Education
Education

Atlanta doctor says kids need more recess

By Maureen Downey
Jan 15, 2016

Do metro Atlanta students need more recess?

An Atlanta pediatrician and parent has launched a petition drive to get local schools to add more recess. She says some DeKalb and Fulton have shortened recess to only 15 minutes per day. The American Academy of Pediatrics cites 47 research articles that recommend 60 minutes of active unstructured play daily.

Children from Finland have some of the highest scores on international standardized tests, and their schools provide 15 minutes of recess for every hour children are in the classroom.

Should America follow suit?

To read more, go to the AJC Get Schooled blog on MyAJC.com.

About the Author

Maureen Downey has written editorials and opinion pieces about local, state and federal education policy since the 1990s.

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