Safety first. We hear it all the time in so many of our day-to-day activities, yet the playground is the number one place students are made fun of or called names. Safety may be the most critical element of a child’s education. If our kids don’t feel safe, they will not learn. In fact, “violence…reduces [students’] ability to concentrate and learn, and thereby their chances for school success. Indeed, emerging evidence suggests exposure to violence has lifelong effects on learning,” authors of a WestEd report explained.
Safety from both physical threat and verbal violence is necessary for learning. Children feel safer when they are included in activities and engaged positively with peers. At Playworks schools, teachers perceive students to be safer during recess and more engaged in inclusive play, according to a new study by Mathematica Policy Research and Stanford University. Teachers reported that as a result of Playworks, students had learned new games to play at recess (97%) and learned the recess rules (95%). Most students reported engagement with Playworks activities (74%) and the vast majority reported enjoying Playworks activities at recess (89%).
For some students, this can make all the difference. The well-being of children is intrinsically linked to their academic learning. Studies show that students who receive social-emotional learning instruction, such as teaching skills for safe and inclusive play at recess, have more positive attitudes in school and improved academic achievement. A whole child approach to education both in and out of the classroom can make all the difference in students’ lives.
While the research shows that kids feel safer at schools that partner with Playworks, it is the actions, such as this coach’s story, that drive this home for us: “A teacher recently shared with me that one student had been working through intense self-esteem and social anxiety issues. During a previous class game time, that student stood in the center of the circle game to say ‘Move your body if you play baseball.’ No one knew he played sports, let alone baseball. It was a big deal for him to feel safe enough in front of the group and share something about himself. The teacher said even though it may have seemed an insignificant detail, it was a defining moment for him. She was so proud of him and happy Playworks had given him that opportunity.”
How does your school keep students safe and engaged at recess?
