{"id":853,"date":"2023-06-21T20:17:44","date_gmt":"2023-06-21T20:17:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/taughtbyfinland.com\/?p=853"},"modified":"2023-06-21T20:22:11","modified_gmt":"2023-06-21T20:22:11","slug":"finnish-style-recess-at-a-u-s-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/taughtbyfinland.com\/finnish-style-recess-at-a-u-s-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Finnish-Style Recess at a U.S. School"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The following post is based on my new YouTube video<\/a> for Copper Island Academy, a Finnish-inspired school in Calumet, Michigan. Our partnership <\/em>began<\/em><\/a> earlier this year.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Finland, kindergarteners usually play outside for hours every day. Rain or shine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But playful learning isn\u2019t just a Finnish kindergarten thing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting in first grade, students in Finland often receive multiple recesses each day. In Finnish elementary schools, a typical lesson contains 45 minutes of instruction and 15 minutes of outdoor free play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this year, I started working with Copper Island Academy<\/a>, a U.S. school that implements best practices from Finnish education. In today’s blog post, we\u2019ll take a closer look at their inspiring approach, which emphasizes outdoor learning and free play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bringing Back Breaks<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Play is the right of every child, according to the United Nations<\/a>. However, there are only eleven U.S. states that require recess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, many American schools have cut back<\/a> on recess in an effort to raise standardized test scores. Some have even ditched<\/a> recess altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Copper Island Academy, all students\u2014from kindergartners to eighth graders\u2014receive outdoor play breaks throughout the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teachers supervise the students during break times but give them a lot of autonomy. For example, students can climb trees, run up the slide, and build forts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Skeptics<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a middle school teacher,\u201d said Matt Laho, who also serves as the K-8 instructional coach, \u201coriginally, I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t know about these brain breaks and getting these kids outside.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kevin Boyd, the middle school social studies teacher, felt the same way initially. \u201cI love being outdoors, but I thought it was a lot of wasted time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also questioned this practice when I started teaching in Finland. But I changed<\/a> my mind once I saw its positive impact on my students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outdoor breaks kept my Finnish fifth-graders fresh and focused at school. Teachers at Copper Island have made similar discoveries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt’s amazing,\u201d said Nikki Ziegler, one of the middle school ELA teachers. \u201cThe difference in the kids from the beginning of a class period to the end of a class period is almost shocking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leslie Fischer, a fifth grade teacher at Copper Island, has also been blown away by the brain breaks. “I wondered what fifth-graders would do out on the playground,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I’ve been really amazed and impressed that it’s been so healthy for them.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Benefits of Recess<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Recess provides<\/a> many benefits backed by research:<\/p>\n\n\n\n