Chicago Schools Contemplate Recess After Nearly 30 Years Without It

[AKA2D '91]

Originally Posted by CrimsonTide4

So while you're hiding, do you yell BEBO every few seconds until you make it to home base?

NO.
1. Before the game begins, everyone agrees and pick the object that keeps you safe (tree, a step, a lawn chair, etc).
2. The person who is "it" closes his/her eyes and says really fast... "hideandgobebobebo Ican'tseeyouseeyouseeyou" while everyone else is trying to hide. You may not get a chance to hide b/c you don't know when the "it" person will stop saying it.
3. The "it" person stops saying the little diddy and runs looking for the others and/or tries to tag someone (who didn't find a place to hide). But, you are trying to get to the safe place b/4 you are tagged. Then, you have to close your eyes and say "hideandgobebobebo..." If the person goes after you.

[AlexMack]

Oh noes! My kid might fall over or run into someone or wind up crying because he got tagged and couldn't catch anyone else. Let's sue the school!
PS. This thread is funny because I have a thread open about the same topic on another forum too.

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally Posted by AKA2D '91

NO.
1. Before the game begins, everyone agrees and pick the object that keeps you safe (tree, a step, a lawn chair, etc).
2. The person who is "it" closes his/her eyes and says really fast... "hideandgobebobebo Ican'tseeyouseeyouseeyou" while everyone else is trying to hide. You may not get a chance to hide b/c you don't know when the "it" person will stop saying it.
3. The "it" person stops saying the little diddy and runs looking for the others and/or tries to tag someone (who didn't find a place to hide). But, you are trying to get to the safe place b/4 you are tagged. Then, you have to close your eyes and say "hideandgobebobebo..." If the person goes after you.

Ooooh. Very different but it sounds comical from an outsider's point of view.

[Dionysus]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

I mostly played basketball, soccer, and dodgeball on the school yard.

Same with me. I wasn't a fan of tag, because I ran like a turtle. It still shouldn't be banned though. In the upper grades 5-8, recess activites included sneaking away to the 7-11, hiding in the woods, and going into the classroom stealing things from teachers/classmates. Now, I only stole once, the other times I was just guilty by association. I was the watch girl. I'm shocked we never got caught. My friends were not subtle in their stealing at all. When I stole some candy from our teacher that one time, I only took a small handfull....my friends lined their pockets.

I was also a fan of indoor recess for some reason. People seemed to get into more fights then. Too many bebe kids in too little space!

[AKA2D '91]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Some schools don't allow free play during recess, anyway. The kids do structured exercises/games similar to a mini gym class. One day there can be jumping jacks and supervised dodgeball, for example.

This is the case. As I am studying another side of education, this was brought up. Most funding at the lower grades for PE has been drastically reduced. So, many districts are implementing a more structured approach during the recess period to offset the budgeted shortages. It makes sense, but for those of us who grew up in another era, it's kind of a strange notion. Accountability has really changed the educational dynamic. Physical education(as we knew it) and arts education and music education is almost a thing of the past.

At our school, the students are required to take PE ( a couple of courses, I believe) in order to graduate, but if you don't get the teacher who has been here for 40 years, you won't do ANYTHING but sit on the floor, if you decide not to play a game of basketball.


Times have changed...

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by KLPDaisy

Is that why you were always "it?"

Oh Snap.

I was the girl who played basketball and football with the boys. We played touch football on asphalt using parking lot lines as yard lines. (2 lines= 10 yards). One time they somehow let us outside when it was icy and we played ice football, on asphalt. I'm not sure how we're not all dead.

I wasn't thinking of Freeze Tag though, I was thinking of regular tag aka "it" as someone else put it. Freeze tag isn't nearly as exclusionary.

Our playground was as above, a parking lot. There weren't other things to do besides tag or four square when you're little and football/basketball when you're older. They did paint a world map on part of the it for a few years, but that's where the girls sat and talked all recess long. Stupid girls :P

[tunatartare]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

They did paint a world map on part of the it for a few years, but that's where the girls sat and talked all recess long. Stupid girls :P

I would've been one of those girls. In Middle School, when my school had 3 fields, I was the one playing ultimate frisbee with all of the boys.

[mccoyred]

Most of what I have been thinking has been said. However, I did want to add that this 'ban' is yet another sign of this instant gratification society where the individual is not held accountable for their actions.

My 6th grader came home from school yesterday and told me that the principal said that they are banning hooded shirts! Good grief, Charlie Brown.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by mccoyred

My 6th grader came home from school yesterday and told me that the principal said that they are banning hooded shirts! Good grief, Charlie Brown.

Why?

If it's because kids are wearing the hoods during school hours...uh...just tell them to...take...off...the...hood. Just like many schools don't allow students to wear hats inside the buildings. Geesh.

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally Posted by mccoyred

My 6th grader came home from school yesterday and told me that the principal said that they are banning hooded shirts! Good grief, Charlie Brown.

That's stupid!!! As cold as it gets a hooded shirt is great for cold weather layering.

[_Opi_]

I wouldnt necessarily call the ban stupid. I can see where the school is coming from. We live in society were we sue each other over everything, and they just dont want to be held liable for injuries that might occur.

But I think it's going too far with tag. What will they ban next? Sports? Recess? Gym? etc. Accidents will always happen. You can't prevent some of them, but with proper supervision I think most can be avoided.

[AKA2D '91]

Not only that, but the hood could conceal something. I guess many districts are thinking about the random shootings that have taken place.

I just tell the student to remove the hood in the building or room. As long as the sweatshirt is navy, gold, or white, it's not a problem.

[starang21]

this is stupid.

we're a sue-happy society and we're going to continue to have some fat kids.

[starang21]

we played kill the man with the ball

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally Posted by starang21

we played kill the man with the ball

We called it down the man.