CFG Grade 1&2 Session 1

Notes on CFG Session 1 Grades 1&2 English Teachers 12.10.2010

Question:Should Grade 1&2 students leave the classrooms at breaktime and go outside to play?

Facilitator: Alison Bahadır
Presenter: Alex Avşar
Protocol: Future

Alex presented topic with visuals showing benefits of outdoor play and gave participants 2 articles on subject to read quickly and focus on most important benefits.

Benefits for Ss:
• Ss’ need to run to develop motor skills and use energy
• Develop social skills by cooperating, taking turns
• Reduction in stress levels
• Health benefits of sunlight and fresh air/ reduces risks of getting ill
• “Playing outside halves the risk of developing short-sightedness.”

Benefits for Ts:
• Classrooms as work areas
• Less time spent on tidying up
• Ss calmer/better behaved
• Ss happier
• Promotion of logical and thinking skills

Benefits for School:
• Tidier
• Cleaner
• Parents notice difference
• Ss safer
• Ss learn better/school more successful


2014-15:
Ss leave classrooms at breaktime and go out to play. How does it look?

Sights

• Classrooms are cleaner
• Children are happier
• In general children/teachers less stressed
• Children/teachers healthier
• School looks different




Sounds

• General noise reduction
• Children are laughing

Behavior

• More aware of nature and care for the environment
• Children calmer
• Children more cooperative/responsible/caring/independent
• Children better rested/parents happier
• Children more creative

Feelings

• Everyone happier
• Less hyperactivity
• Children feel more independent
• Children more energised

2010-2011:
Ss didn’t leave classrooms at breaktime and go outside to play. How did it look?

Issues: School/Ts/Ss

• Classrooms and corridors dangerous/dirty/smelly
• Ts depressed
• Classrooms/corridors were playgrounds
• School was noisier
• Ss found it harder to relate to each other
• Ts lost lesson time in cleaning up breaktime mess
• Evidence of obesity
• Shorter attention span
• Ss didn’t know many games
• Garden wasn’t well-equipped
• Ss missed more school
• Ss’ behavior more influenced by media (i.e.negative effects of Smackdown)
• Ss used monly small part of garden
• More Ts on duty in corridors
• Ts on garden duty not interacting with ss
• Urban living conditions








Cultural Issues:

• Urban living conditions don’t allow for outdoor recreation
• Fear of cold/weather/getting dirty/sweating/catching cold
• Parental over-protectiveness
• Lack of T responsibility
• Fear of parental pressure

What are we planning to do to achieve our aim?

• Take ideas/plans to administration
• Prepare handouts about benefits of outdoor play
• Invite speakers (doctor/psychologist) to school to talk with parents and teachers

Things to Consider:

• Duty days/times
• School schedule
• Garden improvements/balconies/coat hanging space
• 1st Aid training
• Teaching ss independence
• Problem of drinks in class
• Professional support in educating class Ts/Ts/parents/ss/counsellors
• Organised outdoor games
• Enforcing the decision




Attachments:
• 2 articles:

http://www.movingandlearning.com/Resources/Articles20.htm
(Take It Outside! by Rae Pica)

http://www.thekidstoystore.com/imofoupl.html (Importance of Outside Play)


• Benefits of Outdoor Play Powerpoint Presentation

Team:Eda Çetintaş,Zeynep Yağcı,Gökçe Keskin, Pınar Taşcı,Alex Avşar,Alison Bahadır,George Duvoisin,Frank Cannarella