recess duty at our school

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Home : 2002 : January : 20

recess duty at our school
By Carolyn

I work in a small school where we have some flexibility with recess. Teachers were told to come up with their own time for recess. (Other schools where I have worked have designated schedules, made up by the principal,
when teachers are to take their kids outside.)
In my school we are allowed 20 minutes of recess time per day. How we arrange duty is up to us. Last year, I paired up with our sixth grade teacher. I took her kids and my kids outside for recess, and she stayed in and took care of detention--kids who had to stay in to finish work or because of their behavior.
This year, I have teamed

up with the one other fifth grade teacher who works with me. We alternate weeks to take the kids outside. One week she takes the kids out, then the following week I take the kids out.

In the schools I worked at in the North (Pennsylvania), kids were given 30 minutes of recess per day. Depending upon the size of the grade level staff, you could usually depend upon one day per week for recess duty.

If the weather does not permit us to go outside, the kids usually just have some free time in the room.

By the way, on the subject of duty: Here in the South we have lunch duty. Every one of our teachers has to each lunch with their children. There is no duty-free lunch--at least in this district. There could be other districts which have duty-free lunches for their teachers. That sure would be nice!!!!