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Implementation of CDC Guidelines for Recess: A Formative Research Study
Shazeen Suleman1,2, Gabriela Calderon Velazquez3, Tania Haag4
1St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Insights
Recess is crucial for child development, but its implementation in schools, especially in underserved areas, faces challenges. This study found that while stakeholders value recess, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strategy requires better understanding and frameworks for effective school implementation.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- School Health Policy
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Recess is recognized as vital for cognitive, socioemotional, and physical development in children.
- Despite its importance, recess is frequently reduced in school curricula to accommodate more instructional time.
- Existing strategies for promoting high-quality recess, like those from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), lack clear implementation data, particularly in underserved settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the implementation of the CDC's Strategies for Recess in Schools.
- To identify barriers and facilitators to successful recess implementation.
- To understand stakeholder perspectives in an urban, inner-city charter elementary school.
Main Methods:
- Formative research study utilizing qualitative methods.
- Conducted 13 in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.
- Involved parents, teachers, recess monitors, and school administrators.
- Employed thematic analysis of recorded and transcribed interviews, supplemented by group discussions and analytic memos.
Main Results:
- Stakeholders universally acknowledged the importance of recess for student well-being.
- Implementation of the CDC recess strategy was not uniformly understood or applied across the school.
- Significant barriers and facilitators influenced the successful execution of recess programs.
Conclusions:
- The current understanding and implementation of the CDC recess strategy are inconsistent.
- Additional frameworks and support may be necessary for effective recess implementation in underserved school communities.
- Further research is needed to optimize recess strategies in diverse educational environments.
Abstract:
The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes recess as an essential part of overall child development in schools, impacting children's cognitive, socioemotional and physical health and development. However, recess is often removed from the school curriculum in exchange for more classroom activities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and SHAPE America developed Strategies for Recess in Schools to promote high-quality recess through specific actions, yet is not known how these are successfully implemented, particularly, in underserved settings. This formative research study examined the implementation of the CDC strategy in an urban, inner-city charter elementary school to identify barriers and facilitators to successful recess implementation from the perspective of various stakeholders. Thirteen in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with parents, teachers, recess monitors, and school administrators. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded for thematic analysis, supported by group discussion and analytic memos. Results suggested that although stakeholders recognized the importance of recess, the implementation of the CDC strategy was neither uniformly understood nor implemented, suggesting that additional frameworks may be helpful in implementing the CDC strategy in schools in underserved communities.
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