Swingsets and Sadness
First let me say that I hope this story isn't true. In any case, I feel compelled to share it with you in the hopes that if it happened, you can at least stop it from happening in your community.
From what I've heard, there's an elementary school in my district that has become so test-obsessed that they decided to forgo recess. Yes, my friends, the time honored tradition of our youth is no more. Somewhere a perfectly good playground sits unused.
Apparently the teachers decided one year that the students had done well enough on the tests so they let them play outside during the last few days of school.
None of them knew how to swing.
I repeat- none of them knew how to swing. They just stared in disbelief at the monstrosity of pipe with industrial chains. In my saddened imagination I even imagine one kid sitting in the seat and crying, but I can't swear that happened.
I'm looking into the veracity of these reports, but the two people who have told me this story I hold in high regard, so I have no reason to doubt what I've told you here. If that changes, I'll let you know.
From what I've heard, there's an elementary school in my district that has become so test-obsessed that they decided to forgo recess. Yes, my friends, the time honored tradition of our youth is no more. Somewhere a perfectly good playground sits unused.
Apparently the teachers decided one year that the students had done well enough on the tests so they let them play outside during the last few days of school.
None of them knew how to swing.
I repeat- none of them knew how to swing. They just stared in disbelief at the monstrosity of pipe with industrial chains. In my saddened imagination I even imagine one kid sitting in the seat and crying, but I can't swear that happened.
I'm looking into the veracity of these reports, but the two people who have told me this story I hold in high regard, so I have no reason to doubt what I've told you here. If that changes, I'll let you know.
posted by Yorick at 6:56 PM
2 Comments:
It's not just in Atlanta. This trend is expanding nationwide.
Read:
Technos:Quarterly for Education and TechnologyThe Educational Forum
Thanks for the links- they're both really good resources. I wish teachers could use a little more commonsense while teaching, but it appears that the stifling environment we work in won't allow it.
If I were a parent in one of these schools, I'd protest until my tongue fell out. Or if I had the money, take them to a private school. Elementary school without recess is just wrong. We're building test-taking robots that have no heart and soul.
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