Question for research

 How recess or playtime contributes for the developmental skills and learning for a child?

Recess can play a major effect in the child's learning. Regardless of the kind of play, children learn best when they are motivated in a learning environment that nurture activities by playing. To answer this question, it is important to find out what kind of play the child is going to be exposed.


How structured or unstructured recess contributes for the developmental skills and learning for a child?

Who and Why disagree?


Some teachers could argue that playtime only happens when a child is playing without any kind structure or games that targets learning. Other teachers would argue that although children are exposed to a certain targeting game, it does not mean that there is some level of structure or adult intervention. Children can still play with a determined game and make up their own rules. 

Defining form

Form, when talking about writing,  can be seen as a standard way or technique, which can mold or shape an essay. It can also mean an example or ways to set up the writing to convey concisely a message.

Forms of Arrangement

Before I can deliberate about forms and techniques of arrangement, and to explain why I attempted to craft “some kind of scheme of superior arrangement” to convey my message, I must point out a quote from Podis: “…not only is an effective arrangement achieved through an understanding of purpose, but so too may purpose itself be better understood through a refinement of arrangement.” I tried to refine the arrangement of Podis’ text to “underscore the main idea”. Podis suggests organization as a coherent and teachable sequence, of some practical principles like chronological, spatial, and logical progressions and patterns, which fluent writers use in arranging their material.

When helping students at the Writing Center, I’ve identified many students demonstrating the same problems with their writing, especially Podis’ second principle of arrangement. They often can’t connect the same ideas or comments about a determined issue in a concise way. As a result, when proofreading, the information is chopped and students become frustrated because they think they can’t convey their point across. I found out that the biggest challenge students face is to find a thesis statement. According to Podis, the first practical principle is function and organization, requiring a consciously crafted scheme of superior arrangements, which the writer must first discover what best highlights the point or thesis of the paper. The second principle is concerned with the idea of grouping items, and the third principle concentrates more on the interrelationship of items or groups of items, establishing a progression of the thesis, if the writer can discover one.

On the other hand, Lindemann suggests arrangement in a shape of discourse through the examination of organizational schemes implicit in heuristics, adopting conventional forms, making and fulfilling promises to readers, block plans, and D'Angelo's paradigms to illustrate that the process of shaping discourse begins with prewriting and continues through rewriting.

Lindemann states that the arrangement of material in prescribed ways, according to  patterns sanctioned by convention and tradition. In these contexts, effective communication depends partly on writing-by-formula; and prescribed patterns of organization, then, serve a useful purpose, especially when time or tradition limits the choices writers have in shaping their work. Though, she focuses primarily on organizing a kind of writing that allows students more time to discover their purpose and message and that permits several options for arranging the material. Including most self-expressive writing and responses to assignments in many composition, creative writing, and journalism classes, the kind of writing students and professionals do whenever the audience considers as organizational patterns acceptable.

But as Lindemann points out, “although we rarely pay attention to how the world around us is organized, form is everywhere” and “students who cling to a model usually do not know they have choices about form, what those choices are, or how to choose wisely”.  To add to her point, Podis states that “there is, no single correct, predetermined organizational scheme for any given essay, but rather a superior or inferior alternative of arrangements, because what works for one paper will not necessarily work well for another. Arrangement is integrally related to the thesis or purpose of an essay and to be more efficient, is necessary to apply the principle of grouping likes with likes.”

By rearranging the message from the text, I used my own technique to help me organize the information, or translate, to a sequence that makes sense for me. Different writers have their own ways to convey a message, find out what they want say, or where they stand on a determined issue. But until writers becomes more experienced, rearranging a message or grouping it by connecting ideas in a concisely way, is challenge that many will face.

Introducing initial Sources

Once I started to ask the correct questions, it was easier to find sources. By using questions from the invention process it helped me to narrow down my research to the information I was looking for. The sources with (PR) means that they were peer-reviewed.

The article “Whatever Happened to Playtime?” by John Evans looks at the changes that have taken place in primary schools, those that are proposed, and the consequences going down the path of turning recess into a formal period of adult organized rule governed games. (PR)

The article “Play Teaches What Testing Can't Touch: HUMANITY” by Carol Chmelynski focuses on the benefits of unstructured play for school children. The removal of recess at school is addressed. Reasons for the lack of recess at school, according to the author, include increased academic standards and the fear of lawsuits over playground safety. The differences between physical education and unstructured play are also discussed. The author argues that unstructured play helps to develop social skills and imagination. (PR)

The news report by PBS “Schools reprioritize playtime to boost concentration and teach social skills” argues that Tight budgets and high-stakes tests can lead schools to cut time for the arts, physical education and even recess to make more room for academics. But taking away exercise may be counterproductive. The NewsHour’s April Brown reports on how nonprofit Playworks helps schools reincorporate play into their day.

The report “As Schools Cut Recess, Kids' Learning Will Suffer, Experts Say” by Stephanie Pappas, provides the example of a student that started to have problems because the recess cut and provides other statistics affecting children since No Child Left Behind Act.

Research Topic

The issue I am researching is about the reduction of playtime in schools. It interests me because play is an important part of a child’s development and if taken away it can impact negatively other subjects like math and writing.  To add, many parents have the false assumption that playtime is unnecessary after kindergarten, but forget that a child learns better, stays healthy, and develops many important skills just by playing. As school districts strive to close the gap in student achievement, there is “no time for play.” But when looking closely, low-income students are most likely to be in the gap and to get little to no playtime. Staseis helped me realize that part of the problem lies in defining playtime and how teachers can help to minimize this issue.    

Using Crowley to Find the Right Questions Issue 2

In my school, During the pick up and release of students, not always, staff members are able to recognize the person that is picking up a child. Although a child may recognize a parent or family member, it does not mean that person is authorized to pick up the child. Some of the questions: Does security and safety issues occur when dismissing students on my school? (conjecture) Does it affect other schools? What forms does security and safety issues take when dismissing students on my school? (definition) Is security and safety issues a bad thing on my school? (quality) Should it be regulated on my school? (Policy). Although is not a issue that I am keen to research deeper into, it is a current issue and some of the questions I've addressed helped me craft a new process for pick up of students. 

Using Crowley to Find the Right Questions Issue1

Studies suggest that 40 percent of schools nationwide have cut recess or playtime reduction. Playtime is very important time for kids develop gross and fine motor skills, stay healthy and socialize with other students. As I read through the text, I got the questions Crowley provided and inserted my issues. After that, other questions started to surface. Those are some of the questions I thought to be important.

Does reduced playtime occur? (conjecture)

Why kids need recess and exercise?

What is playtime?

What is reduced playtime, exactly? (definition)

What is the minimum amount of playtime a child should have per day while in school?

What is the ideal amount a child should get per day?

Is reduced playtime a bad thing? (quality)

Should reduced playtime be regulated? (procedure)

What do children lose when they don’t get enough playtime?

What are some of the physical e psychological effects if reduced playtime?

How writing and math are impacted with reduced playtime?

Where playtime reduction is a major concern?

When and why did playtime reduction start?

Is there any existing policy to enforce playtime?

How teachers can help?

I think it was useful by guiding me to ask the right questions and find out more about my issue.  Also, I am not sure if there are any studies about the amount of play a child should have per day, I guess is not many people are worried about it.