Children today learn differently than previous generations did.

If you are 30 or older you didn’t have an intense focus on technology in the classroom. You went to a library and used a card catalogue. You had the basic classes, some advanced classes and had a recess break.

You knew not to chew gum, pass notes or sleep in class. You still snuck in some gum and passed notes about who you liked with your friends and gossiped on the playground or while walking around outside during recess. If you got caught masticating a forbidden substance you had recess or another privilege taken away.

Today, children have MacBooks and cellphones, Common Core, strict memorization routines to pass state mandatory tests and sometimes no recess.

If students do not have recess, we hope there are some breaks built in to the day for children to get mental rest. We all as adults know the value of taking a break and walking away from our work for a few minutes. Children need that too. If a child does not have recess or gym class, how are they to get a mental break from a computer screen or blackboard?

We understand just about the only privilege left these days is recess, and if a student is disobeying teachers, that should be taken away. But, if there’s no recess, what tool is left for teachers to control their classrooms?