Moving at the Speed of Creativity - Increase retention and creativity with recess

Increase retention and creativity with recess

Published by Wesley Fryer in creativity, literacy, politics on August 2nd, 2006

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I am a big advocate for recess, both at school and outside of school. According to Gabrielle deGroot Redford:

As we age, our short-term memory of details in the immediate past—what we ate for breakfast, where we put our glasses—decreases. A recent study, however, found that mice who exercised regularly not only learned a new task more quickly but also retained what they learned better and actually developed new brain cells in the memory section of the brain. The most exciting part of the study, though, was that the mice were about the equivalent of 70 in human years, and they developed increased memory skills after exercising for only one month.

So the recess you hopefully enjoyed in your youth (if you’re a digital immigrant) was not just good for your heart and limbs– it was also good for your mind! Active bodies tend to have active minds. And this is what we should want inside and outside schools! So why are so many leaders mixed up when it comes to promoting literacy and learning?!

For more thoughts on the benefits of recess, check out “Let’s fight for recess” and the thoughts of a six year old sage in “Podcast60: The Best Things About Kindergarten.”