Do kids need a recess coach?

Come on, admit it. I don’t care how brilliant you were as a student, recess was the best. You’re free from everything. I know it’s only about 15 minutes, but you’re free. At least that’s the way it used to be. But say hello to recess in 2010 and the recess coach.

While you’ve probably never heard the term, 22 schools in Massachusetts now have recess coaches. The schools contract with a national non-profit group, Playworks, which was created, in part, because of some of the discipline issues on the playground. The coaches come out of the Americorps program, and have completed background checks. Coach Tes Siarnacki works at the Trotter School in Dorchester. “The reason it’s so beneficial, I think here especially, is that this is where they learn the things that they need for life and you know they don’t learn that on the weekends. A lot of kids don’t go outside and I think part of that, it’s not as safe in these neighborhoods,” Siarnacki says