Short Bits

A study by University College London’s (UCL) Institute of Education reports that there has been a near virtual elimination of afternoon breaks, especially in secondary schools, and shorter lunch breaks. One in four secondary schools now leave only 35 minutes or less for lunch. Schools have been shortening breaks to create more time for learning. Funding cuts and a bid to tackle bad behavior may also have contributed. Academics argue that children do not have enough time to socialize or exercise, which is important for the mental and physical health of children. Comparing data from 1,133 primary and secondary schools in 2017 with data collected in 2006 and 1995, researchers looked at how school breaks and young people’s social lives have changed. Children ages 5 to 7 have 45 minutes less break time per week than children of the same age in 1995. Meanwhile, students ages 11 to 16 have 65 minutes less than two decades ago. The study also revealed that children are now only half as likely to meet up with friends and peers in person outside of school as in 2006. Three-fifths of the schools that responded to the survey reported withholding breaks from children when they or their classmates have misbehaved or failed to complete work. Primaryage children in Britain are also losing the freedom to play independently and typically are not are allowed to play outside on their own until two years older than their parents’ generation were. While their parents were allowed to play outside unsupervised by the age of 9, on average, today’s children are 11 by the time they reach the same milestone. Researchers say that not enough adventurous play could affect children’s long-term physical and mental health. Although this is a British study, school personnel are reporting similar reductions in breaks in U.S. schools and increased hesitancy to allow children to play outdoors without parents present. Compiled by Carol Westby Do you have any roles or identities that concern you as a physical creature? Do you have concerns about how your body looks or how it works? Some of our physical identities include things that are important to us. Are there any possessions or things that mean a lot to you and tell people who you are? 7. Future selves: The roles and positions I want to have in the future. Part of who you are now may be what you want in the future. We call these future roles and positions, “possible selves.” Are there any future possible selves that are important to how you think about yourself now? Please consider future educational, occupational, and family roles (some examples: future truck driver, married, game designer, future homeowner). List up to five roles and positions you would like to have in the future. 8. The less desirable side of me: Taking into consideration all aspects of your life (school, personal and family relationships, work, etc.), list up to five components of yourself that you are not happy with, not proud of, or would like to change. For example, are there any habits that you would like to change? Also, are there any future selves that you are afraid you might become? (some examples: procrastinator, poor student [doing poorly in school], future—end up in dead-end job). 9. Social categories people put me in: Each school has its own informal set of groups, and there are “crowd” names for labeling these different groups of students. What crowds or groups are in your school? What groups are you in? What groups are you not in? 10. Personal background: Sometimes personal background factors are important aspects of our sense of self (some examples: I am a woman/Greek American/Orthodox Jew from California). This section can include sex, ethnicity, religion, social class, where I grew up, grade, and age. 11. My current situation: Sometimes one’s current situation provides important aspects of our sense of self (some examples: hobbies, extracurricular activity, volunteer, and group of people who are important to me). 12. Other selves: Have we missed any aspect of you that you would include as an important aspect of your overall self-concept? If yes, what are they?