Storms start to move out of Minnesota, continue for western Wisconsin

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

At first glance, recess at O.H. Anderson
Elementary School in Mahtomedi looks like recess anywhere else.
Children are running and laughing, some are in the grass throwing a
football, and others have organized a kickball game.


      But O.H. Anderson recesses have undergone significant changes
this school year as part of the "Positive Playground" initiative,
which aims to alleviate bullying and spur children to be more
active.


      School principal Kirsten Bouwens said the playground often is a
starting point for problems and more than half the students who
report being bullied were bullied on the playground. Positive
Playground sets rules and expectations for behavior while still
allowing a fun environment, she said.


      "We need to be intentional about teaching expectations on the
playground just as when (the students are) in the classroom," she
said. "If a child is upset on the playground about something that
happens, guess what happens when they come into the classroom and
it's time for math? It carries over."


      New ball games and games of tag have been introduced that
emphasize cooperation instead of competition. And classic recess
activities such as football, kickball and four square have been
re-envisioned with new rules that encourage teamwork and limit the
number of students playing in one game.


      Football was renamed Four Down Football and only eight children
are allowed to play at a time. The game is based on passing, and
tackling is not allowed, which helps level the playing field, said
Syd May, a paraprofessional at the school.


      "There's one set of rules now, so everyone's sort of on a
learning curve" she said.


      Kickball participation is limited to six students per game, so
all six get to participate, and fewer arguments break out.


      "I love the fact that kids who normally didn't play are
playing. In the past, there would be 15 kids lined up to play
kickball, and somebody would always budge in front and say 'You
can't kick,"' she said. "(Positive Playground) really changed the
whole dynamics of that."


      Students also are being taught techniques to settle playground
disagreements without an adult.


      "We do rock, paper, scissors," fifth-grader Mattie Prayfroc
said. "You're supposed to figure it out and not get mad about
it."


      Students said one of their favorite changes is fewer students on
the playground. In previous years, as many as 240 students could be
on the playground at once, but this year, the school changed the
schedule so only 120 are at recess at the same time.


      But some students still yearn for the days when recess meant
grass-stained jeans and scraped elbows.


      "It's OK, but it's not as fun," fifth-grader Gavin Zemke said.
"They changed football because we used to push each other too
hard. But that's football."
      

Gallery

At first glance, recess at O.H. Anderson
Elementary School in Mahtomedi looks like recess anywhere else.
Children are running and laughing, some are in the grass throwing a
football, and others have organized a kickball game.


Mahtomedi school changes the dynamics of recess

Go Deeper.

Like this?