal solution 289 00:14:46,380 --> 00:14:50,430 here would be to create a simple, visible set of 290 00:14:50,430 --> 00:14:54,600 playground expectations that all staff agree to enforce. You 291 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:56,910 could post these rules on the playground and review them 292 00:14:56,910 --> 00:15:01,050 regularly with both students and staff. You would also want to 293 00:15:01,050 --> 00:15:04,080 establish the consequences for breaking rules and how to handle 294 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,870 common scenarios like equipment disputes or injuries. 295 00:15:07,260 --> 00:15:09,030 Heidi: But what makes this so tricky is that it involves 296 00:15:09,030 --> 00:15:11,430 getting all of the other teachers and staff on board, 297 00:15:11,850 --> 00:15:15,180 which, as you know, is no small feat. I would recommend talking 298 00:15:15,180 --> 00:15:17,190 to your team first and seeing how they feel about things. 299 00:15:17,460 --> 00:15:19,860 Maybe you could just start with getting everyone who has recess 300 00:15:19,860 --> 00:15:22,860 at the same time as your class on board, or you can always go 301 00:15:22,860 --> 00:15:25,590 to your admin and express your concerns and suggestions. 302 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:29,060 Emily: If the admin does decide to adopt school wide recess 303 00:15:29,060 --> 00:15:33,080 rules, regular check ins as a staff about recess expectations 304 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:36,740 is super helpful. Maybe once a month at staff meeting, take 305 00:15:36,740 --> 00:15:39,020 five minutes to discuss what's working and what needs 306 00:15:39,020 --> 00:15:42,640 adjustment. I know another thing for the staff meeting agenda, 307 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:45,040 but it's better than having the same playground problems all 308 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:45,580 year long. 309 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,540 Heidi: Another approach is to assign specific zones for duty 310 00:15:49,540 --> 00:15:52,780 teachers to monitor so everyone knows the responsibility area. 311 00:15:53,260 --> 00:15:56,080 This helps ensure the whole playground is covered and rules 312 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:59,560 are consistently enforced. It's like creating a perimeter 313 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:01,440 defense against playground chaos. 314 00:16:02,620 --> 00:16:05,200 Emily: And Towanda shared a great point, if you have several 315 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:09,100 reports about your students in your absence, consider showing 316 00:16:09,100 --> 00:16:12,580 up to help correct the issue sometimes. It shows both your 317 00:16:12,580 --> 00:16:15,190 students and the duty teachers that you're invested in making 318 00:16:15,190 --> 00:16:18,520 recess successful. Plus it gives you a chance to see firsthand 319 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,490 what's going on, instead of trying to piece it together from 320 00:16:21,790 --> 00:16:24,010 25 different kid perspectives. 321 00:16:24,690 --> 00:16:27,390 Heidi: Well, we don't know any magic solutions to solve recess 322 00:16:27,390 --> 00:16:30,660 problems once and for all, unfortunately, but you can help 323 00:16:30,660 --> 00:16:34,230 improve these four common recess behavior issues by applying the 324 00:16:34,230 --> 00:16:37,890 ideas that we shared today. So make a plan for students to work 325 00:16:37,890 --> 00:16:41,070 through recess drama when they return to class. Give your 326 00:16:41,070 --> 00:16:43,380 students opportunities to practice working together and 327 00:16:43,380 --> 00:16:47,610 handling conflict. Teach Kids how to stay busy at recess and 328 00:16:47,610 --> 00:16:50,730 make a plan for rule enforcement. You know, to the 329 00:16:50,730 --> 00:16:52,200 best of your ability, at least. 330 00:16:53,070 --> 00:16:56,340 Emily: Now for our teacher approved tip, where we share an 331 00:16:56,340 --> 00:16:59,220 actionable tip to help you elevate what matters and 332 00:16:59,220 --> 00:17:03,180 simplify the rest. This week's teacher approved tip is try a 333 00:17:03,180 --> 00:17:08,160 three day recess reset. That's fun to say. Choose one game 334 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:11,100 that's causing the most issues and reteach expectations for 335 00:17:11,100 --> 00:17:14,910 three days in a row. Freeze Tag seems to be a huge source of 336 00:17:14,910 --> 00:17:17,850 drama on many playgrounds, so let's use that as our example. 337 00:17:18,300 --> 00:17:20,490 Heidi: Here's how to make this work. On day one, gather your 338 00:17:20,490 --> 00:17:23,520 students before recess and spend just five minutes reviewing the 339 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:26,160 rules of freeze tag, or another game that's causing headaches. 340 00:17:26,490 --> 00:17:30,390 Be super specific, not just play fair, but exactly what that 341 00:17:30,390 --> 00:17:32,400 means in this seemingly simple game. 342 00:17:32,790 --> 00:17:35,610 Emily: Right. And the key is to make it visual. So for freeze 343 00:17:35,610 --> 00:17:38,580 tag, we're actually going to go outside and mark clear 344 00:17:38,580 --> 00:17:41,700 boundaries for the game, and we're going to demonstrate 345 00:17:41,700 --> 00:17:45,240 exactly what counts as being tagged. Is it any touch or does 346 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:48,570 it have to be a two finger tag? What position do you freeze in, 347 00:17:48,570 --> 00:17:52,440 like a statue or crouch down? How long do you have to stay 348 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:55,140 frozen before someone can unfreeze you? You got to get 349 00:17:55,140 --> 00:17:56,370 into the nitty gritty. 350 00:17:57,630 --> 00:18:00,480 Heidi: The biggest freeze tag arguments that we've seen come 351 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:03,510 from kids claiming they weren't really tagged, or arguments 352 00:18:03,510 --> 00:18:06,420 about boundaries. So day one is all about getting everyone 353 00:18:06,420 --> 00:18:08,190 crystal clear on the details. 354 00:18:08,580 --> 00:18:11,460 Emily: Then on day two, have a couple of students demonstrate 355 00:18:11,460 --> 00:18:14,130 the right way to play. But here's the important part, they 356 00:18:14,130 --> 00:18:16,950 also get to demonstrate the wrong way and how to handle it. 357 00:18:17,340 --> 00:18:20,370 So show what happens when someone claims they weren't 358 00:18:20,370 --> 00:18:24,330 tagged and model how to respectfully accept being frozen 359 00:18:24,330 --> 00:18:25,890 without a 15 minute debate. 360 00:18:27,930 --> 00:18:32,130 Heidi: Why do the children make this so hard? Role playing is 361 00:18:32,130 --> 00:18:34,800 gold in these situations. You could have them act out 362 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:37,740 scenarios like what to do when you think someone is unfreezing 363 00:18:37,740 --> 00:18:40,680 people too quickly, and how to handle it when the same person 364 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:41,640 is it for too long. 365 00:18:42,150 --> 00:18:44,190 Emily: You can make it fun by having your most dramatic 366 00:18:44,190 --> 00:18:47,370 students play the what not to do parts. They usually ham it up 367 00:18:47,370 --> 00:18:49,530 pretty good, which makes the lesson memorable. 368 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:52,860 Heidi: And then on day three, you observe the game in action 369 00:18:53,100 --> 00:18:56,880 and give specific positive feedback after recess. I noticed 370 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,940 Sophia froze right away when she was tagged without arguing. That 371 00:18:59,940 --> 00:19:03,240 kept the game moving for everyone. Public recognition can 372 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:04,230 go a real long way. 373 00:19:04,770 --> 00:19:07,500 Emily: The beauty of this three day reset is that you can repeat 374 00:19:07,500 --> 00:19:10,740 it anytime things start sliding, maybe after a long weekend or 375 00:19:10,740 --> 00:19:13,200 when a new student joins the class. And once you've gone 376 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:16,440 through the process a few times, students start to internalize 377 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:18,870 the expectations and even teach each other. 378 00:19:19,230 --> 00:19:22,170 Heidi: That is the best part. And while the reset is about one 379 00:19:22,170 --> 00:19:25,350 specific activity, you'll notice the positive effects spill over 380 00:19:25,350 --> 00:19:29,370 into other recess activities too. Those conflict resolution 381 00:19:29,370 --> 00:19:32,400 skills are transferable. So this might feel like it's taking you 382 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:34,920 lots of time, but it's really saving you time. 383 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:38,550 Emily: So give the three day recess reset a try, small 384 00:19:38,550 --> 00:19:41,310 investment that pays huge dividends for your classroom 385 00:19:41,310 --> 00:19:42,930 culture and your own sanity. 386 00:19:44,130 --> 00:19:45,990 Heidi: To wrap up the show, we are showing what we're giving 387 00:19:45,990 --> 00:19:48,300 extra credit to this week. Emily, what gets your extra 388 00:19:48,300 --> 00:19:48,690 credit? 389 00:19:49,350 --> 00:19:52,980 Emily: I'm giving extra credit to lemon crisp Kit Kats. 390 00:19:53,220 --> 00:19:54,600 Heidi: I forgot about those. 391 00:19:54,630 --> 00:19:58,860 Emily: I know I tried them last year and fell in love, so I was 392 00:19:58,860 --> 00:20:01,980 super excited to see. I'm back again this year, but I do 393 00:20:01,980 --> 00:20:04,920 believe they are seasonal, so if you want to try it, you better 394 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:08,370 jump on it. And not all stores even have them. I have kind of 395 00:20:08,370 --> 00:20:11,610 found them a little tricky to find so, but it's worth it. The 396 00:20:11,610 --> 00:20:13,530 hunt for the lemon crisp Kit Kat. 397 00:20:13,950 --> 00:20:16,320 Heidi: They're an excellent spring treat. You might need to 398 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:18,180 stock up and throw some in your freezer. 399 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:21,210 Emily: Mm hmm. What are you giving extra credit to Heidi? 400 00:20:21,540 --> 00:20:25,890 Heidi: My extra credit goes to Mucinex Instasoothe sore throat 401 00:20:25,890 --> 00:20:28,830 drops. That's a mouthful, literally and figuratively, I 402 00:20:28,830 --> 00:20:32,610 guess. These are like cough drops, but for sore throats, I 403 00:20:32,610 --> 00:20:36,450 give them a 10 out of 10. If you get spring allergies that come 404 00:20:36,450 --> 00:20:40,110 with that burning, aching throat that is so miserable, grab some 405 00:20:40,110 --> 00:20:44,490 of these today, I promise you will be so happy. But even if 406 00:20:44,490 --> 00:20:47,520 you don't get allergy sore throats, I'm gonna say, grab 407 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:49,650 some of these anyway and just tuck them into the back of your 408 00:20:49,650 --> 00:20:52,980 desk. A couple of weeks ago, Emily and I talked about five 409 00:20:52,980 --> 00:20:55,350 simple things you can do in April to prep for back to 410 00:20:55,350 --> 00:20:59,550 school. Well, think about grabbing a bag of these throat 411 00:20:59,550 --> 00:21:02,790 drops as your sixth suggestion. When back to school rolls 412 00:21:02,790 --> 00:21:06,900 around, you will be so grateful to have these on hand those 413 00:21:06,990 --> 00:21:09,630 first few days back you know how it is when your throat is so 414 00:21:09,630 --> 00:21:13,740 sore from talking non stop for six hours. We're all about the 415 00:21:13,740 --> 00:21:14,700 little wins here. 416 00:21:14,970 --> 00:21:18,480 Emily: I love it. And that's it for today's episode. Give some 417 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,720 of these ideas a try to handle your most difficult recess 418 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:25,770 challenges, and don't be afraid to try a three day recess reset. 419 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:31,620 Heidi: We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm 420 00:21:31,620 --> 00:21:32,190 Heidi. 421 00:21:32,250 --> 00:21:35,520 Emily: And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow 422 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:38,040 or subscribe in your podcast app so that you never miss an 423 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:38,490 episode. 424 00:21:38,970 --> 00:21:41,250 Heidi: You can connect with us and other teachers in the 425 00:21:41,250 --> 00:21:44,430 Teacher Approved Facebook group. We'll see you here next week. 426 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:45,450 Bye, for now. 427 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:46,260 Emily: Bye.