A Big Adjustment
Ryan Urato wakes up at six o’clock in the morning for school and boards his bus at 6:45 AM. He then proceeds to endure six classes in a row with a single lunch break before going home to complete multiple hours of homework. Tough schedule, huh!
Ryan has moved away from the luxurious lifestyle of an elementary schooler – a nice, relaxing sleep and many recesses. He is now a sixth grader at the Wayland Middle School in Wayland, MA. But the change not only means more homework – an early start and a recess-less day come with the package too.
I’m Tired!
Every morning, Ryan and many other middle and high school students across the country struggle to get out of bed and start their day. Many of these kids also end up going to bed late and ending up even more tired as the week progresses.
This early wake-up and loss of sleep can be a pain for students. But it can also affect their growth and development.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that young teens get about 9 1/4 hours of sleep a night. Many of these kids end up staying up late for sports practices or for completing homework. This does not allow them to get a full 9 1/4 hours of sleep when waking up early every weekday. “I usually go to bed around 9:30 pm, sometimes close to 10:00 pm,” local 6th grade student Jack Wuerfl says. “There is not morning where I’m not tired.”
9:30, sometimes close to 10:00,” local 6th grade student and basketball player Jack Wuerfl says. “There is not a morning where I’m not tired.”
What is the solution for this? Later start times for schools would make a difference. Studies have shown that the performance of students in schools that start around 8:30 AM is much better than those that start around 7:00 AM or 7:15 AM. A later start would be less of a pain for students, both mentally and physically.
Get Your Exercise!
As sixth graders, one of the biggest let-downs for students is that there is no recess. Compared to their elementary school life of multiple recesses and breaks to run around, middle school is a drop into a ravine.
So why do middle schools cut out recess? Local 6th grade teacher Rachel Barker says “Maybe the reason middle schools don’t have recess is because some people feel academics are more important.” Barker also expressed her feelings toward recess. “I think it’s important for kids to get a chance to play during recess.”
Exercise is important for everyone – not just elementary schoolers. Experts recommend that young teens get one hour a day of physical activity. With the extra homework load in middle and high school, most kids are not getting the exercise they need at home. A recess at school could definitely help. It would keep students fit as well as giving them a little break from a long day of school.
So how can these problems be solved? Pushing school back an hour would give kids an extra hour of sleep each day. It may affect the transportation situations for students, but sleep has shown to be very beneficial, and many schools are making the change.
An extra recess would make many students happy. If you think about it, just three minutes taken away from each class would give students an 18 minute recess. That would be much appreciated by kids and beneficial to their health as well.
So why not push the start time back or add a recess? It wouldn’t hurt anyone drastically, right? Kids need sleep and kids need exercise – it has been proven. Many schools across the country have already made the beneficial changes. Encourage your school to do the same!
By Ryan Urato
