Our New Normal, Volume XXII

You think those mere trifles faze a bevy of Lower School kids as they frolic about at recess this arctic-like late November morning?

No, of course not. 

Yet here I stand, chatting with my very bundled-up colleague Kathy Gregg, a 4th grade assistant, near the play area outside the West Gym, asking questions for yet another Our New Normal column and doing all within my power to pretend it isn’t as cold as it actually is.

With many of last year’s Covid protocols lifted, what’s our new normal out here at recess? I asked.

“Controlled chaos,” Kathy replied with a smile.

It’s not actually chaos, though. It’s kids running around, enjoying the equipment which they couldn’t touch last year, using their imaginations, making noise, and having fun.

“Last year, everyone stayed in his or her own classroom (group),” said Kathy. “Now, all the children in 4th grade can play together at the same time during (morning) recess (from 9:45-10:15). They’re all playing together with masks off, having a good time.”

So what’s new out here this year? I ask.

She motions toward a piece of equipment on the playground.

“The spinner,” she said. “I call it the washing machine spin cycle. You can sit in a little saucer and get spun by your friends. They love it. There’s a zip line (a mini one, by the way, not the real one). Tetherball has had a real resurgence. There’s some pretty stiff competition over there with the tetherball. So, new swings, new spinners, new zip line. The jungle gym is new too.”

On this particular day, a mostly coatless critical mass of oblivious-to-the-weather humanity has congregated on the blacktop outside between the West Gym and Burke Hall playing four square, a popular, time-honored, self-directed recess activity needing a bare minimum of equipment except a bouncing ball of some description.

“A lot of competitive four square goes on over there,” she said. “It’s become the hot game.”

The area contains several four square courts. All are in use. Everyone seems to follow the rules. Though there’s much fast-paced activity, there’s nary a harsh word spoken. 

“The lines are really important,” Kathy said. “There’re so many more rules than I realized. There’s the no-cherry-bomb rule, the no-shoot rule. The nice thing is that they can pretty much run the games themselves.”

Now that you mention it, I said, it’s nice to be talking to someone on recess duty who’s mainly observing and not breaking up spats.

She smiled and suggested that things can occasionally get a tad bit testy.

“We try to approach it as you all need to work it out,” she said. “If you can’t work with the group, maybe you need to find something else to do.”

As we were talking, a group of 4th grade girls arrived on the scene, curious about their teacher speaking into a recorder. I explained my reason for being there.

“What do you think?” Kathy asked them. “Is it fun to be all together?”

After an only-one-at-a-time request, several chimed in. Their responses referenced the feeling of accomplishment that comes with persevering through adversity and the freedom that it’s brought.

•    “Last year, we had to wear masks, so if we were running around and playing, we’d get really hot.” 

•    “We don’t have to be six feet apart. We can be three now.” 

•    “The equipment is more fun now. A couple of years ago, it seemed like everybody was on one thing, but now we have more stuff.” 

•    “This year, we’re not in our pods. I like how now we can play with everyone in our grade, not just our class. Last year, you never really got to branch out and play with your friends or meet new friends.  Recess is where you hang out with your friends, so last year was really hard.”

As they moved on their way, I commented how refreshing it was to see the kids getting exercise and using their creativity.

“Really,” Kathy said, “the new equipment is great, but most of the kids are divided between throwing a ball or bouncing a ball. The oldies but goodies are the most popular. The true-blue activities remain the same. The kids really enjoy their play space.”
~Weldon Bradshaw