A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE
MOST OF US WERE IN ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL.
NOT JUST IN THE CLASSROOM,
BUT ALSO AT RECESS.
FIVE YEARS AGO, A NATIONAL
NONPROFIT CALLED PLAY WORKS
STARTED TRAINING RESEARCH
COACHES IN MINNESOTA.
THESE COACHES LEAD CHILDREN IN
ORGANIZED ACTIVITIES DURING
FREE TIME OUTSIDE.
RECESS COACHES ARE NOW IN
SEVERAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS
THE TWIN CITIES.
ANGELA DAVIS SHOWS US WHAT THEY
DO.
Reporter: WHEN YOU THINK OF
RECESS, YOU THINK OF KIDS
RUNNING OUTSIDE TO GET SOME
FRESH AIR, AND FINALLY, GETTING
A CHANCE TO BE LOUD AFTER
SITTING QUIETLY IN CLASS.
IT CAN ALSO BE A TIME THAT SOME
KIDS FIND THEMSELVES EXCLUDED
FROM PLAY, OR THE TARGETS OF
BULLIES.
THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE
SKILLS.
THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE ABILITY.
THEY MAY NOT FEEL WELCOME.
WE TRY TO MAKE SURE EVERY KID
FEELS LIKE THEY BELONG AT
RECESS.
Reporter: RECESS COACHES GET
GAMES GOING THE MOMENT THE KIDS
STEP OUTSIDE, MAKING SURE
EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO PLAY GETS
A CHANCE TO.
PARTICIPATION IS OPTIONAL.
IF A CHILD WANTS TO HAVE TIME
ALONE, OR SOCIALIZE WITH
FRIENDS, THAT'S FINE TOO.
AT THE END OF RECESS, THEY HELP
STUDENTS SETTLE DOWN.
A LOT OF KIDS ARE STILL
EXCITED AND ENERGETIC FROM
RECESS.
GETTING THEM LINED UP, MAYBE A
STAGGERED ENTRANCE BACK INTO
THE BUILDING CAN HELP WITH A
SMOOTH TRANSITION.
Reporter: THE RECESS COACHES
ARE NOW IN TEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS
HERE, INCLUDING MINNEAPOLIS,
ST. PAUL, MINNETONKA, AND
EDINA.
THE DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM
SAYS SCHOOLS ARE SEEING FEWER
BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AT RECESS.
WE ALSO TEACH THE SKILLS TO
CHILDREN AROUND HOW TO INTERACT
WITH EACH OTHER.
THOSE SOCIAL, AND EMOTIONAL
PIECES, SO EMPATHY, KINDNESS,
RESPECT, HOW TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.
THIS PROGRAM IT FOR
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
SOME SCHOOLS HIRE A PLAY WORKS
COACH WHO SUPERVISES THEIR
RECESS TIME.
OTHERS SEND SOME OF THEIR OWN
STAFF MEMBERS TO PLAYWORKS FOR
TRAINING, AND THEY BECOME THE
RECESS COACHES.
IN ADDITION TO SCHOOL TEACHERS,
THEY'RE STILL OUT THERE, ALSO
SUPERVISING.
LOOKING AT THE ACTIVITY LEVEL
AND THE EMOTIONAL AND KIND OF
THE SOCIALIZATION OF KIDS.
DO THE TAXPAYERS SUPPORT IT?
IT DOES COME AT A COST.
SOME DISTRICTS ARE ABLE TO GET
GRANTS TO PAY FOR IT.
IN ST. PAUL, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S
IN THREE SCHOOLS.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS A
CONTRACT FOR $28,000 FOR THOSE
THREE SCHOOLS, ACROSS THE
SCHOOL YEAR.
