Implementation of Every Moment Counts (recess and cafeteria program) effect on a rural school district.
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Social emotional learning (SEL) during unstructured times such recess and lunch can play a vital role in student development, but often these environments are overlooked. Children need opportunities to create positive social connections at school to increase their social and emotional development needed for lifelong relationship. Loneliness, isolation, acting out, and self-doubt can be a result of children's social needs being unmet (McNamara, 2017). The cafeteria and recess environments provide the highest opportunity for socialization within the school environment. Often math, science, and literacy instruction take precedent over social opportunities, but creating a healthy balance between these areas fosters a lifestyle that promotes feelings of happiness, social connectedness, autonomy, and fulfillment (McNamara, 2017). As discussed, recess and the cafeteria are opportunities for social development, but these environments help children develop intellectual constructs and cognitive understanding through interactive experiences. The development of these skills can increase the carryover from recess and cafeteria environments into the classroom leading to increased success in academics. Social development has been delayed because of the COVID-19 social isolation, which emphasizes the importance of building these skills in elementary students within the school environment. The findings aim to contribute to the literature on social emotional learning and physical activity, providing evidence for the benefits of incorporating structured social activities into daily school routines.
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