Recess for High School Students (Transcript)

Bill: Eighty-five minute classes are a long time for most kids, so having that little break in there in the afternoon has really helped our kids re-energize, and teachers as well.

MHS Unplugged is recess, but we wanted to give it a theme name so that the idea of unplugging yourself from the curriculum, unplugging yourself from stress, unplugging yourself from electronics just becomes the main focus of the fifteen minutes per day that we offer MHS Unplugged. Students and faculty come up with activities that they would like to offer during that time.

William: Recess is kind of interesting for a high school. It’s a nice way to relax in between your classes and kind of get out some of your tiredness. There’s art stuff, you know, you can play board games.

Bill: We really make a point to say, “You have permission and you need to stop what you’re doing and do something totally different, something that’s mindful, challenging, something that creates community, something that creates generosity.” Sometimes by doing an activity with that kid that is having a tough time in your class, there’s a connection that’s made, it’s very powerful.

Tom: Nice, that was nice. Jon, you throw something out.

Student: F, C, C sharp, F sharp.

Jon: It’s a good time to just mellow out and just clear your head from the schoolwork that you’re doing. Other times, I’ll go to the gym and play basketball or I’ll go outside and play lacrosse, or I’ll meditate.

Teacher: All right, you all ready?

Student: Yes, shh, you just have to be quiet.

Meditation Recording: Lie in the posture of savasana. Take three full deep breaths and with the exhalation, feel a sense of letting go. The whole face is becoming soft. Feel the shoulders sinking into the floor.

Student: Thank you.

Teacher: Of course, thank you.

Bill: There’s this community happening and relationships are fostered because folks who normally don’t see each other all day get together for fifteen minutes.

Schools That Work

Montpelier High School