Editor’s note: Wellesley Middle School Social Studies students as part of a Civics Action Project have this week taken over The Swellesley Report‘s letters-to-the-editor page. The students are well-versed in their topics, have carefully researched all angles, and are ready to present their opinions to the community. Thank you to the WMS Social Studies teachers for organizing this community-based project.
To the editor:
Oftentimes at Wellesley Middle School, students, as well as teachers, are overstressed or burnt out during the school day. Cognitive breaks could help with this problem.
Statistically, without breaks it is becoming harder for students to focus. Studies have shown that during an average class period, over 25% of the students were unable to focus. Brain breaks help students comprehend and remember what they just learned in a better way. Additionally, if breaks are outdoors, it can provide fresh air for students who are stuck inside all day. Being outdoors is even more beneficial than having an indoor break. 80% of kids and 25% of adults don’t meet the daily exercise minimum recommended by the World Health Organization, but almost daily outdoor breaks from school can help with that.
We are aiming for our breaks to be less teacher-led, so that we don’t just have more advisories during the day. We are looking for students to be self-directed during breaks, allowing them to socialize and connect with their peers on their own. Developing social skills like these are crucial to child development. Additionally, teachers can take the time to reset and take a pause. Often teachers have to teach multiple periods in a row without a real break, and built-in cognitive breaks could help to release some stress.
After surveying over 100 students and teachers at WMS, we found that 59% of students feel that few to none of their classes encourage short brain breaks, and 67% of students say that those breaks help or extremely help their learning. We have spoken to an important leader about WMS about trying to build these breaks into our schedule, but were met with a few roadblocks of different mandated rules about breaks. We were hoping to raise awareness about the importance of brain breaks for overstressed middle school students.
These brain breaks would be short pauses from classwork to allow students to reset and refocus. Our potential goal is for two 5-10 minute brain breaks on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. We would want them to always be in the third and sixth period, which works because of our school’s rotating class schedule. This way, we wouldn’t be having a break during the same class every day. We appreciate your time and hope to continue to advocate for this issue.
Sincerely,
Juliet Tarrant
Daniel Mann
Eafan Sher
